Memory Game
Watch the sequence, then repeat it from memory. Each round gets longer and faster.
- Watch the highlighted tiles in order
- Repeat the exact sequence by clicking the tiles
- Score is based on how many levels you reach
What working-memory span is
This game measures your visuospatial working-memory span — how much visual information you can hold in mind for a few seconds and reproduce in the right order. It sits in the tradition of span tasks that psychologists have used for over a century, from the digit-span test that asks you to repeat back a growing string of numbers to the Corsi block-tapping task, which taps out a lengthening sequence of positions for you to copy.
Our version is spatial rather than verbal. You watch a sequence light up across a 3×3 grid of 9 tiles, then reproduce it from memory. Each level adds one more tile to the sequence, so the length you can reliably repeat back is your span for the session.
How the score is worked out
Your score is simply the highest level you complete — the longest sequence you reproduce without a mistake. The game ends the first time you slip, and it can run as far as level 20 for anyone who never does.
To turn that span into a percentile, we place it on a normal curve centred on a mean of 5.5 with a standard deviation of 2, then read off the share of people a span of that length would sit above. The mean is a design target we chose to match the adult visuospatial-span range reported in the literature, not a figure from our own norming study — so read your percentile as a well-reasoned estimate rather than a clinical measurement.
What counts as a good level
Most people plateau in the mid-single digits, which is exactly what the 5.5-tile mean implies: reach five or six and you are squarely typical, and every tile beyond that climbs the curve quickly. The table below shows where each level lands on our calibration — the same mean and standard deviation the game scores you against, nothing more.
| Level reached | Better than |
|---|---|
| Level 4 | 23% of players |
| Level 5 | 40% of players |
| Level 6 | 60% of players |
| Level 7 | 77% of players |
| Level 8 | 89% of players |
| Level 9 | 96% of players |
Frequently asked questions
Is a higher level the same as a higher IQ?
No — working-memory span and IQ are related but far from the same thing. Span is one narrow ingredient of general intelligence, and reasoning tests measure much more than how many items you can hold in mind. Treat your level as a snapshot of short-term visual memory, not an IQ estimate.
Why do the tiles flash faster as I go?
The display time shrinks on purpose so the challenge keeps pace with you. Each tile lights for about 0.8 of a second early on and 50 milliseconds less every level, down to a 0.3-second floor. Shorter exposure forces you to encode the pattern in one glance rather than rehearsing it slowly.
Can I train my working memory?
You can get noticeably better at this specific game with practice, but that gain rarely transfers to unrelated tasks. Decades of research on memory training find strong improvement on the trained task and weak, inconsistent carry-over to everyday memory. Sleep, focus, and avoiding distraction do more for your span on any given day than drilling ever will.
Does the score save anywhere?
No — nothing is stored on a server. The game runs entirely in your browser, your level is scored on your own device, and the result disappears when you close the tab unless you choose to share it. The site is funded by display ads and optional paid certificates, never by charging for the games.
Keep reading
Curious how memory span fits into the bigger picture of intelligence? These guides go further.