But the “states” game has NO feedback loop. There’s NO iteration. It’s not like the states you placed STAY there and you get to work off them.

I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree. :)

Some puzzles are more gamey than others. A jigsaw puzzle (which you could argue the match-the-states game is like) I would not consider to be a game, because the feedback loop is so damn weak. On the other hand, a slide-the-pieces puzzle where you complete a picture feels more like a game to me because there’s an iterative nature to playing it.

I believe that in order for it to be a game, there has to be at least one feedback loop. In fact, I might even go so far as to define a game as a system of feedback loops which accept player input.

Think about it. Can you name one game without a feedback loop? Every game, including board games, sports, and the very first computer games, all had feedback loops. You do something, and the game changes due to it. Even the simplest children’s games have these feedback loops: you only have as much time to pick up jacks as the ball you bounced takes to reach the ground again. You have to jump to the stone you threw. You have to catch the ball you threw as it bounces. All of these games depend HEAVILY on feedback loops.

Otherwise, they’re just puzzles.