Fantastic Contraption

I also visit Kongregate on occasion, though not as much as I used to (unfortunately). One of my favorite games is definitely Fantastic Contraption. It is a mechanics creation-based puzzle game. The main goal consists of moving an object from a starting position into a designated area by building some kind of simple machine (vehicle, sling-shot, ramp, etc).

Most of the "typical" game elements are missing: points, time pressures, narrative, competition, and fantasy. Yet, I become completely engaged and persistent whenever I play. There is something about successfully creating a novel device or tool that is inherently rewarding. Even when I had to cheat and check online for alternative solutions, it invariably just gave me another idea to try, and I still had to work through the fine tuning to complete the task.