Video Games Tutorials and News - Should You Try Memory Training Games
Intro
I got an electric shock because I forgot green came after blue. Today we're going to take an in-depth look at all of these memory training games. I'll test them out and show you how they work so you can decide if you want to invest in any of them. Because we all want a sharp memory.
Memory maze challenge
The first one we're going to look at is this memory maze challenge.
Follow the flashing sequence for 15 steps to win. I removed it from the packaging and pulled out the plastic tab, isolating the battery. There's a switch on the base here to turn it on, and it fires into life. One of the colored buttons lights up and plays a sound, and you need to repeat the order.
Every time you complete one, it adds one to the sequence. You can hear it start building a tune. You need to remember 15 in a row to complete it and move on to another one. If you get part of the sequence wrong, you get a warning sound and one more chance. And if you fail, it starts a fresh one.
I really like this gadget. It's pocket-sized and really simple. It reminds me a little of some of the fidget toys I've reviewed. Unfortunately, there are no volume controls, but because it illuminates, it is cool to use in low light. The next one we're going to look at is this.
Flipside
On the flip side of Moose Games, it says there are four challenge modes: a speed mode, level mode, and I removed it from the packaging and here it is. It's a cool-looking device. The blocks are out on arms, and they can move around the square. You can also rotate them.
Each arm has a red, blue, yellow, and green square. To turn it on, we press the button in the center, and it springs to life. It gives you vocal instructions as I twist this block. It cycles through the modes; four modes all together; and volume options. Let's try the memory mode first, then the slider block to start the game.
It illuminates a colored sequence which you need to remember and then match by moving the blocks. If you get it right, it'll flash green, then start the next round. After a few rounds, you'll move up to level two. It really does start testing your memory. The further up the levels you go, the more combinations you've got to remember.
It gives you a few opportunities to get it right, but if you keep failing, it'll flash red, and that's game over. Mode The speed mode is more of a reaction game, and it's really good fun. You've got to match the blocks as quickly as you can, but what's really fun is the multiplayer mode. You need to match all of yours as quickly as you can, then hand it over to a friend.
They then need to race to match all of this and pass it back, but as the time starts to run out, it gets more and more intense. You've got to try and complete yours and hand it over before it blows. And there we go, time out, and it's really cool to use in low light too. I'd say it feels like a robust and well-made unit, and I've really enjoyed using it.
I think it's brilliant.
Brain bolt
Let's take Take a look at this one brain bolt, the blazing fast light-up memory game. It says to play solo or challenge a friend in head-to-head mode. I removed it from all of the packaging and here's the device. It actually looks really cool and feels well made. Let's flick the switch on and see how it works.
If we press this button, it starts the single player mode. All 21 lights flash, then one stays illuminated. When we press this, they all quickly illuminate, and an additional one stays lit. We need to remember which ones were previously lit and find the new ones. The further you go, the more difficult it becomes, and if you get it wrong, it shows you where you should have gone.
There is an advanced mode as well, where if you get 17 in a row right, each round one starts to disappear. There's also a timer mode where you have to see how many you can get in 30 seconds. It displays your score by illuminating the lights afterwards, and finally there's the head-to-head multiplayer mode.
With this one, you both hold the device and take it in turns to play. If someone gets it wrong, it indicates a point on the other side by illuminating a light. This mode was really cool. It definitely focuses the mind.
Maze and chess
Next, I want to look at something a bit different. It comes in this box and it says it's a patiently observation focus memory balance trainer, so let's take a look. Open it up, and it's this really cool maze in a ball. There's a little ball bearing inside, and we've got to try and guide it around the maze in the sphere.
It's very sensitive and difficult to make it go where you want. The memory part comes because you can't see the whole maze. You have to try and remember which route you want to take, and you're trying to guide the ball down into this hole. There's one on each side. It's a good fun game, but it really is quite difficult, so you will need some patience.
Here's another non-digital memory trainer. It's this memory chess game, Take it all out of the box and we've got this nice wooden baseboard with 24 holes, and we've also got 24 wooden pegs with different coloured bases. To play the game, we place all of the pegs onto the board. Just place them in the holes randomly.
When the board's full, you can give it a spin to make sure you don't know where any are. They supply us with this coloured dice, so give it a roll and whatever colour it lands on is the coloured peg we're trying to find. Take it in turns to play, and you've got to try and remember where the coloured pegs are located.
Next time you roll the colour, hopefully you'll be able to remember where the corresponding peg was. It's a very simple concept, but it's surprisingly good fun, and it can be enjoyed by younger kids too. Next, we're going to take a look at this reflex shocking memory game.
Reflex shocking
So it says there are three game modes and five levels of increasing difficulty, so I opened up the unit, and here it is. It's quite a large item. And it's got these metal hand grips at each end. These are going to be the ones that conduct an electric shock.
It feels pretty comfortable to hold, and you've got good access to the four buttons. This one doesn't come with any batteries, so you need to remove the screw cover on the back and install your own. It takes three triple A's. It also comes with this lanyard to put around your wrist. I guess it's to stop you dropping it if you let go when it shocks you.
So let's take a look. Press the on button and it fires up. Where's the share button? What I really like is that you can actually turn off the shock feature, so you can enjoy playing it or learning how to play it without the worry of getting a shock. Let's start the game in mode one. For this one, you have to remember the sequence of colors.
