5 Challenging Brain Games

Some games are pretty dumb, and that can be ok - sometimes (rarely). For instance, if they are fun, despite of their GIQ (Game Intelligence Quotient).

This post is not about such games. (This song is not a rebel song)

This post is about challenging, intelligence-inducing online games. (This song is Sunday Bloody Sunday)

They are all free to play, and don't require any downloads nor unusual plugins.

Intelligent Game #1: Chess

Chess is the king's game of strategy and undoubtedly helps develop strategic thinking, which will in turn boost your thinking capabilities in general.

In this version of chess you can play against an intelligent computer opponent and select one of two styles of playing: either the straight down 2D view, or the isometric (pseudo 3D) view. My personal preference is the simple 2D option.
Play chess online for free

Intelligent Game #2: Knoword

This game has more to do with knowledge than with intelligence, but I claim that knowledge can help intelligence. (It's a patent-pending viewpoint.)
You start off with a randomly generated dictionary definition along with the first letter of its corresponding word. You must fill in the rest of the word to get points and more time. You can also skip words if you must. Simple & fun, especially if you are into words (like me).
Play Knoword online for free

Intelligent Game #3: Beanies

Beanies is a free online game inspired by one of the greatest puzzle games of all time. If you like to play games and have a flair for intelligence then you already know which game I mean. The game screenshot (to the right) should definitely look familiar. The little guys are falling down, and you can assign them certain actions so they can get to the exit. The actions, or tools, are different on each level.
The Beanies game has 50 super-challenging levels providing you with hours (days?) or mindful & intelligent fun.
Play Beanies online for free

Intelligent Game #4: Word Bubbles

Word games are often a nice and solid challenge for the brain, but this one is particularly nice. The graphics are kind of non-existent, but let's disregard that for now. Instead think of it as only a brain exercise and nothing else.
Well, a fun brain exercise...
Play Word Bubbles online for free

Intelligent Game #5: MasterMind

A brilliant game based on a classic board game. It has everything the classic had, but it's easier to play and allows you to practice your code breaking skills any time, because you are playing against the computer.The animated characters (again the Beanies) are a cute addition, and despite of their cartoonish appearance they don't make the game seem like a children's game. The highly atmospheric music is a nice bonus & helps get "in the zone".
Play MasterMind online for free

Give your Brain a Boost!

Your brain develops just like your muscles do. It grows only when it is challenged.
Playing the brain games above will definitely help, but there is even more you can do if you are looking to expand your mind and boost your brain power!

• Play puzzle games
• Learn a new language
• Solve a Rubik's Cube
• Draw or doodle, especially do so if you have no artistic skills.
• Write a poem, especially if you are not a poet.
• Listen to music or, better yet, learn to play an instrument. Also learn to read sheet music.
• Memorize people's names. 
• Memorize their birthdays too.
• Solve logic puzzles.
• Solve riddles.
• Watch foreign-language movies.
• Talk to people who are very different from you.
• Be curious!

These are just a few suggestions, though the list could go on and on.
If you have additional tips on how to improve brain power and develop brain function, please add them below!

10 Riddles & Brain Teasers

This is perhaps off topic but if so then only slightly, because if you like to play casual games, more than likely you have a thing for riddles and brain teasers too.

So, for all you intelligence junkies and puzzle lovers, here is a classic selection of riddles and brain teasers, including the corresponding answers or solutions.

Riddle #1

What is so fragile that when you say its name you break it?

Show answer

Silence.

Riddle #2

I'm light as a feather, yet the strongest man can't hold me for much more than a minute.
What am I?

Show answer

Breath.

Riddle #3

I am weightless, but you can see me. Put me in a bucket, and I'll make it lighter. What am I?

Show answer

A hole.

Riddle #4

The man who invented it doesn't want it. The man who bought it doesn't need it. The man who needs it doesn't know it. What is it?

Show answer

A coffin.

Riddle #5

What's black and white and red all over?

Show answer

A newspaper. Also: a sunburned penguin, a zebra painted red, or an embarrassed skunk.

Riddle #6

I can run but not walk. Wherever I go, thought follows close behind. What am I?

Show answer

A nose.

Riddle #7

What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?

Show answer

A towel.

Riddle #8

Until I am measured,
I am not known.
Yet how you miss me,
When I have flown!
What am I?

Show answer

Time.

Riddle #9

What does man love more than life?
Fear more than death or mortal strife?
What do the poor have, what the rich require,
And what contented men desire?
What does the miser spend, the spendthrift save,
And all men carry to their graves?

Show answer

Nothing.

Riddle #10

What walks on four legs in the morning, two at mid-day, and three in the evening?

Show answer

A human.
As a baby a human crawls. In old age, a human uses a cane.

5 Magical Online Games

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you 

because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. 

Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."

~Roald Dahl (British novelist & writer)

Here are five casual online games that can bring a touch of magic into your life.

The Modern Sorcerer's MahJong
MahJong is, in almost any variant, a cool game to play.The Modern's Sorcerer's version is a feast of magical symbols and tidbits. The game splash starts off with quotes on magic and even a scrollable excerpt from a book! The game offers 5 different layouts, or difficulty levels and separate highscores for each. This may well be the most magical game out there!

Play MahJong

Free to play and completely ad-free as well!

Elementals: The Magic Key

The online version of this game is limited, but if you are into hidden object games you are bound to enjoy it. The graphics are lovely!

Play Elementals

Some ads, but none to delay the game-play.

The Mastery of Symbols Mah Jong
Here is another variant of this tile game, this time featuring a variety of symbols: Zodiac Astrology (Chinese and Western), Alchemy symbols, such as the 4 elements (Earth, Wind, Water and Fire), the Philosopher's Stone alchemical glyph and the planetary symbols.

Play Mah Jong

Free to play and completely ad-free as well!

Quintessence
Quintessence is a puzzle game, created in a Steampunk design, with alchemical symbols that need to be removed in order to keep the game table clean. The design is beautiful, the music extremely atmospheric, allowing you to merge yourself with the game and properly dive in. Highly addictive!

Play with Alchemy

Free to play and completely ad-free as well!

The Journey to Elysium
If you are a regular reader of Casual Online Games then you have already heard about this particular game. It's a puzzle, it's an adventure and it is also very magical. The story itself, the quest of the game hero Zen and the illustrations are all a delight for any fan of magic.

Play the Magical Quest

Free to play but completely ad-free as well!

The Journey to Elysium - Game Introduction

My first post shall be dedicated to the game called The Journey to Elysium.
It's more than a game really, because it's actually quite an elaborate story as well, but on the surface it is a "spot the differences" game. You know... you are shown two images which look identical, but a few (five) details are different in the two pictures.
Each piece of the story begins with an illustration, which is a done in a nice and detailed (possibly 3d) style.

Read a short paragraph (a piece of the story), and then click to continue.
Then you'll see the two variations of the graphic and you have to find the differences in order to get to the next level.

The faster you find them the more you will score. After the counter (positioned between the graphics) runs down you can still continue. The only difference is that you won't score any points for any additional differences found on that level. So speed matters, but if you want to take it easy and just enjoy the ride, you can do that as well.
As soon as you solve the level and find all the differences you are taken to the next level, feat. a new illustration and a new piece of the story.
There is a total of 50 levels and judging by the highscores table on the site only a few have made it all the way.
The Journey to Elysium is one of newer GamezArena games, and I admit I haven't completed all 50 levels yet, but I am working on it.
Many of the levels are fairly easy, but a few of them are a major pain, so as I solve them, I'll report back here.