This is THE Collection of some of the best Arcade. Why buy Nintendo games or pay a monthly subscription fee, When a free version of any good game can be found here. These are my favourite timepass, and I enjoy playing them a lot… you should give it a try…
Mysteriez
Play. Find hidden numbers in the pictures.
Brain trains: attention to detail, cognitive control, processing speed
Set Online
Play. Set Online is based on Set, The Card Game, first brought to my attention by Cory Doctorow here. Basically, you have to make sets of three based on facets of color, shape, shading, and number. Each facet must be all the same or all different. Tutorial here. This game has the ability to rewire your brain.
Brain trains: cognitive control, processing time, permutations
Red Team Game
Play. Control two characters at the same time.
Brain trains: coordination, multitasking, spatial intelligence,
Triangles
Here. Play two avoidance games simultaneously. One with your left hand. The other with your right hand.
Brain trains: coordination, cognitive control, peripheral vision
Building Houses 2
Play. Make the shape on the left using cubes. Sounds easy, but challengingly difficult.
Brain trains: spatial intelligence, strategy, visualization
Jumble Word Vault
Play. New twist on an old favorite. Jumble requires you to make words and unscramble. This time around, you must fill quotas and race against time.
Brain trains: verbal reasoning, processing speed, permutations
Word Drop
Play. Make words with letter tiles. Make it on the hi-score list.
Brain trains: verbal reasoning, permutations, peripheral vision
IQ
Here. A really good brain workout which consists of a whole bunch of IQ puzzles.
Brain trains: logic, spatial intelligence, permutations, visualization
How Much Time Has Passed?
Here. You’re given 2 times and you have to indicate how much time has passed. A little like the Brainage game.
Brain trains: math, processing speed, concentration, brainage
Numbers
Play. Click on the numbered tiles so that they add up to the target number.
Brain trains: math, processing speed, big picture
Fun Game
Play. Kind of like solitaire meets Tetris where you have to combine blocks of 4.
Count The Cubes
Play. You’re shown a bunch of cubes. Count how many there are.
Brain trains: perspective, processing speed, spatial intelligence
Find People
Here. Like Where’s Waldo?, but made into an online game. Spot the selected person in the crowd. Lots of fun.
Brain trains: concentration, processing speed, attention to detail
Connect 2
Play. Connect pairs of tiles and clear the board.
Brain trains: perspective, processing speed, concentration
Rings
Play. Copy the pattern you’re shown. Do it quick or else the pattern will disappear. Very good brain game.
Brain trains: processing speed, visualization, memory
Mouse Speed
Here. Very challenging game where you must click on numbers as quickly as possible.
Brain trains: cognitive control, reaction time, peripheral vision
Dupligon
Play. Like the drawing game in Brainage, you are briefly shown a shape and then you have to draw it based on memory.
Braintrains: memory, visualization, concentration
Colour Word 2
Play. A stroop test game that is very well polished. You’re shown a word in a certain colour and you have to click on the colour of the word and not the name of the word.
Brain trains: cognitive control, reaction time, processing speed
25 Boxes
Play. Find the target letter(s) on one side, but click their corresponding box (es) on the other side.
Brain trains: peripheral vision, coordination, processing speed
Memry
Play. An interesting twist on the classic game of Concentration. In Memry (that’s not a typo), you flip over two cards at a time and try to match picture pairs. The picture pairs, however, are taken from random Flickr photos. You can specify a tag which will determine the pictures that will appear in your game.
Brain trains: concentration, memory, visualization
Anagrammatic
Play. Given 9 random letters, try to find the longest word. Play against opponents from around the world. Very fun.
Brain trains: verbal reasoning, processing speed, concentration
Pipe Mania
Play. Fit the pieces of pipe on the game board so the water can get to the drain. Oh and there’s a time limit.
Brain trains: visualization, processing speed, strategy
Pirate Chains
Play. Get the key to the lock by removing tiles standing in the way. Remove by creating non-diagonal patterns of three or more tiles . Oh and there’s a time limit and move limit.
Brain trains: big picture, pattern, processing speed
Arithmetiles
Play. A special number is shown. Click on two other numbers that either add, subtract, multiply, or divide to equal that number.
Brain trains: math, processing speed, concentration
Digit Span Memory Test
Here. Try to remember a sequence of numbers that get longer and longer.
Brain trains: memory, visualization, concentration
Spot The Difference
Here. Polished flash version of a classic brain trainer. Within a limited time, spot the five differences in the two pictures.
Brain trains: concentration, processing speed, visualization
Stroop Test
Here. You are shown a box and presented with two words, one of which identifies the color of the box. Press the left or right arrow key to select the correct word.
Brain trains: cognitive control, processing time, reaction time
Word List Recall
Here. You’ll be shown a list of words one word at a time. Afterwards, you’ll be asked to write down as many as you remember.
Brain trains: memory, visualization, verbal reasoning
Parachute
Here. Did you play Bandai handheld games as a kid? They were the DS’s and PSP’s of my generation. This one is a classic. Using the left and right direction key, catch the falling parachuters or else they’ll be eaten by the shark. Thank you Aaron for porting them to Java.
Brain trains: spatial intelligence, strategy, coordination
Test Your Reaction Speed
Here. Stare at a red dot. Mouse click when it turns yellow. Your average time is calculated after 5 tries. Addictive.
Brain trains: reaction time, concentration, processing speed
Dr. Mario
Here. Don’t know how long it will be before this site is taken down, but while it’s available, brain train with Dr. Mario, a classic Nintendo game. IMHO, it’s better than Tetris, but that’s just me. Place the two-unit pills in such a way that you complete 4 units of the same color.
Brain trains: pattern, processing speed, visualization
CodeWord
Here. Like Mastermind, but with words. Guess the word. The computer will give you feedback about which letters were correct so you can fine tune your next guess.
Brain trains: verbal reasoning, permutations, processing speed
Colour Connect
Here. Click on the circles to get rid of them. You can only get rid of a circle if it matches colour with the circle before it.
Brain trains: strategy, big picture, pattern
MemoTST
Play. You are shown piano keys with different colors. The colors disappear. Do you remember the color of a certain key? Exceptionally well-designed game.
Brain trains: memory, visualization, concentration
Mastermind
Play. Guess the four colors and the order which they appear. Classic logic game.
Brain trains: logic, permutations, memory
Words In A Word
Play. Try to make as many new words as possible in the time given. One of the best Boggle-themed games because of the level of competition.
Brain trains: verbal reasoning, permutations, processing time
Wordz
Play. Click on two white letters to swap them in order to make the right words.
Brain trains: verbal reasoning, permutations, processing speed
Letter Rip
Play. Make words from the letters on the playing field. Each letter of a word must be adjacent to one another. Click on the last letter to submit.
Brain trains: big picture, verbal reasoning, pattern
Brain Age 2
Play. Click on either plus, minus, times, or divide to make the math statement true. Do it as fast as you can. Once finished, the game will display your brain age.
Brain trains: math, processing speed, reaction time, brainage
Wii Picross
Play. Use the clue numbers on the side of the playing field to mark out a hidden picture. Like Sudoku meets Minefield meets Mastermind.
Brain trains: concentration, logic, multitasking
Nblox aka Tetris
Play the best Tetris clone available. Use left and right arrow keys to move the shape. The up key to rotate.
Brain trains: pattern, perspective, reaction time
Curveball
Play. In first person view, paddle a ball back and forth against the computer.
Brain trains: spatial intelligence, coordination, reaction time.
Day Of The Bobteds
Play: Decide the ideal position to place a shiny metal ball(s) and watch it will drop/bounce on intended target(s).
Brain trains: prediction, spatial intelligence, strategy
Green And Black
Play. Flip a column or a row. When you flip, greens becomes black and vice versa. The goal is to get everything green within 10 seconds.
Brain trains: processing speed, strategy, perspective
Shift
Play. A very fun platformer with a Paper Mario-type twist. Press the shift key to shift your world view so that you play as black or upside down as white depending on the problem at hand. This dynamic forces your brain to simultaneously think right-side up and upside down.
Brain trains: strategy, coordination, perspective
Lamb Chop Drop
Play. You’re a falling lamb and you must steer yourself into the path of colorful stars flying upwards. This game trains your spatial awareness because you’re given a three-dimensional view instead of 2D. Finally, the more stars you get, the more money donated to a worthy cause – much like freerice.com.
Brain trains: spatial intelligence, prediction, perspective
Brain Age 1
Play. You’re shown a bunch of numbers scattered about the screen. The screen goes blank. Next, you’re shown placeholders where the numbers were and you have to click on the placeholders in order from least to greatest by the numbers they represented. Your brain age score is calculated after ten rounds.
Brain trains: memory, concentration, visualization, brainage
Spin The Black Circle Game
Play. Only the left and right arrow keys are used to rotate the entire screen in order to move the ball to its destination. While it sounds easy, the reality of ball physics will make this an addictive brain trainer.
Brain trains: reaction time, spatial intelligence, coordination
Fruit Smash
Play. A good Bejeweled clone. For those who don’t know what Bejeweled is, you click on a fruit and then another either to north, east, west, or south of it. This causes the two fruits to swap in the hopes of making lines containing three or more of the same fruit. The completed lines are removed and surrounding fruit move to fill in the void. It gets really fun when combos happen.
Brain trains: processing speed, pattern, big picture
Three Glasses
Play. A modern take on the classic math logic problem where you’re given pails of different volume capacities and you must use them to measure out a specified amount of water.
Brain trains: strategy, permutations, logic
Lilly Hop
Play. You control a frog that must hop from lily pad to lily pad. You must touch every lily pad, but you cannot retrace your steps.
Brain trains: strategy, permutations, logic
Phit
Play. Take the odd shapes in the white area above and place them so the entire yellow area below is covered. It’s like tangrams meet Tetris.
Brain trains: permutations, spatial intelligence, visualization
Blue
Play. You’re required to make all the tiles light up. This is done by moving the sphere. Whenever the sphere is over a tile, the four adjacent tiles to the north, east, west, and south of it are toggled to their opposite: dark tiles are lit, lit tiles are turned off.
Brain trains: permutations, prediction, visualization
Do 100 Arithmetic Questions In 5 Minutes
Do. Try to do 100 arithmetic problems in 5 minutes. Great Brain Age replacement to train mental math skills. Did them in under 2 and half minutes. Try to pwn me.
Brain trains: processing speed, math, reaction time
Troyis
Play. For those who play chess, you know how the knight/horse moves in an L shaped pattern? Use that type of movement to turn all the white squares purple. The blue square are off limits.
Brain trains: permutations, reaction time, big picture
8 Letters
Play. You’re given 8 letters and you have to make as many new words from them as possible (think Text Twist). Get extra points if you can unscramble the letters and find the 8 letter word before the time runs out. The idea isn’t new, but the presentation is flawless.
Brain trains: processing speed, permutations, verbal reasoning
Reverse
Play. Using your mouse, move the object through the maze, to the goal. Oh, one more thing. If your mouse moves left, the cursor moves right, and vice versa. You have to will your brain to do the opposite of what it’s been conditioned to do.
Brain trains: concentration, cognitive control, coordination
Squiz
Play. Get points for clicking on four icons of the same type in such a way that they represent the four corners of a square or rectangle. The bigger the square/rectangle, the more points you get.
Brain trains: visualization, pattern, big picture
Matter / Tangrams
Play. Assemble various smaller shapes into a predefined big shape.
Brain trains: visualization, pattern, big picture
Planarity
Play. Move the nodes around until no strings overlap.
Brain trains: strategy, prediction, visualization
Squares
Play. You’re a black square. Gain points by touching any other black object in the game. Black squares give you more points and black circles give you bonuses. Stay away from red things. Red squares kill you and red circles curse you.
Brain trains: concentration, processing speed, reaction time
Reflex
Play. Guide the constantly moving ball to the exit. The only way to steer the ball is by toggling the panels to guide its direction.
Brain trains: strategy, permutations, prediction
Nucleus
Play. Using only left mouse click, move the charge (as represented by the light blue ring) inwards until it reaches the nucleus. Movement of the charge is possible only when the two revolving electrons are close to one another.
Brain trains: concentration, reaction time, prediction
Picto
Play. Click on the icon which was the newest addition to the screen. Sounds easy, but once the screen starts filling up, you’re forced to keep track of what came before.
Brain trains: memory, concentration, visualization
Ray Ray’s Parade
Play. You control a formation of cute, chubby babies. Your job is to get them all to stand up by clicking on them. When you click a baby, any other baby to the north, east, west, or south of it is affected. If the other(s) baby is crouching, it will stand. If it is already standing, it will crouch. Cute way to train you brain.
Brain trains: permutations, logic, big picture
Nodes
Play.The red nodes are connected to one another by lasers. Drag the red nodes so the lasers pass through each and every blue node.
Brain trains: strategy, multitasking, visualization
Mass Attack
Play. Your job is to balance the scales by creating balls with different masses to offset the computer-generated load. The difficulty lies in the fact that you only have a limited number of tries.
Brain trains: math, prediction, visualization
Spa Cat
Play. Given a screen full of multi-colored, multi-sized numbers, you must click them in order from least to greatest before the time runs out.
Brain trains: concentration, reaction time, big picture
Keyway
Play. Press the corresponding arrow key when you’re shown it, and press space bar when you’re shown a square. That’s all there is to it. Oh and every mistake you make, you lose 5 seconds. Every round you pass, you gain 10 seconds. Try to get as much points as you can before time runs out. Simple, yet elegant with a hypnotic soundtrack.
Brain trains: concentration, reaction time, coordination
Eskiv
Play. A simple concept, but powerfully addictive. You’re a big dot that gets around the screen using the arrow keys. Touch as many squares as possible. Avoid small dots. The catch is: for every square you touch, another small dot appears. Try to get 135 points. That’s my high score.
Brain trains: concentration, cognitive control, visualization
Excit
Play. Really fun game that uses an excel spreadsheet as its backdrop (sorry if your boss walks by, it looks like you’re doing work). Using the arrow keys, the object is to guide the ball to the green ex(c)it. Once it starts moving, the ball won’t stop so you have to steer its path using immovable objects randomly placed on the game screen.
Brain trains: strategy, permutations, visualization
Cube Field
Play. Using the left and right arrow keys, steer clear of objects coming at you at what seems to be a million miles per hour.
Brain trains: concentration, reaction time, spatial intelligence
Cell
Play. Frustrating, but in a good way type of game where your left hand controls the gray block and your right hand controls the fence around the gray block. Move both to the goal. This game works because it demands us to coordinate both hemispheres of the brain.
Brain trains: concentration, multitasking, coordination
Chat Noir
Play. Turn-based game (you and the computer take turns making a move) where you must keep the cat from escaping the play area by clicking light green circles to make them dark. The cat cannot step on dark green circles.
Brain trains: strategy, permutations, logic
Binary Game
Play. Interesting game created by Cisco Systems to train their own techs. The game involves converting bytes into whole numbers or the other way around. Has a Tetris-like feel because if you’re slow and the bytes get too high, game over.
Thanks to Jessica Bridges, for informing that the cisco link is broken and giving an working alternative link.
Brain trains: math, concentration, processing speed
Bloxorz
Play. Very well-made puzzle game which involves moving a brick into a hole.
cool collection! I spend a lot of time to play this.