Memory is not just the ability to remember something, but a complex mechanism that can and should be trained, and even more so in our world, where every day we face a huge flow of information, a good memory is not a luxury, but a necessity.
Fortunately, there is a simple, affordable and fun way to improve it: memory games that turn boring exercises into an interesting activity.
How Do Memory Games Work?
- Repetition and Associations: This is the basis of many games. For example, in a classic memory game, you turn over the cards and look for pairs. With each attempt, you not only remember, but strengthen the neural connections responsible for short-term memory. Constant repetition and attempts to remember where a particular picture is located help the brain form stronger connections through which information will flow faster.
- Visualization: Visual information is remembered much better than just words or numbers. Games where you need to memorize complex patterns, routes in a maze, or the location of objects actively train this type of memory.
- Linking Information: Some games require you not only to memorize individual elements, but also to find a connection between them. For example, a game where you need to memorize a list of words and then make a funny story out of them. Each new word is “woven” into the narrative, and you create a logical chain that makes memorization more natural and reliable.
- A Variety of Tasks: It can be memorizing numbers, sequences of sounds, shapes, or even names. This approach allows you to use different areas of the brain and prevents it from getting used to the same load, which makes training more productive.
Morning or Evening: When Is the Best Time to Practice?
There is no one right answer to this question, because it depends on your personal rhythm. However, there are some tips to help you choose.
- Morning Workouts: Morning is a great time to practice if you feel refreshed and refreshed. Immediately after waking up, the brain is full of energy, and it is easier for it to perceive new information. Morning games can be considered a kind of “charge” for the mind, which helps to activate and tune in to a productive day. They can improve your concentration and prepare you to solve work or study tasks.
- Evening Workouts: Evening also has its advantages. Light memory games can be a good way to relax after a busy day. The main advantage of evening classes is that the brain actively processes and consolidates the information received during the day during sleep. Therefore, if you remember something new before going to bed, it can be better stored in your long-term memory.
So what is better? It is best to listen to your body. If you feel sluggish in the morning, do not force yourself, but reschedule the lesson for the evening. If you are too tired to concentrate in the evening, then it is better to rest and try in the morning. Classes should be enjoyable, not a routine.
Online and Offline Formats: Pros and Cons
Memory games exist in two main formats, and each of them has its own characteristics.
Online games
Pros:
- Amount: In the online world there are games for every taste and for any type of memory: from memorizing numbers to solving logic puzzles.
- Convenience: Your phone or tablet is always with you. You can train anywhere: in transport, in line, on a break.
- Personalization: Many apps adapt to your level and offer tasks that are perfect for you and can create a personal training program for you.
- Progress Tracking: Apps keep statistics, show how much you’ve improved, and compare your results with those of other players, which motivates and gives you a sense of progress.
- Competitive Element: The opportunity to compete with friends or other users around the world makes the process more exciting.
Cons:
- Distractions: Notifications from other apps, messages, and calls can constantly distract from the process, making it difficult to concentrate.
- Passivity: Online games often come down to pressing buttons quickly, and the brain works less than in the case of physical games, where more active participation is required.
Examples of Mind Elevate Online Games
| Game | Description |
| Portal Match | Reveal colors, remember their positions, and find matching pairs hidden behind mysterious portals. The higher the level, the more objects appear. |
| Galactic Watcher | Planets flash across the galaxy – can you remember their locations? Once they vanish, it is up to you to place them back in orbit. A stellar test of spatial recall. |
| Safe Riddle | Memorize symbol placements on a rotating object before they disappear. Remember their exact locations and unlock the safe. |
| Star Analyst | Symbols appear on-screen – this is simple enough. But soon they are hidden behind misleading labels. Recall which key hides which icon, even though the layout shifts. |
| Martian Path | Scan the field for hidden dangers, plot a safe course to the top. Remember enemy positions before they vanish and guide your path through the alien territory. |
| Astrologer | Watch the stars flash on and off and your task is to replay their sequence by clicking on them in the same order. At higher levels, the stars can move or overlap, making the task more difficult. |
Offline Games
Pros
- No Screen: The eyes take a break from blue light, and this is especially useful for children.
- Physical Interaction: Turning over cards, rearranging shapes or writing in a notebook — all this uses fine motor skills and makes the process more “real”.
- Sociality: Offline games are a great opportunity to spend time with family or friends, chatting and having fun together.
- No Distractions: No notifications or messages, just you and the game which helps to fully focus on the task at hand.
Cons
- Limited Selection: The selection of offline memory games may be less than online. You will have to buy every new game.
- No Automatic Tracking: You will not be able to see detailed statistics of your progress, you will have to keep records yourself.
- Inconvenient: Carrying a game box with you to play on the road is not as convenient as just taking out your phone.
Examples of Offline Games
| Game | Description |
| Memory | A classic card game where the goal is to find as many matching pairs of cards as possible. It trains short-term, visual, and spatial memory. |
| Chess | A board game that requires memorizing many combinations, strategies, and moves and perfectly develops logical thinking, concentration, and strategic memory. |
| Sudoku | A logical puzzle with numbers where you need to remember which numbers are already placed and hold that information in your mind while looking for the next solution. |
| Crosswords | Helps to expand vocabulary and activate long-term memory. To solve them, you need to recall words based on associations and definitions. |
| Rubik’s Cube | A puzzle that requires memorizing algorithms and sequences of movements and trains spatial memory and the ability for sequential thinking. |
| Association games | Entertainment where you need to memorize a list of words by linking them into a single story teaches you to connect information and use associative thinking. |
Choose Your Fighter
Both online and offline memory games are equally useful if you approach them wisely. The most important thing is the regularity and enjoyment of the process.
Choose what you like best and suit your lifestyle. If you are often on the road and want to practice quickly, online applications are ideal. If you want to spend time with your loved ones or just take a break from gadgets, choose board games. The main thing is not to be lazy and constantly give your brain new tasks.
Memory is a skill that can be developed, and games are the most fun and effective way to do it.