There are various reasons for wanting to increase the capacity of your brain, to challenge yourself, to learn to concentrate, to train your memory or to improve your calculation, intuition and concentration skills . The best Brain Training applications have been studied precisely to increase cognitive functions, problem solving skills, processing speed and also to become more positive and optimistic.
There are also studies showing that people who engage in these games are less likely to develop brain plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease and to age more slowly, while staying mentally fit.
Obviously you have to do a bit of sorting among the hundreds of apps and games that describe themselves as " brain training " to find out which ones really work, not only for having fun and playing, but also with some minimal scientific foundation.
In this article we therefore see the 10 best apps ( Android and iPhone / iPad ) to exercise the brain, with mental games and intelligence tests .
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1) Lumosity (free - Web, Android and iPhone) is perhaps the best of these applications, a continuous test for a scientifically proven brain training path. The games are designed to develop the five areas of the brain: speed, memory, attention, flexibility and problem solving. The scores of the various intelligence tests are recorded with an index called Lumosity Performance Index (LPI), which allows you to compare the strengths and weaknesses of the various brain areas, plus a global LPI which is the average index. Lumosity is free, but limited to three games per day. Some advanced features like performance tracking to compare with others, personalized training and full access to all games requires a paid subscription.
2) Memorado, for Android and iPhone, offers different mental games, all of a graphic type, with challenges designed to develop particular areas of the brain.
3) NeuroNation (for Android and for iPhone) is one of the best apps to improve the skills of the mind, to train the brain in a fun way, to strengthen memory and reasoning skills.
4) Peak Brain Training for iPhone and iPad and for Android is considered among the best applications to train the mind every day with different tests of mental ability, fun and very stimulating.
5) Elevate for Android and iPhone is another very popular app with tests and games to train the mind, which offers a series of three games in rotation every day, each aimed at specific brain functions such as memory or math, taking track your progress so you can see how the scores vary.
6) MindGames, for Android and for iPhone is a collection of simple mental games, mostly visual, unfortunately not in Italian.
7) Personal Zen (iPhone and iPad only, free) is a game with two animated characters, one calm and gentle and the other angry. This game, developed by researchers from Hunter College and City University of New York, is an emotional test that helps reduce anxiety and be optimistic. The application is recommended for those who must prepare for a stressful event and it is recommended to play it 10 minutes a day to have positive and lasting effects
8) Brain Games (free, Android only) is similar to Lumosity, with test games and sequences to guess.
9) Happify (web and iPhone / iPad, free) is an emotional intelligence test to train the brain to be happier. Using fundamentals of positive psychology, it contains quizzes, surveys and tests to focus the mind on people's strengths, with the ultimate goal of teaching life-changing habits in a positive way. Unfortunately it is only in English.
10) Eidetic (iPhone and iPad only, free) uses a technique called spaced repetition to help people memorize anything from important phone numbers to interesting words or facts. It works differently from other brain training applications and uses objects that have real meaning for people.
11) Intelligence puzzle games
There are many puzzle games on the stores of the various platforms, but two are the ones that have been more successful in the last year, number games that require problem solving skills, memory, strategy planning and the brain in general.
Make7 (Android and Threes are also very fun and addicting games, already listed among the best numbers and math games for Android and iPhone .
In other articles then you can choose between the best puzzle games for iPhone and iPad and the best puzzles and brain teasers for Android.
Crossword puzzles, crosswords and Sudoku for iPhone and Android are always great games to stay focused, strain your mind and keep it active.
Finally, the Quiz games with questions for Android and iPhone, which are mostly multiplayer challenges and tele-quiz or Trivial Pursuit style games, always good for improving the general culture.
READ ALSO: More difficult games with challenging levels on Android and iPhone
