puzzles

SimplePhysics is the sequel to popular physics game BridgeBasher, challenging you to make structures that will withstand the laws of gravity and nature--while remaining under budget.

You start with a helpful tutorial level that shows you the ropes by having you build a tree house. Your requirements are that you build the structure to withstand the weight of four 50-pound children (don't worry, they use boxes to symbolize the children). Before testing the integrity of your structure, draw supports between onscreen anchors to make sure your tree house will hold. When you're satisfied with your work you can … Read more

I reviewed GarageBand for iPad recently and, as I said in the review, I wish I could give this app six stars. With the combination of smart touch-screen controls, tons of loops, an incredible amount of instruments, and smart instruments that make even someone with no musical talent sound good, this app is simply a must-have at $4.99.

This week Apple issued a small update for the app that will be welcome news for GarageBand fans. Now you'll be able to transfer your iPad masterpieces to your Mac to work on them further in GarageBand for Mac. This … Read more

Autodesk's TinkerBox combines the Rube Goldberg-esque fun of The Incredible Machine with the mechanical stylings of an Erector set, then tops it off with a dash of "Factory Made."

Though created primarily to "spark teens' interest in mechanical engineering," TinkerBox offers machine-building fun for all ages.

The game (simulator?) starts with a dozen training levels, which teach you to place, use, and tweak the various tools at your disposal: buttons, conveyor belts, levers, and so on. Of course, different puzzles have different tools available; it's your job to figure out where they go, how … Read more

If you never had the pleasure of playing World of Goo on your PC, Mac, or Wii, you missed out on one of the most original and endearing games in recent memory.

Now you can get Goo to go: World of Goo just landed on the iPad. The question is, how does it compare with its desktop and console counterparts?

Very, very well. The World of Goo is populated by Goo Balls--cute, yelping little blobs. In each level, it's your job to guide them to a specific destination: up a tube, across a bridge, and so on. The Goo … Read more

We are a skeleton crew this week at the CNET offices with a huge number of our editors and camera crews taking on the tech gadget news avalanche that is the annual Consumer Electronics Show. Though the biggest tech conference of the year in Las Vegas generally has little to do with Apple, some news has managed to trickle out about a much sought-after product: namely, an iPhone for Verizon.

Many (including yours truly) watched the live stream of the Verizon press event yesterday hoping to hear word of Apple's smartphone coming to the network, but--even though there were many exciting new handsets and tablets--there was no mention of a Verizon iPhone.

Today we received word that Verizon is inviting people to a press event January 11. Though nobody knows for sure what Verizon will announce, it stands to reason that after introducing its entire product line for 2011, the only thing left to announce might be a Verizon iPhone. We'll just have to wait and see, but it's looking pretty likely that those waiting for a Verizon iPhone may soon get their wish.

This week's apps include an excellent program to make old-time movies and a puzzle game that uses an interesting color-inversion mechanic to create unique challenges.… Read more

Plock is a fast-paced, color-matching arcade game, the fun iOS adaptation of the popular Facebook game of the same name.

Plock is a quick, simple time-waster on Facebook, and it's even more addictive with a touch screen and accelerometer: you break blocks by touching two or more adjacent blocks with matching colors (or eight or more matching blocks for a score-multiplying "Plock"), and if you don't see a match you like, you can shake your device to mix up the blocks. Breaking blocks helps you earn bombs, which are then randomly assigned to existing blocks to … Read more

If you're under the age of 30, the name "Riven" might mean nothing to you. But for us old fogies of PC gaming, it's instantly recognizable: Riven is the sequel to Myst.

Myst, of course, was the groundbreaking, best-selling puzzle/adventure game--of 1993 (and for the next decade, until The Sims came along). That title made its iOS debut back in May 2009.

Now comes Riven, which features all the sights, sounds, and gameplay of the original. It's available in the App Store now for $5.99 (quite a bit less than the PC version).… Read more

Not to be outdone by Rovio's Halloween- and Christmas-themed Angry Birds Seasons, Chillingo just took the wraps off Cut the Rope: Holiday Gift.

That's right: Om Nom is back, still hungry for candy, and still adorable as can be. The game serves up 75 25 new levels and immediately lives up to its name. Holiday Gift is absolutely free. You don't even have to own the original.

Update: My bad. The game has 25 new levels, not 75.

Just in case you don't, Cut the Rope works like this: Little green monster Om Nom has a sweet tooth that rivals, well, mine. In each level, a piece of candy is attached to a series of ropes you slice with your finger.

To complete a level, you need to figure out which ropes to cut, and when, to swing the candy into his mouth--collecting as many stars as possible in the process.

Holiday Gift is packed with Christmassy touches, like stockings that teleport the candy from one spot to another (I won't spoil any of the others). It probably goes without saying that if you liked the first Cut the Rope, you'll love Holiday Gift.… Read more

Many of you probably have some vacation time coming up. What better way to spend it (besides reading, spending time with family, etc.) than by playing some great games on your PC?

Today I've rounded up three deals I consider too good to pass up:

BioShock Action, adventure, role-playing, sci-fi, and horror all rolled into one of my all-time favorite games. It may be a few years old (and there's already been a sequel), but if you've never played BioShock, it's time to find out what all the fuss is about. GamersGate has the download version … Read more