Now the question is, what are the qualities of a game that trains your brain? The simple answer is those games that activate your mind, shake it to think more, and electrify it. You have played these brain training games in your childhood and might be playing them now too. However, you just don't know they are mind games because they don't come up with a tagline calling them the best brain training games.
So we have come up with a list of mind-training games that improve mental health and cognitive abilities like no other.
1. Solitaire
Solitaire is one of the amazing brain games that has been around since the 17th century and again got eyeballs after Microsoft released it in 1990 with Windows 3.0. After its release, it became a household name, and people started playing it like crazy. Even now, more than 35 million people play this game. It is so popular because of its interesting gameplay and amazing features that keep people hooked while scratching their heads. The key to placing piled decks in an order form is not at all easy and gives your mind a tough time. So, after so much mind draining, your mind definitely get some good cognitive kicks.
2. Jigsaw Puzzles
Jigsaw puzzles are another childhood favorite game that we love playing even after entering adulthood. Combining scattered pieces of an image to complete the picture or imagery is so satisfying that it can't be explained in words. You need a lot of brain and problem-solving skills to sort out puzzles. However, it is not a useless activity but a brain training activity. You might find it a waste of time, but researches show puzzle solving actually helps build cognitive abilities and mental development.
So, if you have given up on jigsaw puzzles because you think it is for kids, you should regain your jigsaw playing activity to train your mind.
3. Scrabble
Scrabble is an interesting word game that involves making relevant words on the board from right to left or in the column. The player puts tiles on the board containing an alphabet to create a word strategically. It is an old game but always gives you a new wave of pleasure every time you make a word. It is also the best socializing game where at least four players can play to enhance the problem-solving and analytical abilities of each other. The player with the best vocabulary, thinking abilities, and cognitive skills takes home the victory because there is no place for the slow players.
If you think you have a good memory and you will take home the winner's title, then think again. It is not just a game to check vocabulary but how good a brain game you can play. In case of any difficulty, you can take help from tools like Unscrambled Words, which can help you unscramble letters into words.
4. Hearts
Like Solitaire, Hearts is another famous game with threads embedded into 1880s America, where people used to play it as an amazing way to socialize and test their brains. Being a four, three, or six player game, Hearts has various variations. The main goal of this game is to collect as few hearts as possible. The players have to show some tricky antics to avoid taking hearts – that's where mind grinding starts. It is a fun game that requires a lot of fervor and intelligence to win the game. So, if you have never tested the depth of your mind, this game can help you.
5. Wordle
Wordle is a new addition to the squad of brain training games. But it has quickly become people's favorite game, liked and played by many. It was released in 2021 by a Welsh engineer, and New York Times acquired it in 2022. So, the gameplay is simple, with no rocket science. But playing it definitely sounds like rocket science. You are given 6 chances to find a 5-word letter. Mind you; it can be any word present in the dictionary, so you have to unleash your thoughts' horses to find out the correct answer. It can be brain-draining, but strategically guessing the word can help you win and train your brain for problem-solving.
6. Waffle
Listening to the word waffle might remind you of the waffle cone but trust me, it is not as easy to play as eating a waffle cone is. It can give your brain some boggling bumps. It is sort of a mixture of Scrabble and Wordle, creating a charm of its own. The words are shuffled in this game, and you have 15 moves to find the correct order of the word. It can be challenging, tiring, and mentally draining because it involves a lot of thinking that seems like giving your brain some problem-solving jabs. But once you sort out the puzzle, the happiness of winning is matchless.
Conclusion
Such games are the best examples to prove that some games are not time-wasting at all. In fact, they are the best source to build cognitive abilities and help in brain training. So, these games should be played by people of all ages to help them make better decisions and perform better in all other life disciplines. So, if you have not started playing these games, you should give them a try. You will definitely find them addictive and worth giving a try. Playing a few games might be difficult initially, but slowly your brain will pick the trick, and solving problems will become less problematic.
