Daily puzzles: guess the game from emoji

Agar.io · Arcade · 2015 · by Matheus Valadares

• Control a cell and eat smaller players to grow bigger.
• Split in two to catch rivals, but watch out for spiky green viruses.

It was made by a 19-year-old Brazilian developer and inspired many other .io games.

Weird Strict Dad · Horror · 2023

• A story game about getting through the day at home.
• Follow every house rule, or else.
• A tall, angry parent watches your every move.

Released on September 16, 2023, by BlueLoop Studios.

Slither.io · Arcade · 2016 · by Steve Howse

• Grow a long snake by eating glowing pellets in a giant online arena.
• Trap other players so they crash into you and leave behind snacks.

It started as a browser game and became one of the most downloaded apps of 2016.

Blox Fruits · Anime · 2019

• Level up by beating enemies and bosses across the sea.
• Become a sword master or eat a rare item for powers.
• Sail from the First Sea to the Second and Third Seas.

It began in 2019 under a different name, and has since passed 60 billion visits.

Fireboy and Watergirl · Puzzle · 2009 · by Oslo Albet

• A two-player puzzle platformer where each hero must avoid the other’s pools.
• Lead a hot hero and a wet hero to their doors in the Forest Temple.

It became a classic on school computers as a free browser game.

Phantom Forces · Shooter · 2015

• A team shooter with realistic guns and big maps.
• Pick a class and unlock more weapons as you rank up.
• People often compare it to Call of Duty and Battlefield.

Made by StyLiS Studios, who released it in 2015.

Chrome Dino · Arcade · 2014 · by Google

• A tiny game that appears when your web browser has no internet connection.
• Press space to jump a T. rex over cacti and duck under flying pterodactyls.

Its makers joked that losing Wi-Fi sends you back to prehistoric times.

Gym League · Simulator · 2024

• Train hard with weights to build your muscles.
• Enter posing contests to show off your build.
• Climb the ranks of a bodybuilding competition.

Made by 1v2 Studios in 2024.

Gran Turismo 7 · Racing · 2022 · by Polyphony Digital

• A realistic driving simulator with hundreds of carefully detailed cars.
• Collect cars through menu books at a café, then earn licences and race.

It launched on the series’ 25th anniversary, as the first game came out in 1997.

Strongman Simulator · Simulator · 2021

• Train to become as strong as possible.
• Drag heavy objects behind you to earn rewards.
• Lift, pull and haul your way up to the heaviest loads.

Made by The Gang Stockholm in 2021.

My Talking Tom · Life sim · 2013 · by Outfit7

• Look after a virtual cat who repeats what you say in a funny voice.
• Feed, dress and play with a grey cat as he grows up from a kitten.

It followed the 2010 app Talking Tom Cat, where he simply repeated your words.

Elemental Battlegrounds · Fighting · 2017

• Pick a power and fight other players.
• Choose from fire, water, lightning and more.
• Made by the studio behind Blox Fruits.

Released on January 27, 2017, by Gamer Robot, who later made Blox Fruits.

Palworld · Survival · 2024 · by Pocketpair

• Catch cute creatures and put them to work on your base.
• Your monster buddies craft, farm and fight, sometimes while holding weapons.

People nicknamed it Pokémon with guns, and it sold millions in its first week.

Arm Wrestle Simulator · Simulator · 2023

• Train your strength with weights and grips.
• Take on a boss at a table in each world.
• Lock hands and tap fast to slam your opponent down.

Made by Kubo Games and released on April 14, 2023.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga · Adventure · 2022 · by TT Games

• Play through all nine films of a space story, rebuilt from plastic bricks.
• Smash things into studs, swing lightsabers and fly the Millennium Falcon.

It was delayed several times before it finally launched in April 2022.

Untitled Boxing Game · Fighting · 2023

• One-on-one fights where footwork and timing matter.
• Unlock fighting styles, from common to very rare.
• It’s inspired by an anime about a shy teen who learns to fight in the ring.

Made by drowningsome in 2023, and inspired by the anime Hajime no Ippo.

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare · Shooter · 2014 · by PopCap Games

• A colourful team shooter where both sides come from a famous lawn-defence game.
• Peashooters, Sunflowers and Chompers battle the undead in third-person fights.

It turned a cartoon tower-defence series into a team shooter for consoles and PC.

Brookhaven RP · Roleplay · 2020

• Grab a free house and car, then make up your own story.
• There are no goals or levels, just a big town to hang out in.
• It has more visits than any other game on Roblox.

Made by Wolfpaq in 2020. It passed Adopt Me! as Roblox’s most-visited game in 2023.

Minecraft Dungeons · RPG · 2020 · by Mojang

• An action game where up to four friends battle hordes of monsters for loot.
• Battle the Arch-Illager across blocky lands in a spin-off of a famous building game.

Unlike the main game, there is no mining or building, just fighting and loot.

Anime Defenders · Tower defense · 2024

• Place units on the map to stop waves of enemies.
• Summon characters at random and hope for a rare one.
• Units are inspired by heroes from Japanese cartoons.

Made by Small World Games and released in 2024.

Poppy Playtime · Horror · 2021 · by Mob Entertainment

• Explore an abandoned toy factory with a backpack of stretchy hands.
• Huggy Wuggy, a tall blue mascot, chases you through the vents.

It was released in chapters, starting in October 2021.

Livetopia · Roleplay · 2021

• A town to hang out in, with houses, cars and jobs.
• Explore a city full of secrets and hidden places.
• It once hosted a Christmas concert with Mariah Carey.

Made by Century Makers and released in 2021.

Mario Kart 64 · Racing · 1996 · by Nintendo

• Up to four friends race on one screen, drifting round corners for boosts.
• The spiny blue shell made its debut as racers dodged banana peels.

It was the first in its series with fully 3D tracks and four-player split screen.

Theme Park Tycoon 2 · Tycoon · 2016

• Build rides and food stalls on a budget.
• Set prices and keep guests happy.
• Design your own roller coasters, loop by loop.

Made by Den_S. Its first public version came out on August 21, 2016.

Brawl Stars · Shooter · 2018 · by Supercell

• Quick three-versus-three battles on mobile, from Gem Grab to Showdown.
• Pick Shelly, Colt or Spike and unlock more fighters as you gain trophies.

It went global in December 2018 after a long test period.

BedWars · Fighting · 2021

• Teams start on their own floating islands.
• Buy blocks and gear with iron, diamonds and emeralds.
• Guard the thing you sleep in, or you can’t respawn.

Made by Easy.gg and released on May 28, 2021.

Bloons TD 6 · Strategy · 2018 · by Ninja Kiwi

• Place towers along a path to pop waves of colourful balloons.
• Dart monkeys, ninjas and super monkeys stop MOABs from getting through.

Its studio, Ninja Kiwi, was founded in New Zealand in 2006.

Kitty · Horror · 2020

• Escape each chapter by solving puzzles.
• Something with claws hunts you through the maps.
• It’s often compared to Piggy.

Made by GabStudio in 2020.

Subnautica · Survival · 2014 · by Unknown Worlds

• Crash-land on an ocean planet and survive by exploring deeper and deeper.
• Build a Seamoth and dodge Reaper Leviathans in the dark waters.

There are no guns: you survive by hiding, building and exploring.

Fruit Battlegrounds · Fighting · 2022

• Spin for a power, then fight other players.
• Each power has its own moves and a special attack.
• Powers come from magic snacks, like in One Piece.

It came out in 2022, and its powers come straight from the pirate anime One Piece.

Cuphead · Platformer · 2017 · by Studio MDHR

• Every frame is hand-drawn in the style of 1930s cartoons.
• Two brothers owe the Devil their souls and must beat tough bosses to pay him back.

Its creators, brothers Chad and Jared Moldenhauer, quit their jobs to finish it.

Piggy · Horror · 2020

• Escape each chapter by solving puzzles and finding keys.
• A player or a bot hunts everyone else with a bat.
• Watch out for a pink, infected cartoon family.

MiniToon released it in January 2020. Book 2 started that September.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate · Fighting · 2018 · by Bandai Namco and Sora Ltd.

• Knock rivals off the stage instead of draining a health bar.
• Mario, Pikachu, Link and Sonic share one roster in the biggest crossover fighter.

Every fighter from the earlier games in the series came back, plus newcomers like Inkling.

PLS DONATE · Social · 2022

• Claim a booth and set up your own stand.
• List your items so other players can buy them.
• Ask everyone around you to give you Robux.

It became a hit in 2022, the year it came out, as streamers gave away Robux in it.

Slime Rancher · Life sim · 2016 · by Monomi Park

• Run a farm on a far-off planet full of bouncy, colourful blobs.
• Beatrix LeBeau sucks up gooey critters with her vacpack and feeds them carrots.

Your creatures produce plorts, glittery gems you sell to earn money.

Anime Fighters Simulator · Anime · 2021

• Collect famous-looking heroes the way you’d collect pets.
• Your heroes fight enemies for you while you click.
• Open stars to build a team, then level them up.

Released in 2021, it mixes pet collecting with heroes from Japanese cartoons.

Flappy Bird · Arcade · 2013 · by Dong Nguyen

• Tap to keep a tiny flier in the air between green pipes.
• Simple but maddening, it was pulled from app stores at the height of its fame.

Its creator, a developer in Vietnam, said he made it in just a few days.

Volleyball Legends · Sports · 2024

• Fast six-a-side matches where you serve, set and spike.
• Play casual pickup games or climb the ranked ladder.
• It’s inspired by an anime about a short player who can jump very high.

It came out in December 2024, first named after the anime that inspired it.

Celeste · Platformer · 2018 · by Maddy Makes Games

• A tough platformer about climbing a mountain while dealing with anxiety.
• Madeline air-dashes past spikes and collects optional strawberries.

Its assist mode lets anyone slow the game down, so everyone can reach the summit.

Anime Adventures · Tower defense · 2022

• Spend gems to summon heroes from famous Japanese cartoons.
• Place them along a path to stop waves of enemies and bosses.
• It was taken down in December 2023 over copyright, then came back a year later.

Made by the group Gomu and released in 2022.

Marvel Rivals · Shooter · 2024 · by NetEase Games

• A six-versus-six hero shooter where you can smash parts of the maps.
• Play as Spider-Man, Iron Man or Loki in team fights across the multiverse.

It passed ten million players within three days of launch.

Sonic Speed Simulator · Simulator · 2022

• Run to level up and get faster.
• Collect rings and unlock famous characters.
• Made with Sega, starring a blue hedgehog.

Made by Gamefam with Sega and released in April 2022.

New Super Mario Bros. · Platformer · 2006 · by Nintendo

• A classic side-scroller made a comeback on a handheld with two screens.
• A giant mushroom makes the plumber huge enough to smash pipes and enemies.

It was one of the best-selling games on the Nintendo DS.

Natural Disaster Survival · Survival · 2011

• Each round starts on a small island with a random map.
• Something terrible is about to happen, and you won’t know what.
• Stay alive through tornadoes, floods, earthquakes and more.

Made by Stickmasterluke, it fully came out on December 4, 2011.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero · Fighting · 2024 · by Spike Chunsoft

• A 3D arena fighter with flying dashes and planet-shaking beam clashes.
• Goku, Vegeta and Frieza lead a roster of over 180 fighters.

It sold over three million copies within days of its October 2024 launch.

Find the Markers · Party · 2021

• Explore a huge map to hunt for hidden collectibles.
• Some are easy to spot, while others sit behind puzzles and obbies.
• There are over 300 colorful felt-tip pens to track down.

It came out in November 2021, and more finds were added within weeks.

Deltarune · RPG · 2018 · by Toby Fox

• Released in chapters, it follows a quiet teen pulled into a Dark World.
• Kris, Susie and Ralsei fight with a mix of turn-based moves and bullet dodging.

Its first chapter came out for free on Halloween 2018 as a surprise.

A Dusty Trip · Driving · 2024

• Set off on a long drive with your friends.
• Fix up your car and find fuel along the way.
• Stop at buildings along a desert road to scavenge supplies.

A co-op driving and survival game that came out in 2024.

Cookie Run: Kingdom · RPG · 2021 · by Devsisters

• Lead a team of brave baked heroes while building up your own sweet town.
• GingerBrave and his friends battle the Dark Enchantress.

Its heroes are all cookies, each with a flavour that matches their personality.

Twilight Daycare · Roleplay · 2021

• A roleplay game about looking after little ones.
• Play as a baby, a kid or a carer.
• It all happens at a nursery with naps, games and snacks.

Made by Nighty Studio, it came out in 2021.