Merge Dragons
2017 · Puzzle
Merge Dragons essentially created the merge puzzle genre and still stands as one of its best entries. The core loop of combining objects, hatching dragons, and healing cursed land is relaxing and satisfying, with enough strategic depth to keep experienced puzzle players interested. The gem economy and energy system push hard toward spending real money, and progression becomes increasingly gated behind either patience or purchases. Play it for the zen-like merging and dragon collecting, but set a personal spending limit before you start. The game is generous enough early on that you'll know whether it hooks you long before it asks for your wallet.