It seems that nowadays, with all the information we have, our brains are always busy, and because of this, brain training games online have become very common.

So a lot of apps say they can make us more intelligent and more concentrated, but it is not easy to pick the right one.

How to Choose

Before you download the first app you see, it is important to understand what you want to achieve, because not all games are equally useful, and not all of them are right for your specific goals, so here are a few things to consider.

• A Science Approach. You should look for games that say their exercises are based on research in neuroscience or cognitive psychology, and this is a good sign that they might be effective

And it is even better if the people who made the game have their own research or work with universities.

• Many Different Exercises. Your brain needs different kinds of work, just like your muscles do, so good apps give you many different games that train various parts of your mind, like your working memory, your thinking speed, your attention, your logic, and your ability to solve problems.
• Progress Tracking. It is not possible to have effective training without feedback, and a good app should give you detailed information, like charts of your progress, and it should compare your results to the average, which helps you to see where you are getting better and where you need to try harder.
• No Aggressive Ads. Nothing can take your focus away from your training more than ads that keep appearing, which is why you should choose apps that either have a paid subscription without ads or do not use them at all.
• Find Your Goal. The most important thing is your personal goal, which means you should ask yourself what exactly you want to make better, and you can choose games based on these goals.
  • Memory? You should look for games with tasks that ask you to remember sequences, pictures, or numbers.
  • Attention? You should choose games that need a fast reaction to things and help you ignore distractions for your attention.
  • Logic? You are looking for puzzles, matching tasks, and strategic planning games for your logic.

A Look at Popular Games

Game	Description
Mind Elevate	This app focuses on making skills better that you use in your daily life and at work, so the games here are made to help you read faster, write better, and learn more words
Peak	This app offers many games that train your mind’s skills, and it provides personalized training that changes to fit your level and goals
Lumosity	This is one of the oldest and most famous brain training games, which over the years has gotten a very big number of users and has done a lot of research, giving you daily training with mini-games
Brain Test	This game is more of a group of logic puzzles and riddles that do not have a real science basis, and they need you to think in a way you are not used to
Memorado	This app has a more complete way of helping the health of your brain, for it also has exercises for meditation and being mindful in addition to the usual logic games
NeuroNation	This is an app that is based on science, and it has a lot of games and personal training plans that can make your attention and memory stronger, using a test to make a program just for you
Sudoku	This is a classic logic puzzle that is played with numbers, and the goal is to fill a 9×9 grid so that each column, each row, and each 3×3 sub-grid has all of the numbers from 1 to 9
CogniFit	This is a science-based app that has many exercises and tests that can help you understand your brain’s health, giving you a lot of information about your results so you can see your strengths and weaknesses
Happy Neuron	This is a fun app that has games that are put into five categories that are based on science, and they make learning new things fun for people who want a less serious way to train their mind
BrainHQ	This is a very well-known app that is backed by a lot of research, and it has more than 29 exercises that are made to make your brain faster and more accurate, so it is used by scientists and doctors

Pros and Cons for Each Game

1. Mind Elevate

• Pros: Mind Elevate focuses on making skills better that you use in your daily life and at work, which is why the games are made to help you read faster, write better, and do math, and the app is very practical and has a motivating way of teaching.
• Cons: The very practical focus of the games may not be a good choice for people who want more general or abstract logical challenges.

2. Peak

• Pros: Peak is a beautiful app that is easy to use, and it offers many different games that train your mind’s skills in groups like memory, attention, and creativity, while also providing you with personal training that changes to fit your level and goals.
• Cons: You must remember that a big part of the content is only available if you pay for it, which means that the free version has limited features.

3. Lumosity

• Pros: Lumosity is one of the oldest and most famous brain training games, which over the years has gotten a very big number of users and has done a lot of research, which is why the app gives you daily training with five mini-games that work on different parts of your mind.
• Cons: Even though it is very popular, Lumosity has a bad reputation because of a lawsuit that was started against it for making false promises in its marketing.

4. Brain Test 

• Pros: Games like Brain Test are a great way to give your mind a new challenge, as they are more of a group of logic puzzles and riddles that need you to think in a way you are not used to.
• Cons: These games do not have a real science basis, and they do not promise to make your working memory better, which means you should use them more for fun than for serious training.

5. Memorado

• Pros: In addition to the usual logic games and puzzles, the app also has exercises for meditation and being mindful, which works on your mental skills and your general mental health by helping to lower stress and make you more focused.
• Cons: This app may not be a good choice for people who want only hard puzzles, because it also includes exercises for relaxation and meditation.

6. NeuroNation

• Pros: NeuroNation is a very good app that is based on science, and it has a lot of games and personal training plans that can make your attention and memory stronger, because the app gives you a test at the beginning to find out your level.
• Cons: The focus on science may make the exercises seem less like a game and more like a test, which some users might not like.

7. Sudoku

• Pros: Sudoku is a classic logic puzzle that is good for your logical thinking, your focus, and your ability to solve problems, and it is widely available in many forms, including in newspapers and on phones.
• Cons: This game only focuses on logic and numbers, so it does not offer the variety of exercises that train other skills.

8. CogniFit

• Pros: CogniFit is a science-based app that has a wide range of games that work on things like thinking speed, attention, and planning, and it gives you a lot of information about your results so you can see your strengths and weaknesses.
• Cons: The app has a lot of exercises and tests, which can be too much for a new user who just wants to play a simple game.

9. Happy Neuron

• Pros: Happy Neuron is a fun app that has games that are put into five categories that are based on science, and they make learning new things fun, which is why this app is good for people who want a less serious way to train their mind.
• Cons: This app may have an old design, which can make it feel less modern and fun compared to other apps.

10. BrainHQ

• Pros: BrainHQ is a very well-known app that is backed by a lot of research, for it has more than 29 exercises that are made to make your brain faster and more accurate, and it is also used by scientists and doctors in their research because it has been proven to work.
• Cons: This app is often more expensive than others, and it focuses on being very effective and scientific, which may not be a good thing for people who just want a fun game.

How to Play Correctly

It is better to spend 15 to 20 minutes every day than to try to do all the levels in two hours once a week, because regular work on your mind makes new brain connections and makes the old ones stronger. 

You should play without anything that can take your focus away, and you should turn off notifications, find a quiet place, and only focus on the task, as this will help you get better not only at the game’s skills but also at being more focused in general. 

You should look at your results to see where you are doing well, although you should not worry too much if you have bad results, for you should remember that progress does not always go in a straight line, and this is completely normal.

Conclusion

But the most important thing is to remember that no app can take the place of a healthy lifestyle, so enough sleep, good food, and regular physical activity are much more important for the health of your brain. 

The best trainer for your brain is life itself, which is full of new tasks and knowledge, so you should start with something simple, play regularly, and very soon you will notice that doing your daily tasks has become easier.