It might be chilly this time of year, but that doesn’t mean your brain has to freeze. The just-launched Brain Games Collection brings together some of the most challenging entertainment apps in the Windows Phone Store. Here are a few of my own favorite highlights. I can’t promise they’ll bump up your IQ, but these titles will definitely keep you on your toes. What are your favorites?
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AlphaJax
If you love words, you’ll love AlphaJax, the award-winning Scrabble-esque game that’s now a part of Xbox Live. Play up to 30 games at once, with instant notifications as your opponents make moves. Set up a skill match with strangers, or find play partners easily on Twitter and Facebook. Free
Collapsticks
The goal here is to collapse match sticks in the right order so as many as possible fall off. Pencils, bugs, bullets and other obstacles, meanwhile, try to foil your efforts. The game is deceptively simple and quickly addictive. The full version includes 6 different game scenarios with 20 unique levels in each. $1.49
Fling
The name is the game: fling fluffy little fur balls into each other to clear the playing field. It’s not always as easy as it looks but it’s definitely hard to put down, and with more than 10,000 different puzzles and 30 levels of difficulty, you could be flinging for a long, long time. $2.99
Wordament
Born on Windows Phone, this fast-moving, wildly-popular game involves finding as many words as possible on the game board before the two-minute clock runs out. Words can be arranged up, down, or diagonally. Oh, and just to make things interesting you’re also pitted against every other word hunter in the world who’s got the game running.
AE Sudoku
A favorite among Windows Phone Sudoku fans, AE Sudoku has four difficulty levels, hints and mistake alerts to help when you’re stuck. A must-have for number puzzle lovers. Free.