Brain training, honestly answered
The questions people actually ask, including the ones with uncomfortable answers.
Does brain training actually work?
It reliably makes you better at the task you train — that part is not in dispute, and you will see it in your own scores. Whether it transfers to general intelligence or everyday memory is genuinely contested: Jaeggi's group reported dose-dependent gains in fluid intelligence from dual n-back training, and several later replications found much weaker or no transfer. We cite the source behind each game rather than promise an outcome.
Is Dual N-Back legit?
As a working-memory task, yes — it is the most studied one in the field and it genuinely loads the system it is meant to load. The contested claim is the second step: that improving at n-back improves reasoning in general. Treat it as a hard, well-designed exercise rather than a shortcut to a higher IQ.
How long until I see results?
Most people move up a level or two within a week of daily play. That is the trained skill improving, which happens fast. Anything broader takes months and is much harder to measure — be suspicious of any site that quotes you a number.
How long should a session be?
Three to five minutes per game, daily. The research protocols used short daily blocks rather than long occasional sessions, and every game here is built to fit that.
Is HumanCalc free?
Yes — all 11 games, permanently. No subscription, no trial, no paywalled levels.
Do I need an account?
No. Every game is fully playable signed out. An account only adds progress saved across devices, XP, streaks and the leaderboard.
How often does the leaderboard reset?
Every Monday at 00:00 UTC. Each seven-day season rewards regular practice while giving everyone a fresh start.
Which game should I start with?
Dual N-Back if you want a demanding working-memory task. Flash Anzan for visual mental calculation, or Stroop Test for fast attention control.
Can I use this on my phone?
Yes, everything works on mobile. One caveat: touchscreens add roughly 20–40ms of input latency, so compare your Reaction Time scores against your own device rather than across devices.
Is this a medical or diagnostic test?
No. Several games follow clinical task designs closely, but this is a training site. A score here carries no clinical meaning.