While often eschewed by more hard-core game players, puzzle games and computerized classic games are still very popular, and several innovative or otherwise highly accomplished new games of this sort are released each year. These may not be the most technically impressive games - but they tend to be highly accessible, easy to play, and addictive, which makes them suitable for all types of players. The following five games are this year's best in this category.

The latest game in the long-running Chessmaster chess series has several additions and improvements, including extensive tutorials for beginners and a new chess engine that is rated at the Grandmaster level. Chessmaster 8000 is hands down the best computer chess game released this year.

The lemmings are back with their unique style of play, and players must do whatever they can to guide them safely through a wide variety of colorful and fun levels. The game has an easy-to-learn interface and several new features that will please fans of the previous Lemmings games.

Pac-Man, the classic arcade character from the 1980s, is back in full 3D with new levels and features. Creative Asylum managed to retain the look and feel of the original game while creating fun levels and good 3D graphics for a new generation of game players.

The latest installment in the Incredible Machine puzzle game series brings the fun old-fashioned puzzles into the new millennium with several additions and improvements. It features a wide range of difficulty levels, an extensive tutorial section, and a complete puzzle editor that will keep any curious tinkerer busy for hours.

The fifth game in the You Don't Know Jack trivia game series provides plenty of humor and well-written trivia questions. The series has always had good party games with great sound and fun questions, but the new online multiplayer mode in 5th Dementia makes it fun even when other players aren't around.