Summary

Part of the magic of video games is how they allow people to experience perspectives they would never be able to in the real world. However, this can go beyond putting you in the shoes of a soldier or spaceman. Gaming offers the opportunity to look at the world in a whole new way, utilizing the fourth dimension.

An intimidating prospect, the 4D space can offer some truly mind-bending visuals. These titles take things beyond sight and allow you to interact with a world that plays with different rules from our own.

A collection of 4D toys scattered around a white space with title in back

84D Toys

The Dimensional Playground

Non-Euclidean ideas can be difficult to understand for those completely new to the concept. Thankfully, 4D Toys offers the perfect intro to the concept if you’reequipped with VR. The game is as the title would suggest, giving you a collection of mind-bending toys to play around with.

Reading about 4D can only do so much, which is why 4D toys are so important. It allows you to explore the concept at your own pace.

Various bright colors of massive 4D puzzle spread out in black plane

7Magic 120-Cell

A Big Jump From Rubix Cubes

It is not an easy task to understand 4D. By its very nature, it is a dimension that the human mind can not process, which is why it makes for the perfect way to explore puzzles. Magic 120-Cell strips the concept of a fourth-dimensional puzzle down to its bare bones, presenting you with a Rubix cube-like object and tasking you to ensure the colors, shapes, and sizes fit together seamlessly.

This is no easy feat. Included with the game is a hall of fame for all those who have completed the puzzle, with less than 20 individuals surpassing the awesome challenge since the game launched in 2008.

Pieces all arranged in starting positions for a game of VR 3D Chess

64D Chess

Bishop To Infinity And Beyond!

With VR, exploring the limits of the fourth dimension becomes a lot more manageable. 4D Chess takes advantage of this by taking an already intenselycomplex tabletop classicand adding a whole new set of layers.

To be fair, 4D enters the fourth plane on a technicality. With that being said, the game is still a complex one that requires you to think outside the box, whether you know how to play standard chess or not. Most of the game is played on a 3D plane, allowing you to move pieces vertically, as well as horizontally. The expected rules still apply, including that of the knight, who uses the fourth dimension to move through pieces rather than over them.

Battling an enemy on a purple grassy plane in 4D Miner

54D Miner

More Than Just A New Biome

It is impossible to express the influence thatMinecrafthad on the gaming landscape. Survival games with cutesy 3D blocks are a dime a dozen, so for a Minecraft-inspired game to truly stand out among its peers, it must bring something entirely new to the table. 4D Miner does exactly that.

A survival game that creates a whole new dimension to the equation, 4D Miner currently has quite an intriguing premise. With the demo available, you can explore a world that you can then rotate to see things from new angles not possible in other titles.

4D Minesweeper title image of a bomb trapped within a hypercube

44D Minesweeper

The Bomb Has Been Planted

Gaming as a whole is no stranger to putting a fresh twist on a classic. Minesweeper is one such classic. Installed on PCs and phones worldwide, it has always offered simple yet engaging puzzles. Minesweeper can already be a little confusing, but 4D Minesweeper is in a league of its own in terms of complexity.

Thankfully, though, the game’s creator took mercy by ensuring that each of the 80 levels present is indeed possible with the right strategy. In addition, the game is free, which means those looking to challenge themselves don’t need to invest anything to give this redone classic a try.

A tiny spaceman explorers a world of sand with a spaceship nearby

34D Explorer

Simple And Satisfying

What happens when a pleasant low-resolution art style, simple puzzles, and the fourth dimension all combine? A wonderfully unique indie title called 4D Explorer! Available for free on Itch.Io, 4D Explorer has you assist a tiny spaceman in getting to his rocketship by solving puzzles. These brain-teasers make frequent use of the fourth dimension, altering the world around the astronaut to make puzzles possible.

Made by YouTuber Jelle Vermandere, 4D Explorer even comes with a behind-the-scenes video to take you through how the game was made. This video also includes some nice information for those confused about the fourth dimension, breaking it down in a rather digestible way.

A hallway with a chess piece, chess board, and analog clock on the floor.

2Superliminal

Through The Looking Glass

Perspective is a finicky thing. There’s a good reason why many cars have the text, ‘Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.’ on their side mirrors.Superliminaltakes this idea and runs with it to create puzzles that demand outside-the-box thinking.

The actual force that manipulates the objects you are altering is an unseen one, but it’s clear that more is at play than what is capable with just the third dimension. Objects shrink, grow, and warp depending on how you see them, creating encounters that require some serious consideration.

5D chess with the pieces moving back in time

15D Chess With Multiverse Time Travel

Become A Multidimensional Grandmaster

For those who are not sufficiently mentally stimulated by adding one new dimension, 5D Chess With Multiverse Time Travel has you covered. Tagged as a psychological horror on Steam, 5D Chess does look terrifying at a glance.

Offering what feels like limitless possibilities, 5D Chess feels more coherent than it looks. Stripping away the fear factor, the game is a fun thought experiment that pushes you to think creatively as the game continues.