Tiny Brains

Tiny Brains is a co-op puzzle game built around small characters working through compact levels together, so its real audience is people who enjoy coordination more than solo solving. By our assessment, its biggest strength is the idea of matching abilities and timing actions as a group, which gives even simple puzzles a social edge. The downside is that co-op puzzle games live or die on communication, and when the group is out of sync the whole thing can turn muddy fast. In play, that means talking, waiting, and trying not to step on one another’s plan. Compared with bigger puzzle games, Tiny Brains is less about grand systems and more about short, team-sized problems. It makes the most sense when a group wants something light and cooperative rather than a long, lonely brainteaser.