Discover 5 math-based games that will challenge your brain and keep you entertained for hours

Photo by Nina Rivas

If you’ve got a brain for numbers then you’re in for a treat. The following games all have mathematics at their core. Whether it’s as complex as understanding angles of refraction or as simple as fitting the numbers 1 to 9 in a square – I imagine you know which game I’m talking about with that one – these games all have a numerical element to them. So, if you’re looking for a quick break in your day, or a huge gaming session at the weekend, you’ll get it with one of these titles.

Factorio

Factorio was released in 2020 after it was successfully crowd funded. Since then the game has been nominated for a literal ton of awards, including the BAFTA Games Award for Debut Game. All of this is to say that it’s good, really good. At it’s core, Factorio is a mathematical game. You need to create factories, mine resources, and keep things running smoothly. If you’ve got a brain for problem solving, lateral thinking, and crunching numbers, then you might never be able to put this one down. There’s the option to turn off and turn on parts of your factory, saving valuable energy to maximize productivity during only the most suitable moments. To begin with you’re guided through quite carefully, but before long you’ll be on your own, making these factories profitable.

Poker

One of the oldest games on the list, you can play poker the old-fashioned way or head online to give it a go. To begin with, you’ll need to know your hand rankings off by heart and, from there, you’ll want to find your favourite variant. There are various different kinds of poker like Omaha, Texas Hold’em, and Seven Card Stud. Texas Hold’em is the most commonly played, but Omaha gives you more opportunity to flex your mathematical skills. This is because, in Omaha, you’re dealt four hole cards rather than just two. This enables you to use your knowledge of hand rankings wisely to create better hands. Plus, you’ve got extra chances to outsmart the other players.

2048

This game looks mathematical on the face of it, but is largely logic-based. 2048 is a numbers game where you must slide tiles into one another to create larger numbers on each. The first goal is to reach a tile with 2048 on it, but there’s more after that. In order to achieve success you’ll need to ensure you keep plenty of space for movement on the grid. Before long, your 2s and 4s will become 8s, 16s, 32s and so on, right up to 2048 and beyond. It might sound simple, but it’s endlessly playable and great square numbers practice.

Photo by Richard Bell

Portal

If you’ve not played Portal before and consider yourself a bit of a numbers person then this is your warning: don’t buy it – unless you want to spend a considerable amount of your life completing it! This game focuses on spatial awareness, physics, and logic, all rolled into one fiendishly difficult puzzle. You’ll need to coordinate the movement of objects between two portals, which starts out simple, but gets progressively more complex. Think infinite loops and the like!

Minecraft

Minecraft took the world by storm when it was released and it’s still as popular now, years on. The game focuses on allowing total creative freedom, but it has an interesting (and mathematical) mechanic surrounding redstone. This item can be used to make electronic circuits – just like the ones you’d find in real life. You can build surprisingly complex and realistic circuits using it, making this a great way to up your electrical knowledge and have fun at the same time.

Sudoku

The final spot goes to sudoku, everybody’s favourite game in the back of the newspaper – well, for the mathematically minded at least. This game requires you to slot the numbers 1 through 9 into a 3×3 square, within a grid made up of nine 3×3 squares. Each number from 1 through 9 can’t be repeated and must appear in every box, row, and column. Once you’ve mastered it at beginner level, challenge yourself with moderate and hard puzzles. It’s a great brain scratcher.

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