How to Play the Memory Test
Watch the Pattern
Tiles on the grid will flash green one at a time in a specific sequence. Pay close attention to the order.
Repeat the Sequence
After the pattern finishes, click the tiles in the same order they flashed. Get it right to advance.
Each Level Gets Harder
Each level adds one more tile to the sequence. Level 1 has 1 tile, level 5 has 5 tiles, and so on.
Three Lives
You have 3 lives (hearts). Making a mistake costs one life. Lose all 3 and the game ends.
Understanding Visual Memory
Visual memory, also known as visual-spatial memory, is your brain's ability to store and recall visual information. It's a critical component of working memory — the mental workspace where you temporarily hold and manipulate information. This test specifically measures your sequential visual-spatial memory, the ability to remember the order in which visual events occurred at specific locations.
The average human working memory can hold about 7 items (plus or minus 2), a finding known as Miller's Law. However, sequence memory on a spatial grid combines both position and order, making it more challenging than simple digit span. Most people reach level 5-7 on their first attempt.
Memory Level Benchmarks
| Level | Rank | Percentile | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Beginner | Bottom 20% | Just getting started |
| 4-6 | Average | 20-50% | Normal working memory |
| 7-9 | Good | 50-80% | Above-average recall |
| 10-13 | Excellent | 80-95% | Strong spatial memory |
| 14-17 | Outstanding | 95-99% | Exceptional memory span |
| 18+ | Genius | Top 1% | Memory athlete level |
Tips to Improve Your Memory Score
- Chunking — Group tiles into patterns of 2-3. Instead of remembering 8 individual tiles, remember 3-4 small shapes.
- Spatial storytelling — Create a path or story connecting the tiles. "Top-left, then diagonally down, then across..."
- Subvocalize — Quietly name the positions (like "row 1 col 3") as they flash. Combining visual and verbal memory improves recall.
- Stay calm — Anxiety reduces working memory capacity. Take a breath between rounds if needed.
- Practice daily — Working memory is trainable. Even 5-10 minutes daily shows measurable improvement within weeks.
- Sleep well — Memory consolidation happens during sleep. 7-9 hours significantly improves cognitive performance.
The Science Behind Memory Tests
This type of memory test is based on the Corsi Block-Tapping Task, developed by neuropsychologist Philip Corsi in 1972. In the original test, an examiner taps blocks in a sequence and the subject repeats it. Our digital version automates this process with a visual grid.
Research shows that the average "Corsi span" (the longest sequence a person can reliably remember) is about 5-6 items for adults. Training can extend this by 1-2 items. The test measures visuospatial sketchpad capacity, one of the three components of Baddeley's working memory model alongside the phonological loop and central executive.