Chime is a cool puzzle game that's available as a downloadable game from Xbox Live or on your PC that’s easy to pick up and play, and also helps benefit children’s charities around the world.

The main gameplay in Chime is fairly simple, as you’re asked to place different shaped blocks onto a grid to try and make squares or rectangles (called “quads”).  As you play, a “beat line” goes across the screen from left to right, and the game’s music changes depending on where you’ve placed your blocks on screen.  As you complete quads, you have a few seconds to build on them and make them bigger before they disappear.  The goal of the game is to cover as much of the grid as possible within the allotted time.

If you’ve ever played Tetris , then you’ll probably feel pretty comfortable with the basic controls and premise of Chime.  It’s really easy to play and place your bricks, but the challenge comes in figuring out strategies for filling out the entire grid, as well as how to score the most points by use of the game’s multiplier systems.   Chime is easy-to-play yet challenging-to-master, which is probably one of the highest complements you can give a puzzle game.

Even toddlers will have fun moving pieces around and listening to the music change, but this game is probably best suited for older kids and up.  Although there is no multiplayer mode per se, the game does track high scores, so there is a competitive element to the single player gameplay.

It is definitely also worth noting that Chime is a production of OneBigGame, a videogame industry-wide charity initiative.  More than 60 percent of the purchase price of Chime will be donated to charities around the world, such as Save the Children and Starlight Children’s Foundation.

Especially because of the charity component, we definitely recommend Chime as a fun, easy-to-play puzzle game.  Although this is probably best described as a cool single-player timewaster, the high score system in Chime makes it a good fit for families looking for a little competition, and a game we’re happy to recommend.