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Top 10 Online Brain-Stimulating Games

Playing games can be excellent for your mind. Many games help improve your memory, problem-solving skills, and your hand-eye coordination. The brain is like a muscle—the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes. Here are the top 10 online brain-stimulating games to help improve your mind.

  1. Jigsaw Puzzles
    Jigsaw puzzles have long been considered tools to strengthen your mind and possibly stave off Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases. People who regularly piece together jigsaw puzzles have a longer lifespan, and the puzzles have been proven to increase concentration. If you're looking to do jigsaw puzzles online, you're in luck. Jigzone.com is a great website for everyone. You pick a picture and choose from 6 pieces up to 247 pieces.
  2. Crossword Puzzles
    If you're looking to improve your problem-solving skills or hoping to spot patterns faster, crossword puzzles will help you out. Crosswords are a fun way to fight off dementia before it even starts. You can find fun crossword puzzles easily at puzzles.usatoday.com. These thematic puzzles are fun and exciting and posted daily. You can play more than one by clicking on a calendar day right on the website. The number of puzzles you can do is endless!
  3. Sudoku
    Sudoku was all the rage a few years ago. You could see coworkers writing numbers in boxes trying to figure out exactly where they went without disturbing the pattern. Well, the reason for Sudoku’s popularity is that it improves your memory by stimulating your mind. You learn to do things quicker, and your concentration vastly improves. You can find Sudoku puzzles online for free at websudoku.com. This website provides puzzles for any level of expertise.
  4. Scrabble
    Scrabble has been around for ages, and people even play for money in professional competitions! Those people aren't the only winners. You can be a winner, too, because Scrabble can help your mind. It improves your mathematical abilities and vocabulary. Beat other players by picking unique or long words that play on a board for a certain number of points! You can play this game online for free at games.com.
  5. Hidden Objects
    We played these games as kids. Find the hidden objects in a mess of other scenery. Even as a grown-up, you can benefit from playing these games. They improve your cognitive performance, enhance memory, and improve vision. It's possible to play these fun games online for free at hidden247.com. The site offers a variety of scenes and objects to find in every level!
  6. Garry's Mod Sandbox
    Garry's Mod has been around for a decade now, and it's still super fun. You can create whatever you want in a world that puts in-game physics on the map. This game will improve your creativity and cognitive skills. You can find it on Steam for $9.99—a small price to pay to improve your memory and problem-solving skills! You can find it at store.steampowered.com.
  7. Flow Free
    Flow Free is a slow-paced but highly addictive puzzle game. You'll lose track of time playing it. Problem-solving skills are essential to beating this game, and you have to make quick decisions. You can find Flow Free for free on iTunes or on Google Play for your mobile device. You can also play it online at play.famobi.com.
  8. Collapse
    Collapse is an award-winning matching game that will improve your memory and more. The main goal is to remove all of the blocks within a set amount of time. You can use bombs to help you, but as the levels increase, the game becomes harder. If this challenge sounds like fun, you can play it for free at shockwave.com.
  9. Matching Games
    Most of us need a little help with our memory. Have you ever gotten into a conversation with someone only to forget his or her name two minutes later? It's time to improve your memory! Matching games will improve your memory and then some. You can find them online for free at dkmgames.com. Another alternative is Minesweeper, which comes installed on most Windows computers.
  10. Chess
    Ah, the age-old game of chess. This game has been around since the 6th century for good reason. Chess increases your IQ, staves off Alzheimer's, boosts your creativity, improves memory, and enhances your problem-solving skills. Nothing beats a good game of chess. You can play this game online for free at chess.com. Simply register and rake in the benefits. On this website, you can learn to play, play against a computer, or play against other players. 
Last Updated: January 13, 2016