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These nine PC games can give you practice with skills such as spatial planning, attention, problem-solving, and strategic decision-making. But none is proven to make players generally more intelligent. The list comes from a 2018 TechGuided article, not a scientific ranking; research on games finds mixed, skill-specific effects, and improvement on a practiced task is not proof of a broad increase in intelligence.
Can video games make you smarter?
It depends on what “smarter” means. Researchers have measured narrower abilities—including memory, spatial ability, visual attention, processing speed, and cognitive control. A player may improve at a task that resembles what they practice in a game, but that does not establish a general rise in intelligence or guarantee that the improvement transfers to everyday life.
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Meta-analyses reach different conclusions because they examine different studies, game types, outcomes, and training conditions:
- A 2018 meta-analysis of action-game research reported an average effect of g = 0.55 in cross-sectional comparisons and g = 0.34 in long-term intervention studies. The authors also identified publication bias as a concern and estimated that published effects were about 30% larger than effects across the full literature. These results concern action-game research, not all games or general intelligence. Psychological Bulletin, 2018.
- A separate 2018 meta-analysis found small or null overall effects across its analyses and reported no evidence of a causal link between video-game training and enhanced cognitive ability. Psychological Bulletin, 2018.
- A 2023 meta-analysis covering 63 studies, 118 investigations, and 2,079 participants reported a cognitive-training effect of g = 0.25. It found that particular gameplay features were more selectively related to transfer outcomes than broad genre labels. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 2023.
- A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis covering 133 studies, 269 effect sizes, and 14,245 participants reported statistically significant but small correlations between gameplay and memory, spatial ability, visual attention, cognitive control, and intelligence across three study designs. Correlation alone does not show that gameplay caused those differences. Acta Psychologica, 2026.
Together, these findings support a measured conclusion: games may exercise particular skills, but the evidence does not establish that any of the nine titles below reliably makes players more intelligent overall. Nor do the studies provide a head-to-head cognitive ranking of these games.
#1 Best Overall
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How to read this list
The nine titles appeared in Brent Hale’s TechGuided list, published January 10, 2018. The descriptions below summarize the gameplay demands that article highlighted; they are not verified cognitive outcomes for each individual game. Treat them as ideas for matching a game to an interest or a kind of mental challenge—not as proven brain-training prescriptions. TechGuided’s original list.
Nine PC games and the skills their gameplay can exercise
1. Minecraft: spatial planning and creative construction
Building in Minecraft asks players to imagine structures, arrange materials, navigate spaces, and revise plans as they explore. Those activities can provide practice in spatial planning and creative problem-solving. The original list also points to exploration and collaboration; any benefit will depend on how someone plays, and the list itself does not establish a measured cognitive effect.
Rank #2
- Super Collapse 3 JC
2. StarCraft: resource management and rapid decisions
StarCraft’s real-time strategy play involves gathering resources, organizing units, and making tactical choices while events keep moving. It can be a demanding way to practice prioritization and adapting a plan under time pressure. The 2018 list also claims greater cognitive flexibility compared with The Sims, but that comparison should not be treated as verified here.
3. Kerbal Space Program: experimentation and systems thinking
Designing and launching rockets in Kerbal Space Program encourages players to test configurations, observe what happens, and adjust. The game’s emphasis on construction and physical systems can make it appealing to players who enjoy iterative experimentation and attention to detail. That is a description of the gameplay, not evidence that the game improves scientific reasoning outside the game.
Rank #3
![Encore Classic Puzzle & Board Games - [PC Download]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bhjgCS1LL._SL160_.jpg)
- Encore Classic Puzzle & Board Games includes your favorite classic games like Chess, Backgammon, Crosswords, Mahjongg, and much more.
- Train your brain with this epic collection of over 1,000 puzzles and board games.
- Play traditional favorites and new games to challenge your skill, strategy and wit
- With new and classic games, this collection is chock-full of fun for all ages
- Includes word games, strategy games, card games, board games, brain teasers, memory games, and more
4. Portal: logic and spatial problem-solving
The Portal games ask players to use portals to move through spaces and solve environmental puzzles. Progress often depends on planning a sequence of actions and finding an unconventional use for the available mechanic. The 2018 list says Portal 2 outperformed Lumosity in a short comparison, but that result is not established by the evidence cited here, so it should not be taken as a proven comparison.
5. Trine: switching approaches and cooperation
Trine’s puzzles use the distinct abilities of a thief, knight, and wizard. Players may need to work out which character’s ability fits a problem, or combine abilities to proceed. The series also offers cooperative play, which can make coordination part of the challenge. These are gameplay features, not demonstrated cognitive-training outcomes.
Rank #4
- Educational Toys: These logic puzzle brain teaser game challenges train reasoning, concentration, and spatial planning skills, perfect for individual practice and family games. Screen-free and engaging, they function as brain teaser puzzles, brain games for adults, and relaxing fidget toys adults can enjoy
- Educational and Playful: Designed as a STEM educational toy following Montessori principles, this logic thinking game combines logic puzzle blocks, tangrams, and shape puzzle elements to support hands-on learning of colors, shapes, and sizes while strengthening executive and organizational skills
- Progressive Challenges: Featuring 88 challenges across four difficulty levels, this logic game offers step-by-step progression for logic puzzles adults alike, delivering continuous stimulation through mind puzzles for adults and brain teaser puzzles for people that build confidence and creativity
- Safe and Long-Lasting: Built with sturdy puzzle blocks and puzzle cube structures for long-term use, this logic toys set is suitable for classrooms, learning centers, and therapy games, supporting high-quality interactive learning for families and educators
- Portable Set: This compact puzzle board style set includes 11 uniquely sized blocks and a visual challenge guide, making it an easy-to-carry puzzle brain teaser for home, school, travel, or social gatherings as a fun family brain game
6. Civilization: long-term planning and trade-offs
The Civilization series centers on building an empire over many turns, with decisions involving research, diplomacy, and competing priorities. Its slower pace gives players room to consider longer-term plans and weigh trade-offs. Enjoying that strategic challenge does not establish that playing improves general intelligence.
7. Total War: strategic choices in historical settings
Total War combines historical settings with military strategy. The original list highlights planning and strategic decisions as its central demands. Players drawn to large-scale conflicts may find that focus engaging, but the material available here does not establish a specific cognitive benefit for the series.
Best Value
- Most popular hidden object series ever.
- Deep, interactive storyline.
- Point and click adventure game.
8. Call of Duty: action and sensorimotor demands
Call of Duty is the list’s action-game entry, with gameplay that can involve rapid visual attention and coordinated responses. Some research has studied action games as a category, but its findings cannot automatically be applied to every action title or player. The specific University of Toronto study mentioned by the original list is not verified here, so no result from it is presented as established evidence.
9. XCOM: tactical choices and adaptation
XCOM combines turn-based tactical decisions with resource and base management. Players must respond to changing conditions and make choices with limited resources. That makes it a natural pick for someone who enjoys deliberate planning and adapting a strategy, rather than proof that the game enhances cognition beyond play.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choosing a game for a learning goal
Start with the kind of challenge you actually want to enjoy. If you like constructing and exploring, try Minecraft; if you prefer puzzles, consider Portal or Trine; if planning and strategic trade-offs appeal to you, look at Civilization, Total War, StarCraft, or XCOM. Kerbal Space Program suits players interested in experimentation, while Call of Duty offers action-oriented play.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11These are practical matches between gameplay and interests, not evidence-based rankings. Research suggests that specific gameplay features may matter more than genre labels, while the reviewed studies do not establish comparable outcomes for all nine titles. Choose for the experience you want, and regard any cognitive benefit as a possibility tied to particular skills—not a promise of becoming generally smarter.
Quick Recap
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