It's always interesting when a developer takes a familiar mechanic, then remixes it to make a new kind of enjoyable puzzle. Case in point: Jump Me, a simple idea puzzle game by Ozzie Mercado. It's likely that the game would have never have been made if versions of checkers (or draughts, if you're the kind of chap who's okay with the madness of pronouncing it as "drafts") hadn't been kicking around since ancient times. But that allows Jump Me to be different enough to feel fresh, but familiar enough to easily learn.

In each level, the goal is to move each piece into an outlined area, completing the puzzle. Use the mouse to select a piece, then click the arrow to indicate what horizontal or vertical direction it will go. Pieces can also "jump" other pieces. Pieces that move a single space cannot immediately be moved, but jumping a piece will allow it to be moved again. Jump Me only has fifteen levels, but after the requisite tutorial, it wastes no time getting to the challenging stuff. The aesthetic is minimalist, but clean (though the close quarters mean you'll occasionally select a new piece when you meant to click an arrow.) Jump Me is a fun and challenging diversion for puzzle fans to check-er out on their coffee break.

Play Jump Me