Critical Thinking Games

Prepare to push the boundaries of your mind with our Critical Thinking Games. Whether you want to outsmart your opponent in Chess or become a business mogul in Lemonade Stand, the possibilities are endless in this collection of games.

Chess

Chess

Play Chess against the computer or your friends!
Checkmate! Play the classic game of strategy. You can challenge the computer, a friend, or join a match against another online player.
Lemonade Stand

Lemonade Stand

How much money can you make?
You've taken over the Coolmath lemonade stand! How much money can you make?
There Is No Game

There Is No Game

Sorry, you can't play this non-game.
This is not a game. It is not fun. Please do not click it.
Push Your Luck

Push Your Luck

Step up and spin the wheel!
Step up and spin the wheel in this cool way to learn about probability! Guess higher or lower to win big points. Will you play it safe or risk it all?
Block the Pig

Block the Pig

The Pig is on the loose! Can you catch him?
The pig is on the loose! Help prevent him from escaping by placing stone walls to block his path.
Strategic Tic-Tac-Toe

Strategic Tic-Tac-Toe

Are you a Tic Tac Toe pro? Try this version!
Think you're a Tic Tac Toe pro? Try this version, which is like a game of Tic Tac Toe inside a game of Tic Tac Toe. Confused? You have to try it!
Blue

Blue

Make blue your new favorite color.
If you've played Red, Yellow or Black, you know how this works. Every level is a new puzzle. Can you turn them all blue?
Swing Sticks

Swing Sticks

Swing into action and light up the circles.
Time to get swingin'! Use rope-like movements to light up the circles.
Tube Master

Tube Master

Connect pipes of the same color.
Connect all pipes of the same color. The pipes can't cross, and you have to fill all of the space with pipes!
Faraway

Faraway

Explore the ruins of an alien civilization!
Explore the ruins of an ancient civilization! Study their inventions and solve their puzzles. Can you uncover all their secrets?
Falling Dominoes

Falling Dominoes

Line up your dominoes and knock them down!
Carefully place your dominoes, then knock them over and hit the big red button. Can you get past all the obstacles?
The Illusory Wall

The Illusory Wall

Your eyes will play tricks on you!
Think you can detect an optical illusion? Train your eyes to follow the clues in these physically impossible rooms.
Temple of the Four Serpents

Temple of the Four Serpents

Find the secrets!
Hidden passages, booby traps, encrypted messages and more. There are new secrets to discover in every room.
Illiteracy

Illiteracy

Are you "literate" enough to find all 6 solutions?
Each symbol has a secret meaning. Are you "literate" enough to uncover all 6 solutions?
Freeport Town

Freeport Town

Build houses to please the diverse citizens of Freeport.
Turn Freeport into the happiest town in the galaxy! Design neighborhoods so that humans, energy beasts and shapeshifters can live together in harmony.
Tingly Brain Trainer

Tingly Brain Trainer

Train your brain with these fun minigames!
Need a mini mental workout? Get started with these practice games, and see your scores improve as you play!
Where Are My Pets?

Where Are My Pets?

Follow the clues to find your pets!
If the owl is above the donut, and the donut is to the right of the cat, then that means...follow the clues to find your pets!
Rhomb

Rhomb

Untie the knot without any collisions!
The wires are all knotted up! Remove them carefully to avoid collisions. Restore order to the rhombi.

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About Critical Thinking Games

Our Critical Thinking Games Playlist has some of the all-time most beloved games on our site. Not only do we have a collection of old-school games that everyone already knows and loves, but we also have a few new games for players to learn and enjoy. Before we hop into some of our favorite Critical Thinking Games though, let's take a look at what exactly makes a game a Critical Thinking Game. 

What are Critical Thinking Games?

Critical Thinking Games are games that force players to use their heads to figure out what the next move is. It is a challenging playlist that is kind of a crossover between strategy games and logic games. Oftentimes, the answer won't be right in front of players. Instead, they will have to think and use their brain in order to find the next step. 

A great example is There Is No Game. In this title, players must try out different strategies in order to progress in the game. By using subtle clues such as hints given by the narrator, players are able to find the next correct process and continue on with the game. 

What games increase critical thinking?

There are a few great games that we have that help players increase their critical thinking skills. One obvious example is Chess. In Chess, players must maneuver several different pieces around a square grid and put their opponent's king in Checkmate. Players must use tactics and tricks in order to gain an advantage over their enemy and win. To learn more about Chess, check out our Coolmath Games blog on how to play Chess, as well as another blog that has some tips & tricks on how to win Chess.

Another great game that increases critical thinking skills is Lemonade Stand. This business game forces players to find a balance between how many ingredients they should buy, such as sugar, lemons, and ice. Players must use their critical thinking skills to buy the correct amount of ingredients while accounting for variables such as the temperature in the air and whether or not it is raining.

To learn more about Lemonade Stand, as well as a few other business-related games, go and check out our Coolmath Games blog about some of our favorite optimization games.