Puzzle game development company for iOS and Android
DFY Games is a puzzle game development company that builds sort, block, word and merge games on fixed packages from $499. Puzzle games are the easiest place to start a mobile game business: one rule, many levels, and players who come back for short sessions. The hard part is choosing which kind of puzzle, because each one puts its cost in a different place. Sort and block puzzles spend it on level generation and QA, word games on content, and merge games on the economy around the board.
Puzzle games: which one fits your idea
Sort puzzle game development for iOS and AndroidOne rule carries the whole game, so the budget goes into polish and a generous level set.- Package
- Core · $499
- Content load
- Generated levels, checked by QA
Block puzzle game development for iOS and AndroidAn endless board with no level design to write; replay comes from scoring and themes.- Package
- Core · $499
- Content load
- Low: one board, shape sets, themes
Word game development for iOS and AndroidCheap to build and deep to play, as long as someone owns the word lists or questions.- Package
- Core · $499
- Content load
- High: word lists or trivia you must license or write
Merge game development for iOS and AndroidA board plus an economy: orders, timers and unlocks keep players returning.- Package
- Core + Launch · $1,299
- Content load
- Medium: item chains and order tables
How to choose between the four
Start from your audience and the session you want them to have. Commuters who want two calm minutes suit a sort or block puzzle. People who like to feel clever over coffee suit a word game. Players who enjoy collecting and planning suit merge, which also tends to earn more per player from purchases because the economy gives them something to buy.
Then look at who supplies the content. A sort puzzle with 100 levels is mostly generation and testing. A word game needs a dictionary or question bank you have the right to use, which is the step most buyers forget; who supplies the words covers it. A merge game needs its item chains and order tables designed before the art starts.
Which package fits a puzzle game
Sort, block and word games with one mode fit Core Game at $499: a submission-ready iOS and Android build targeted in 10 business days. Merge games usually need Core Game + Launch ($1,299), because their economy needs real player data to tune, and the launch package includes one monetization iteration on early data.
Puzzle games with several connected systems (a meta layer, a world to decorate, live events) belong in Advanced Game + Launch ($2,999) or a custom quote. Studio estimates put a puzzle game with light live operations at $80,000 to $250,000, which shows how much of the cost sits in those extra systems.
Sources: [S18]: Innovecs Games, How Much Does Mobile Game Development Cost in 2026? (opens in a new tab)
What to send before you commission one
A one-sentence rule, two or three reference games and the monetization you prefer are enough to start. The mobile game brief template has a filled-in puzzle example you can copy. If you are still choosing, the game idea quiz suggests a puzzle type, a name and a plan in about a minute.
Cost and scope guides
- GuideSort puzzle game development: cost and scopeWhat a sort puzzle game costs to build: package tiers from $499, studio ranges, a 100-level scope and QA example, and when generated levels stop being enough.Read more
- GuideWhat a $499 sort puzzle includesThe mechanic definition, screen list, monetization and revision rules for a $499 sort puzzle, plus the requests that push a brief beyond the Core package.Read more
- GuideBlock puzzle game development: cost and scopeWhat a block puzzle game costs at four scopes: a basic board, themes and daily puzzles, a level mode with a map, and analytics. Prices and assumptions included.Read more
- GuideDefine an original block puzzle briefWrite a block puzzle brief a studio can build from: a board prototype description, a rule and feedback matrix, and a check against copying famous games.Read more
- GuideWord and trivia game development: cost and scopeWord game development cost explained: word list and trivia licensing, hint systems and a single-mode release, with DFY package and studio-range assumptions.Read more
- GuideWho supplies the words in a commissioned word game?Content sources, licenses, profanity filtering, trivia fact-checking and updates for a commissioned word game, with a reusable content-source and QA checklist.Read more
Puzzle games: FAQ
How much does it cost to make a puzzle game?
A focused puzzle game with one mode starts at $499 with DFY Games' Core package; studio-built puzzle games with progression and live operations are usually quoted in the tens of thousands of dollars or more.
Which puzzle game type is cheapest to build?
Block puzzles, because one endless board needs no level design; sort puzzles are close behind when levels can be generated from a single rule.
Can you build a puzzle game with my own theme and characters?
Yes. Every game gets an original visual treatment from the blueprint, and you own the original assets made for your project after full payment.
Do puzzle games make money from ads or purchases?
Usually both: rewarded ads for hints or extra moves, interstitials between levels, and purchases such as remove-ads or cosmetic packs. Merge games lean more on purchases.