Cut the Rope

Cut the Rope built the entire game around a single gesture — swiping a finger across a rope cuts it, the candy falls elsewhere, and with this simple tool the player solves increasingly complex physics puzzles to get the sweet into the mouth of a green creature named Om Nom. Alongside the basic cutting, bubbles gradually appear that lift the candy upward, pinwheels that blow it sideways, or sticky spiderwebs that let it bounce off and gain speed, and each new mechanic expands the vocabulary of possible solutions.

ZeptoLab created the game at a time when the App Store was still figuring out which genres suited the touchscreen best, and Cut the Rope was among the first titles to prove that a physics puzzle with minimalist controls could be just as compelling as more elaborate action games with buttons. Om Nom quickly became the studio's mascot and later appeared in an animated series and a whole range of its own spin-off titles set in the same world.

The level design gradually escalated from simply cutting two ropes to levels requiring precise timing of several actions in quick succession, but it never abandoned the basic principle, understandable at a glance without a single tutorial. It's precisely this clarity, combined with playful graphics and cheerful music, that made the game one of the most memorable early hits of mobile puzzle gaming.

Why play it: A great choice for anyone looking for a short, elegant physics puzzle with clear rules, whether you just want a few levels to try it out or the whole collection of stars.