Memory Games

Memory games are all about recall: cards get flipped back over and you have to remember where each picture was to find its match in as few tries as possible. They're very easy to understand, so they work for little kids and adults alike. There are about 150 in this section.

How they work

You start with all the cards face down. Each turn you flip two: if they match, they stay face up, and if not, they turn back over. The game ends when you've found every pair, and you're scored on the number of tries or on time, depending on the title. You play with the mouse or by tapping.

Which games you'll find

The classics are Encuentra las parejas and Las parejas, with the usual setup. Most of the rest just change the artwork: Sonic Memory Challenge, Zelda Memory, Hello Kitty Memory Game, Super Mario Card Matching, Dinosaur Memory Challenge, Racing Cars Memory Challenge, Birthday Cakes Memory and Memory Scary Game.

Some are good for learning: Kids Learning Farm Animals Mem has farm animals, Math Memory works with numbers and Geometry Quiz with shapes. And a few mix memory with tile matching, like Tile Connect - Pair Matching or Butterfly Kyodai Deluxe; pure mahjong and tiles in plain view are in Matching.

Tips

Flip the corner cards first and remember positions by zone, not one by one. When you miss, still memorize the two cards that were revealed: that's what gives you the most information. If you quietly say what you see ("cat, top left"), you'll remember it better than just looking.

With small children, start with few cards and add more as they go. A farm or animal game is easier for them than one with abstract shapes.

If you're playing with a child, take turns instead of handing over the whole screen: it's a way for them to practice waiting, too. For yourself, a good challenge is replaying the same game and trying to cut down your number of tries. The character games, like Sonic Memory Challenge or Super Mario Card Matching, hook people who already know the pictures, and Memory Scary Game has a darker tone than the rest.