WEB DIMENSION

WEB DIMENSION is one of those hidden gems of yore that  simply beg for a re-release. It was one of the first titles you got to play a Demiurge in, dabble in creation and construct paths to help evolution run its course.
A grey web that greets you at the beginning is your playfield. With a stretch of imagination you'd be perceiving it as anything but the actual spiderweb in no time. Each level  requires you to freeze the coloured organism into energy clusters  waiting for them by a web node (the grey web phase), stabilize these energy clusters (the blue web phase)  and make preparations for the transition to occur (the light-colour-changing-music phase) . The accompanying music  is stripped down to its bare tasty melody/rhythmic nuggets that get more flavoured  as you progress, thus letting you, the Demiurge, know you're closer to the Universal Music that resounds your glory  :)

 "To experience, enjoy, create. There is no beginning, no end, no rules, no lives to be lost, no score to be gained. Watch. Listen. Learn". (WEB DIMENSION manual: http://c64-games.blogspot.rs/2011/08/web-dimension-manual.html )

QUANTUM MOVES

The first game I heard of that helped scientific research in a substantial way - this fact alone is enough to include it in the pantheon of unique games. Somebody in the scientific community realized the common man could help them build a quantum computer of tomorrow by playing a game more than several million of algorithm runs would. And when you realize that you contribute to the ever-lasting search for greater and faster computers by playing a game you simply feel proud to take part. And you're not alone in this endeavour -  some 150000 people played it over 8 million times.

You catch atoms in qubit's lattice moving the laser by moving the mouse sideways and determine the intensity of the laser firing atoms by moving it vertically. After  firing two atoms you merge them carefully without letting them "spill" over their final position too much. The "spilling" occurs whenever the energy is directed. This is just an awkward explanation of a man who spent his entire life around art and litterature, so I strongly recommend visiting this page to get to know the concept and the research behind the game and to play the game itself:
https://www.scienceathome.org/games/quantum-moves/game   

Knowing nothing about the concept behind the game  won't diminish the pleasure of playing it. It's a funny display of fine mouse manipulation skills that rewards the patient. You will find yourself drawn to the game and playing it for a few hours. The experience will demand another 2-3 tries at the game and that's it- you served your purpose.

I only wish there were more meaningful games like this.