My wife doesn’t play many games ’ maybe 2-3 per year, if that. When she does, she prefers the DS. Here are some of the games she’s most enjoyed in recent years:
- Picross 3D
- Bejeweled
- Tetris/Dr. Mario
- Sudoku
- Phoenix Wright (although her interest in that waned)
As you can see, she likes puzzle games. But she doesn’t like Professor Layton. I suspect she doesn’t care for story-driven games. She just likes to jump in and immediately start solving puzzles.
That said, what games would you recommend she play?
Dr Mario! classic fun.
Puzzle Quest? I dunno if that's story driven or not, but I've heard a lot of hype about it.
One game a puzzle lover should adore is Prism: Light the way. It's on PC and iOS as well as DS. Fruitfall is a basic gravity puzzle game that is also a flash game in the Opera Browser.
NY Times Crosswords is a very tough, but traditional crossworrd game.
Bust-a-Move DS.
USA Today puzzles, and you can get a sampling in the Games section of the online newspaper.
Brain age. The games are fun, but the sudoku is stellar.
Most of these are older, so you may need to go used.
After someone said "Puzzle Quest" I realized that Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes is a very unique strategy/puzzle game–though it does have a story.
Not really my area of expertise! Looking back into the mists of time I remember henry hatworth and 'another code' (called something else in US?)
Clubhouse Games is great, has lots of puzzle games, card games, board games, 42 in total! brilliant fun in 2 player too!
Henry Hatsworth is half platformer, so I wouldn't recommend that one for her (awesome game, though).
Definitely Planet Puzzle League and maybe Meteos (regular or the Disney sequel) if you can find a copy.
Oh–and Zookeeper (not Zoo Tycoon).
She's probably familiar with Bookworm–the DS version is outstanding.
Going by your list I would recommend Tetris. If she doesn't have Picross then that would actually be much more appealing to her. Not Picross 3D, but Picross.
The original Picross DS. It's a BAMF game that is immensely underrated. I've enjoyed the cajoons out of it, and I'm not traditionally a fan of puzzle games.
There's a relatively new version of Bust-A-Move for the DS (came out last year?) that I see on some store shelves. Those are fun games.
Or you could see if she likes Animal Crossing? I know many girls/women who get wrapped up in that one… and they're usually non-gamers.
The Quest Trio… 3 good games on one cheap cart… Jewel Quest Expeditions, Mahjong Quest Expenditions and Jewel Quest Solitaire.
Also, the Touchmaster games aren't bad…
Planet Puzzle League.
Done. Decision made.
Seriously. Meteos and the original Picross are both good, but Planet Puzzle League kept me playing for hours and hours.
Not a puzzle game per-se but Plants Vs. Zombies.
Scribblenauts 1 or 2.
My wife is about the same, and she loves it.
Heroes of Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes would definately be my choice. It's a puzzle game with mild RPG elements, not far off from Puzzle Quest.
Get off your wallet and buy her a 3DS.
Might n magic as well. Or ghost trick. Or meteos.
Trace memory is a good choice as well.
My wife personally likes crosswords, mystery case files and diner dash; if that helps any.
Ghost Trick? (from the makers of Phoenix Wright, iirc)
Clubhouse Games (tons of games)
Quest Trio (Jewel Quest, Mah Jong and a solitaire game in one)
Puzzler World (14 different types of puzzle games like Sudoku, Spot the Difference, Wordsearch etc.)
Color Cross (like PicCross but with coloured layers)
Professor Layton is one of the best DS series. Pick one, you'll have a great time.
PICCROSS w/o a doubt. That was the game (and Kirby's super star ultra) that I bought my gf to go along with her first DS. I couldn't have made a better choice.