Antisaccade Swipe
Blue goes with it, red goes against it
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What is the Antisaccade Swipe?
The antisaccade task asks you to do the opposite of what your eyes want to do. A target flashes on one side of a screen, and instead of looking at it, you have to look the same distance to the other side. Peter Hallett introduced the task in 1978. The pull to glance towards the target is strong, and overriding it takes deliberate control.
Researchers use the antisaccade task to study inhibitory control, the ability to stop a reflexive response and replace it with a planned one. Error rates and reaction times on antisaccade trials are the usual measures. The Neuroptimize Antisaccade Swipe game applies the same idea to swipes. A blue arrow means swipe the way it points, a red arrow means swipe the opposite way, and a green arrow later adds a quarter turn.
How to play the Antisaccade Swipe
- An arrow appears in the play area. A legend at the top shows what each colour means.
- If the arrow is blue, swipe the same way it points. If it is red, swipe the opposite way. You can swipe anywhere in the play area, tap the direction buttons below it, or use the arrow keys or W, A, S and D.
- A swipe in the wrong direction counts as a mistake and breaks your combo. The game lasts 45 seconds and reports your average reaction time on correct answers.
- At the start, a hint under each arrow spells out what to do, and the matching legend chip lights up until level 10. Red arrows become more common as the level rises.
- From level 8 the arrows drift across the screen and you must answer before they leave. If one escapes, it counts as a miss and adds to your "Too slow" total. The arrows move faster at higher levels.
- From level 12 green arrows join in: swipe as if the arrow were turned 90 degrees clockwise. An up arrow means swipe right, a right arrow means swipe down, and so on.
Strategies and tips
Check the colour first
The colour decides the rule, so let it land before you look at the direction. Reacting to the arrow shape first is exactly the reflex the game is built to catch.
Swipe from the centre
Keep your thumb resting near the middle of the play area between trials. Short, clear strokes are recognised quickly and are less likely to be read as the wrong direction.
Learn the green turns
For green, the answer is always one step clockwise: up to right, right to down, down to left, left to up. Practising that cycle until it feels automatic saves a moment of thought on every green arrow.
Ignore where the arrow is
From level 8 arrows start at the edges and drift across the screen. Their position and direction of travel do not matter, only which way the arrow points and its colour.
Answer moving arrows early
A drifting arrow that leaves the screen counts as a miss, and higher levels move them faster. Commit as soon as you have read the colour and direction rather than waiting for the arrow to reach the centre.
The science behind the Antisaccade Swipe
In the antisaccade task, introduced by Peter Hallett in 1978, participants must look away from a suddenly appearing target instead of towards it. Overriding this reflexive response requires inhibitory control. This game applies the same principle to swipe directions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the antisaccade task?
It is an eye-movement test in which a target appears suddenly and the participant must look away from it, to the mirror position on the other side. The comparison task, looking towards the target, is called a prosaccade. The antisaccade task was introduced by Peter Hallett in 1978.
What does the antisaccade task measure?
It measures inhibitory control: the ability to suppress a reflexive response towards a sudden stimulus and make a voluntary response instead. Researchers look at how often people glance towards the target by mistake and how long correct responses take.
Why is swiping the opposite way so hard?
Moving towards the direction an arrow points is a well practised, almost automatic response. On red arrows that response has to be held back and replaced. Mixing red with blue arrows means you cannot simply reverse everything, so each arrow needs a fresh decision.
Is Antisaccade Swipe free?
Yes, it is on the free plan. Free players unlock it by earning XP until their player level reaches 12, and Pro members can play it straight away.