How is your gray matter? Just like your muscles, you can also train your brain. In this article, you'll find fifteen apps to help you keep your brain in top shape: from puzzle games to exercises to increase your reaction time or tests to improve your concentration. All you need for these brain teasers? A smartphone or tablet!
The best countdown apps for your smartphone 09 October 2020 09:10 
15 apps to get fit using your smartphone 05 October 2020 16:10 
15 free apps for your Mac September 18, 2020 06:09
The best countdown apps for your smartphone 09 October 2020 09:10 
15 apps to get fit using your smartphone 05 October 2020 16:10 
15 free apps for your Mac September 18, 2020 06:09 Tip 01: Mind Games
iOS: Free (+ in-app purchases)
Android: Free (+ in-app purchases)
Looking for a simple app with all kinds of different games to keep your brain in top shape? Mind Games is chock full of exercises in all kinds of categories: from memory games to math riddles. You should try to perform most exercises as quickly as possible. You get 120 seconds each time. Your score is kept per exercise. A plus is that you also get to see how you score compared to all other players of your age. You score better than 73% of people in your age group, for example. After a few days you can also use all kinds of statistics to deduce whether or not you are making progress. The games are fun and sometimes quite original. There is no Dutch version available, but the instructions are simple.
Tip 02: Elevate
iOS: Free (+ in-app purchases)
Android: Free (+ in-app purchases)
A very popular brain teaser? Elevate. This app doesn't look very nice, but it is also full of games that help you listen, count, focus and remember better. Everything starts with a test of about two to four minutes. The app then prepares a training schedule and then challenges you to perform three exercises daily. With each test you can see exactly what you are training: your reading speed, memory, precision, et cetera. Of course, your progress is neatly tracked and poured into all kinds of statistics. The basic version is free. There is also a Pro account, but that is quite pricey: 12 dollars (approx. 11 euros) per month or 45 dollars (approx. 42 euros) for a year. This app is also only available in English. This can cause problems with the vocabulary exercises.
After a few days you can deduce from all kinds of statistics whether or not you are making progress Tip 03: Skillz
Android: Free (+ in-app purchases)
Straightforward. And quite spicy at times. Which line is the longest? What box is the donut in? How many crosses do you see on the screen? Try to earn as many stars as possible in each level, because you need them to unlock the next level. Unlike many other brain games, there is no training schedule to follow. You decide how many levels you play per day or week. The exercises are very varied and ideal for training your reaction speed, memory or color coordination. Don't feel like playing alone? There is also a multiplayer mode for two, three or four people. Fun for young and old.
Tip 04: Math Master
Android: Free (+ in-app purchases)
Are you an expert at math? Prove it with this app. Math Master is a collection of twelve digital math books with all kinds of exercises. From addition and division to powers, statistics, equations and mean, median and range. Each book has ten chapters with increasing difficulty. Children can deal with the basic calculations, for adults there are many other levels. The app is colorful, user-friendly and completely in Dutch. Can you solve all the exercises per chapter? You always have one question that you can change. Unlock as many badges and chapters as you can and see how well you rank in the global rankings. Are you the ultimate Math Master?
Tip 05: Lumosity
iOS: Free (+ in-app purchases)
Android: Free (+ in-app purchases)
Unlike many other brain teasers, Lumosity was not created by app developers, but by scientists. The offer contains more than 25 different games that challenge you to think and react quickly. Each exercise starts with an extensive tutorial so that you know exactly what is expected. Are you good at multitasking? Do you have a high reaction speed? You will find out immediately. The exercises look slick and are a lot of fun to play. Afterwards you get to see how your score is worldwide compared to people from the same age category. A downside is that the app is not available in Dutch and that a Premium account with an annual subscription of eighty euros is excessively expensive.
Are you competitive? Then Brain Wars is a must!Tip 06: Brain Wars
iOS: Free (+ in-app purchases)
Android: Free (+ in-app purchases)
We have included Brain Wars in this list because of its atypical nature. Here you constantly play all kinds of brain gymnastics games against people from all over the world. However, it doesn't feel like training, but like a competition. The feeling of competition dominates, which makes you want to do your best even better. The exercises are diverse and beautifully designed. Want to play against real friends? Then you can link Brain Wars to your Facebook account. The more you play, the higher your Brain Wars Grade. Are you ready for the next challenge? On the home page you will see where your strengths lie: speed, memory, mathematics, observation, and so on.
Tip 07: IQ Test
Android: Free
Have you always wanted to know what your IQ is? There are also different apps for that. The IQ Test Android app consists of series of 39 questions that you have to solve within 45 minutes. The iq test starts with a few simple questions, but the difficulty quickly increases. In addition, the difficult questions have more effect on your final score. Sit down somewhere quiet, take your smartphone or tablet and solve question by question. Try to be honest and therefore do not use scrap paper. Of course you don't search for solutions online either! If you're not happy with the result, there's only one thing to do: keep practicing with the apps on these pages.
Tip 08: Peak
iOS: Free (+ in-app purchases)
Android: Free (+ in-app purchases)
With Peak you can work on a fit brain every day in a pleasant way. The app has been awarded several times for its advanced training plans and user-friendliness. The Peak Coach helps you work on your memory, mental agility, language, coordination, creativity and control of emotions. The makers claim that the app even stimulates learning to think in a problem-solving way. The games are all original and all developed in collaboration with neuroscientists. At the start you can indicate yourself what your training goal is. For each exercise you can see what you are working on, what the challenges are and which scores you have already achieved. The user interface and instructions are in Dutch, which other developers can learn from.
