Get Logical Thinking! A Collection of Game Ideas to Build Thinking Skills
Why not take on some tough challenges that aren’t so easily solved? There are plenty of unique games that build your thinking skills, like palindrome quizzes and “UMIGAME no Soup” (lateral-thinking riddles).
They help sharpen logical thinking, spark new ideas, and boost communication skills, so you can grow while having fun with friends.
Stimulate your curiosity with quizzes and debate showdowns, and discover something new! From kids to adults, we’ll guide you through a world of brain-teasing games, complete with hints to help you crack the puzzles.
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Build your logical thinking! A collection of game ideas to develop thinking skills (1–10)
Exit 8
Exit 8 is a hugely popular game starring Kazunari Ninomiya that was even adapted into a film.
The player aims to escape from Exit 8 of an endlessly continuing underground passage.
If you notice something strange in the passage, turn back; if nothing seems off, keep going and try to escape through Exit 8.
The rules are simple, but it’s a challenging game because spotting anomalies is difficult.
As you get used to the visuals, you might overlook changes—like failing to notice an anomaly or a poster that’s subtly changed size.
There are also jump-scare-style moments, such as a man sprinting toward you or creepy posters.
It’s the kind of game that seems fun to play while chatting with family or friends, discussing the anomalies as you go.
Werewolf game
The party game classic “Werewolf” is a game of repeated conversation and deduction to identify the werewolves hiding among the players.
Participants are divided into Villagers and Werewolves.
Since the Werewolves disguise themselves as Villagers and join the discussion, you must carefully figure out who is lying.
By day, players vote to execute one suspicious person; by night, the Werewolves attack.
If the Werewolves are executed, the Villagers win; if the Villagers are reduced until they are equal in number to the Werewolves, the Werewolves win.
A key feature is that some Villagers have roles like Seer or Medium.
Make good use of role abilities and play skillfully to pinpoint the Werewolves.
Matchstick Quiz
@notorequiz Matchstick puzzle TikTok 2025-09-05. There is a “10” made with 8 matchsticks. Move one stick to make it a “2.”Brain trainingBrain-Boost QuizTranslation# Quiz AnswersDementia preventionElderly QuizTranslationtranslation
♬ Whiskers and Jazz Notes (Remix) – Paws Jazz Cafe
To solve the classic brain-training “matchstick puzzles,” you need flexible thinking and creativity.
You have to consider various patterns and experiment to figure out which matchstick to move to form the target number or shape.
Isn’t it perfect for building thinking skills? Even if you don’t know the answer at first, learning it can lead to new discoveries and broaden your imagination.
There are plenty of fun, game-like problems you can tackle, so kids and adults alike should give them a try.
The joy you feel when you solve one might lead to a love of learning.
Develop Logical Thinking! A Collection of Game Ideas to Build Thinking Skills (11–20)
Palindrome Quiz
A “palindrome” is a phrase that reads the same forward and backward.
For example, “gake de kega” (“injured on a cliff”) in Japanese.
A palindrome quiz is a game where you look at an illustration and come up with a palindrome related to it.
It sounds simple, but it’s surprisingly challenging! Still, the feeling when you nail one is amazing, so try playing with friends or as a parent-child activity.
You might even discover a brand-new correct answer.
Debate showdown
A debate showdown where you deliberately take different positions and argue a theme with logical persuasion.
There are also shows on the internet and TV where celebrities face off in debate matches, right? Memorable quotes from Hiroyuki during his debate showdowns also became a hot topic.
A debate showdown game, where you skillfully put what you think and feel into words, can help you develop your ability to communicate.
It’s also crucial to listen closely to what your opponent says and, when you’re on a team with opinions different from your own, to think objectively.
How about forming teams with a few friends and giving it a try?
Lateral thinking quiz game: Umigame no Soup
A lateral thinking quiz game where you brainstorm freely from the quiz prompt to arrive at the answer.
In ordinary quizzes, you often derive answers based on common sense, preconceptions, or established notions.
In a lateral thinking quiz game, the solver asks questions about the presented problem.
The quizmaster responds using only three options: “Yes,” “No,” or “Irrelevant.” Using the questions and these three types of replies, you deduce the answer.
The solver must think carefully about what to ask.
Another characteristic is that the answers are often things you can’t infer directly from the problem statement.
Come up with various ideas and solutions to figure out the answer.
Rule Game
If you’re looking for a brain-teasing game, this “Rule Game” is highly recommended! It’s a game where you uncover a hidden rule within a conversation and answer questions correctly based on it.
For example, the questioner holds up one finger and says, “This is 1,” then two fingers and says, “This is 2,” then three fingers and says, “This is 3.” Then they hold up one finger again and ask, “What’s this?” Naturally, everyone answers “1,” right? But the correct answer is “3.” In fact, the number of fingers is a decoy—the rule is determined by the word that follows “this” in Japanese.
If it’s followed by “ga,” the answer is 1; if followed by “wa,” the answer is 2; and if nothing follows, the correct answer is 3.
It’s easy to get fooled by the fingers!