I always like to play (a bit too much) those online games. One of my favorites was the blueprint game, where you have to place different objects to guide an object, which obeys the standard physical laws. Half-pipes, springs, blocks, etc. I really like it and if you have a thesis to write, it’s the perfect tool not to do it.
Here’s a version on a tabletPC or the like. One of those computers with a touch screen and a pressure sensitive pen.
J showed me the one you’re talking about in this post. It’s kind of like “The Incredible Machine”.
I really like onlike puzzles. A recent one that I found and really enjoyed was a Toyota IQ challenge. Kind of funny that Toyota created a puzzle, but it has nothing to do with Toyota, but the puzzle is actually quite simple and fun. Try to unlock the cube:
http://www.toyota-europe.com/innovation/design/concept_cars/intelligence/en/index.aspx