Cogs

2009 https://lazy8studios.com, Lazy 8 Studios Casual, Indie

Windows 11Runs

MacNot confirmed

LinuxNative

Steam DeckPlayable

Gamicality score

Metacritic 733

OpenCritic Not rated

Steam players 831

How it’s combined

Playability today

4.5

Runs today4/5

Design today5/5

Steam user reviews

Very Positive

88%

899 reviews1

Get it on Steam Watch the trailer

Facts checked November 1, 2026

Does Cogs run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11Runs

Sold for Windows today, no problem on record.1

Mac (Apple Silicon)Not confirmed

A Mac version is sold. Not yet confirmed on Apple Silicon.1

LinuxNative

Native Linux version.1

Steam DeckPlayable

Playable, as rated by Valve. May need some setup.1

Played Cogs lately?

One click, no account, so the next player knows. How we check where it runs

Synopsis

Cogs is a puzzle game in which players slide tiles of gears, pipes and other parts around a grid, often on several faces of a 3D box, to complete small steampunk machines like a music box or a rocket. Its 50 puzzles can be replayed in timed and move-limited challenge modes once solved in the main Inventor mode.

Developer: https://lazy8studios.com, Lazy 8 Studios
Released: 2009
Best version: Steam now ships only the 2025 Unity remaster, which adds widescreen and desktop-resolution fullscreen but drops four Portal 2 bonus puzzles, mod support and every language except English.
Genre: Casual, Indie
Where to get it: Steam

Reception

Critics in 2009 liked the clever mechanics, the steampunk clock look and the satisfying moment when a machine springs to life, though some noted it loses appeal once the solutions are memorized and that the original lacked widescreen. Players still rate it highly and call the puzzle variety impressive for such simple rules. The most common complaint is the heavy use of time limits, which some players find stressful even though they can be ignored on a first run, and a few players report bugs in the 2025 remaster.

Trailer from Steam

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

4/5

Sold or given away today by an official source
Runs on Windows 11 without fan patches
?Not confirmed yetSingle-player works without an internet connection
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
Some content no longer works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
The 2025 remaster replaced the original on Steam and dropped four Portal 2 bonus puzzles and the mod support (Steam Community).
Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
The remaster supports any window size and widescreen fullscreen, pillarboxed past 16:10, where the original was limited to 4:3 (PCGamingWiki).
No full controller support and no remappable controls
There is no controller support; the game is played with the mouse (PCGamingWiki).
Steam Deck Verified or Playable
No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
No known game-breaking bugs in the current version
PCGamingWiki lists no open issues, and the developer is still fixing bugs reported against the 2025 remaster (Steam Community).

Design today

5/5

Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Everything is played with the mouse by clicking or dragging tiles into the empty slot, which suits a sliding puzzle well; there is no controller support. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, steamcommunity.com.
Menus, text and interface are clear on today's screens
The remaster runs at any window size and at desktop resolution in fullscreen, and the developer replaced the oversized cursor that early remaster players reported. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, steamcommunity.com.
Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
Progress is saved automatically after each solved puzzle and syncs through Steam Cloud, and old saves can be imported into the remaster. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, steamcommunity.com.
It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progress
Inventor mode starts with simple puzzles that bring in each part, from gears and pipes to balloons and chimes, and the parts behave like their real counterparts, so the rules are clear without a guide. Source: impulsegamer.com, ign.com.
Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtracking
The game is a set of short, distinct puzzles with no filler, and Inventor mode gives unlimited time, leaving the 30 second and move-limited challenges as optional extras. Source: darkzero.co.uk, impulsegamer.com, steamcommunity.com.
Camera and movement never fight the player
3D puzzles are turned freely with the mouse to reach each side, and the view never shifts on its own. Source: darkzero.co.uk, steamcommunity.com.