Free Memory Games for Adults and Seniors (2024)

Developing the thinking faculty has been one thing humans have worked hard on and still do. Scientists, doctors, and psychologists have weighed in. A lot of strides over the years have been made.

One advancement that may be taken lightly is the use of video games to sharpen thinking. This has been proven to be a very effective memory boosting activity. Online memory games have the ability to help you grasp and retain more information. They can make you sharper and have the ability to improve your cognitive skills, your concentration, and your visual memory.

These are free memory games that adults, seniors and everyone else should try!

Also read: Do Brain Training Apps Really Work?

1. Lumosity

Platforms: Web, Android, iOS

Lumosity consists of online memory games for both adults and kids. The games are put together by scientists who adapt cognitive training exercises that have been developed by leading researchers into games.

To use this online memory enhancing service, you need to sign up with your email address. After signing up, based on your education, your age, and your profession, you will receive a set of three games. These games are aimed at gradually sharpening the memory by increasing focus, skill, attention to detail and ability to solve problems.

After completing a game, you can compare your scores with the millions of online players in the database. You can then gauge where you stand, how much you have improved and how far you need to go.

Also read: 15 Interesting AI Experiments You Can Try Online

2. New York Times Crossword

Platforms: Web, Android, iOS

The reputable American newspaper The New York Times has a long and illustrious tradition of crossword puzzles. Now, crosswords may not seem directly like memory games, but a lot has been written about the connections between crosswords and healthy memory function.

Of course, there are a lot of crossword apps out there, but the NYT one feels like a clever and high-level one, with interesting phrases that will activate those neural pathways.

You can get access to the same crosswords you find in the paper through an app or through your browser, so head on over and become part of this age-old NYT tradition.

Also read: The Best Wordle Tips, Tricks, and Apps You Need to Know

3. Memozor

Just like Lumosity, memozor is not just one game but a suite of games. You will find games like matching pairs, Simon, and abacus. These games are categorized by age groups, which include babies, kids, adults, and seniors.

A good point about this platform is that it has memory games for two players and includes card memory games and themed memory games.

The games are free and unlimited. Additionally, they are all responsive and will work well across all your devices.

Also read: 10 of the Best Brain-Training Apps for Android and iOS

4. Sudoku

Platforms: Web, Android, iOS

Sudoku is a highly addictive puzzle game. Unlike crossword puzzles, they are number based. You are given nine 3-by-3 matrices of numbers. You will be required to complete the blank spaces with numbers from 1 to 9. In doing this, you have to make sure that each number only appears once per matrix, column, and row.

There are plenty of Sudoku sites out there, but the simply-titled Sudoku.com is the best one – the site feels slick and modern, and the accompanying iOS and Android apps are nice and up-to-date.

Apart from helping to improve memory, it is a good game for improving deduction, as you will be doing a lot of that throughout the game.

Also read: Enjoying Wordle? Check Out These 11 Alternatives

5. Mind Games

For memory-enhancing games, Mind Games leaves nothing hidden. This website is more a combo of memory-enhancing games, hosting a number of games, and, of course, they all are free.

The games are divided into sections, and you will be able to choose between memory, math, puzzle, word, and Sudoku. There are more than ten games to choose from in each section.

Also read: 10 of the Best Brain-Training Apps for Android and iOS

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do memory and brain training games actually improve memory?

As is often the case in the world of science, the actual evidence for memory games improving brain function is “promising” but “inconclusive”. A survey conducted by AARP found that about two out of three adults aged 50 and over believe that brain training games do help their memory function, but of course that’s maybe just a personal perception.

2. Do memory games help dementia?

The most promising studies on this front came in 2016, when a meta-analysis at the University of Sydney showed that brain training games can help maintain brain function among adults with “mild cognitive impairment” (a key risk factor for dementia). Once diagnosed with dementia however, these exercises aren’t shown to be effective.

3. Are memory games important for preschoolers?

Memory games are a great way to get kids to focus and think hard about solving problems. There’s a lack of research into this, but surely you’d rather they did brain training games than watch another episode of Paw Patrol?

Do you want to explore more interesting games? See our list of the best hidden Google games for guidance. We can also show you how to sync your game progress between Android devices.