Best games
Best Puzzle games of 2009
The 10 best Puzzle games released in 2009, ranked from 1,716 critic and player ratings.
The best Puzzle game of 2009 is Machinarium, with a critic score of 88/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Each game is ranked in one genre only, the one that defines it best, so the same title never tops two different genre charts.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 2009.
- 10 games are listed on this page, carrying 1,716 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 10
01
Machinarium
Machinarium is award-winning independent adventure game developed by the makers of Samorost and Botanicula. A little robot who’s been thrown out to the scrap yard behind the city must return and confront the Black Cap Brotherhood and save his robot-girl friend.
88
/100
02
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is the second Zelda game for the Nintendo DS. The art direction is still cel-shading, but the game have notable changes from Phantom Hourglass with more puzzles and a new mode of transportation by train. You have to draw your route to the next area on the map and then let the train run its course. While the train is moving, caution will be needed to avoid obstacles, animals and enemies on the tracks. In certain dungeons, both Link and Zelda will be playable as they will need to work together to solve puzzles.
87
/100
03
Broken Sword 2 - The Smoking Mirror (Remastered)
Broken Sword: The Smoking Mirror - Remastered is a remastered edition of the original game. The game features the same basic story, but has additional features, including fully animated facial expressions, higher quality audio, an interactive comic book, cloud save support, context-sensitive hints, a game diary and a new user interface.
82
/100
Machinarium
Machinarium is award-winning independent adventure game developed by the makers of Samorost and Botanicula. A little robot who’s been thrown out to the scrap yard behind the city must return and confront the Black Cap Brotherhood and save his robot-girl friend.
88
/100
02
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is the second Zelda game for the Nintendo DS. The art direction is still cel-shading, but the game have notable changes from Phantom Hourglass with more puzzles and a new mode of transportation by train. You have to draw your route to the next area on the map and then let the train run its course. While the train is moving, caution will be needed to avoid obstacles, animals and enemies on the tracks. In certain dungeons, both Link and Zelda will be playable as they will need to work together to solve puzzles.
87
/100
03
Broken Sword 2 - The Smoking Mirror (Remastered)
Broken Sword: The Smoking Mirror - Remastered is a remastered edition of the original game. The game features the same basic story, but has additional features, including fully animated facial expressions, higher quality audio, an interactive comic book, cloud save support, context-sensitive hints, a game diary and a new user interface.
82
/100
04
Angry Birds
80
/100
05
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
Relive the swashbuckling humorous misadventures of the wannabe pirate Guybrush Threepwood! Back by popular demand, The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition faithfully re-imagines the internationally-acclaimed classic game. The game's twisty plot leads our naive hero on a hilarious, swash-buckling search for the fabled secret of Monkey Island. Tales of pirate wealth lure him to the port of Mêlée with high hopes, no money, and insatiable curiosity. If clever enough, he will win the confidence of Mêlée's pirates and find himself blown by the winds of fate toward the terrifying and legendary Monkey Island - an adventure that would chill the bones of even the most bloodthirsty buccaneer.
80
/100
06
Tales of Monkey Island
The legendary series returns from Davy Jones' locker and onto your screen with lush 3D environments, rip-roaring humour, and Guybrush Threepwood himself!
80
/100
07
Crayon Physics Deluxe
Crayon Physics Deluxe is a 2D physics puzzle / sandbox game, in which you get to experience what it would be like if your drawings would be magically transformed into real physical objects. Solve puzzles with your artistic vision and creative use of physics.
79
/100
08
Zuma's Revenge!
Conquer over 60 levels by staying sharp and avoiding hidden traps. Slide and hop for smarter shots; hit targets for exotic bonuses; detonate new power-up balls; battle six imposing tiki bosses and guide your agile amphibian to victory in four all new game modes! Will you succumb to the perilous pitfalls, or can you tame the jungle in this PopCap ball-blasting challenge?
78
/100
09
Cogs
Cogs is a puzzle game where players build machines from sliding tiles. Players can choose from 50 levels and 3 gameplay modes. New puzzles are unlocked by building contraptions quickly and efficiently.
73
/100
10
Saw: The Video Game
The story centers on Detective David Tapp who awakens in a decrepit, abandoned asylum. He has been captured by his longtime nemesis, Jigsaw. Obsessed with catching this serial killer, Tapp’s mission has consumed him and ruined his family, resulting in divorce, mental imbalance, and abandonment. Worse yet, this frantic hunt destroyed Tapp’s career while he watched his long-time friend and partner get killed by one of Jigsaw's traps. Now Jigsaw has the upper hand and has captured the detective. Tapp must play a deadly game—the likes of which he has been investigating for years—to escape, and in order to do so he must survive the lethal traps and puzzles that Jigsaw has put in place for him and others. But each victim has a dark connection to Tapp. Will Tapp save them? Can he survive his obsession to find the Jigsaw killer?
58
/100
Angry Birds
80
/100
05
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
Relive the swashbuckling humorous misadventures of the wannabe pirate Guybrush Threepwood! Back by popular demand, The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition faithfully re-imagines the internationally-acclaimed classic game. The game's twisty plot leads our naive hero on a hilarious, swash-buckling search for the fabled secret of Monkey Island. Tales of pirate wealth lure him to the port of Mêlée with high hopes, no money, and insatiable curiosity. If clever enough, he will win the confidence of Mêlée's pirates and find himself blown by the winds of fate toward the terrifying and legendary Monkey Island - an adventure that would chill the bones of even the most bloodthirsty buccaneer.
80
/100
06
Tales of Monkey Island
The legendary series returns from Davy Jones' locker and onto your screen with lush 3D environments, rip-roaring humour, and Guybrush Threepwood himself!
80
/100
07
Crayon Physics Deluxe
Crayon Physics Deluxe is a 2D physics puzzle / sandbox game, in which you get to experience what it would be like if your drawings would be magically transformed into real physical objects. Solve puzzles with your artistic vision and creative use of physics.
79
/100
08
Zuma's Revenge!
Conquer over 60 levels by staying sharp and avoiding hidden traps. Slide and hop for smarter shots; hit targets for exotic bonuses; detonate new power-up balls; battle six imposing tiki bosses and guide your agile amphibian to victory in four all new game modes! Will you succumb to the perilous pitfalls, or can you tame the jungle in this PopCap ball-blasting challenge?
78
/100
09
Cogs
Cogs is a puzzle game where players build machines from sliding tiles. Players can choose from 50 levels and 3 gameplay modes. New puzzles are unlocked by building contraptions quickly and efficiently.
73
/100
10
Saw: The Video Game
The story centers on Detective David Tapp who awakens in a decrepit, abandoned asylum. He has been captured by his longtime nemesis, Jigsaw. Obsessed with catching this serial killer, Tapp’s mission has consumed him and ruined his family, resulting in divorce, mental imbalance, and abandonment. Worse yet, this frantic hunt destroyed Tapp’s career while he watched his long-time friend and partner get killed by one of Jigsaw's traps. Now Jigsaw has the upper hand and has captured the detective. Tapp must play a deadly game—the likes of which he has been investigating for years—to escape, and in order to do so he must survive the lethal traps and puzzles that Jigsaw has put in place for him and others. But each victim has a dark connection to Tapp. Will Tapp save them? Can he survive his obsession to find the Jigsaw killer?
58
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Puzzle game of 2009?
Machinarium currently tops the ranking with a score of 88/100 across 418 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.