🔢 Sequence Memory
Watch which squares light up, then click them in the same order. One more step is added each round.
Sequence Memory
Watch the pattern, then click the squares in the same order. Starts with 1 square.
Level 1
0 / 1
About This Game
This is a screen version of the Corsi block-tapping task, a spatial working memory test used in neuropsychological assessment since the 1970s. It measures something different from remembering digits. Verbal memory holds sounds, while this holds locations, and the two can come apart in the same person.
Broad claims should be treated carefully. The 2016 review by Simons and colleagues in Psychological Science in the Public Interest found little evidence that this kind of training improves unrelated abilities.
Most people fall away between levels 8 and 10. Reaching 12 or beyond is well above average.
The tip most people miss: do not store the sequence as a list of squares. Store it as one continuous shape, the line your finger would draw if it never left the screen. A zigzag, a hook, a letter L. One shape occupies far less memory than nine separate positions, and it degrades gracefully. Even a half remembered shape often gets you the next three taps right.
How the Sequence Memory Test Works
A 3x3 grid of buttons is displayed on screen. Each round, one button flashes to add a new step to the sequence. Watch the full sequence carefully, then repeat it by clicking the buttons in the same order. Each correct round adds another step. The test ends when you click a button in the wrong position.
This test is based on the classic psychological paradigm used to measure visuospatial working memory, your ability to track sequences of locations in space. It is similar to the well-known Simon electronic game, which was itself inspired by memory research from the 1970s.
What Your Score Means
Reaching level 8 or above is above average for adults. Most people score between levels 5 and 8 on their first attempt, improving with practice as they develop strategies for tracking the sequence. Children often outperform adults on this specific test due to their stronger visuospatial memory.
Sequence memory draws on a different aspect of working memory than digit span. Some people who score poorly on number memory perform well here, and vice versa. Both tests measure working memory capacity but through different cognitive pathways.
Tips to Reach Higher Levels
Give each button in the grid a mental label: a colour, a number, or a position name like "top left." This converts a spatial memory task into a verbal one, which many people find easier to hold in working memory. Saying the sequence quietly in your head as it plays helps reinforce the pattern before you have to reproduce it.
Watch the full sequence without looking away or blinking during critical flashes. Distraction between seeing the sequence and reproducing it causes most errors. Take a breath, focus, then click. Speed is less important than accuracy at the start of each round.
Frequently Asked Questions
What level is considered good?
Level 8 or above is above average for adults. Level 12 and beyond is exceptional and typically requires deliberate chunking strategies. Most people see meaningful improvement within the same session as they develop a system for labelling the grid positions.
Is this the same as the Simon game?
Very similar. The Simon game uses the same visuospatial memory principle with colours and sounds. This version uses a grid layout without audio cues, which some people find harder because there is no auditory reinforcement of the sequence.
Does sequence memory decline with age?
Visuospatial memory shows some age-related decline, but it varies significantly between individuals. Regular mental challenges and physical exercise slow this decline. First-attempt scores at any age improve with practice as chunking strategies develop.
Why do I keep losing at the same level?
A specific level becoming a barrier usually means that sequence length exceeds your current chunking capacity. Try labelling the grid positions with numbers or directions before starting, then rehearse each group of positions as a unit rather than as individual steps.