How to Improve Memory with Memory Games

The billion-dollar brain training industry has a credibility problem. Multiple large studies have found that memory games improve your performance on those games — but not necessarily on memory tasks in general.

So does that mean memory games are useless? No. But it means you need to be clear about what they actually do.

What memory games actually train

Memory games improve working memory — your ability to hold and manipulate information over short periods. This is a real, measurable skill. It’s the kind of memory you use when:

• Remembering a phone number long enough to dial it
• Following a recipe while cooking
• Keeping track of multiple conversation threads
• Holding a mental image of a chess position while planning moves

What memory games don’t reliably improve: long-term memory, factual recall, or “general intelligence.” The transfer effect is limited.

The three types of memory games

1. Match-pair games

You flip cards and try to remember where matching pairs are. This trains spatial working memory — remembering where things are.

• Pixel Car Memory Quest — flip cards to find matching pairs of pixel-art cars.
• Cute Pony Memory Quest — the same pairs format with a gentler pony theme, good for younger players.

2. Position recall games

A few tiles light up, then go dark, and you tap the same ones from memory. This trains visual-spatial working memory — holding a set of locations in mind for a few seconds.

• Memory Tiles — each level adds more tiles to remember, and one wrong tap ends the run.

3. Copy-the-picture games

You study a shape or picture briefly, then rebuild it from memory. This trains visual working memory — holding an image in mind and reproducing its details.

• Memorize and Repeat the Shape — study a pattern of connected dots, then redraw it before the timer runs out.
• Ice Cream Memory — memorize an ice cream for a few seconds, then build an exact copy.

How to actually get better

Playing memory games casually won’t do much. What works:

1. Play at the edge of your ability. If you always win, it’s too easy. If you always lose, it’s too hard. Find the level where you succeed maybe 60-70% of the time.
2. Play short sessions. 10-15 minutes a day beats an hour once a week.
3. Use a strategy, not just raw memory. In match-pair games, for example, scan the board methodically rather than flipping randomly. Strategy + memory outperforms memory alone.
4. Track your progress. Write down your score after each session. Seeing improvement is motivating — and if you’re not improving, you know something needs to change.

When memory games help most

Memory games are especially useful for:

• Older adults concerned about age-related cognitive decline (the evidence for benefit is strongest here)
• Students who need to hold information in mind while solving problems
• Anyone recovering from a brain injury (as part of a broader rehabilitation program)
• Chess and strategy game players who need to visualize positions

They’re less useful for: cramming for exams, learning a new language, or memorizing facts. Those require different techniques.

Start with Memory Tiles if you want the purest version of the format. Play 10 rounds today, then 10 tomorrow. You’ll notice the improvement within a week.