N-Back
Does it match the card N back?
Start training freeFree to start. Plays in your browser, no download.
What is the N-Back?
The N-Back task is one of the best known tests of working memory. It was introduced by Wayne Kirchner in 1958. Items are shown one after another, and for each one you decide whether it matches the item shown a set number of steps earlier. In a 1-back you compare with the previous item, in a 2-back with the one before that, and so on.
Because the item you compare against changes every time, the n-back task asks you to keep updating what you hold in mind. That is why researchers use it widely to study working memory updating, often in brain imaging studies. The Neuroptimize version of the N-Back uses a stream of playing cards marked with letters. It is a Pro game.
How to play the N-Back
- A badge shows the current N. The first N cards are warm-up cards: just remember them, as there is nothing to answer yet.
- For every card after that, tap Match if its letter is the same as the card N places back, or No match if it is not. On a computer you can press the right arrow or M for Match, and the left arrow or N for No match.
- Each card has a timer bar. Answering wrongly counts as a mistake, and so does running out of time.
- A session has 24 scored cards. Correct Match answers and correct No match answers both score points.
- The game starts as a 1-back, becomes a 2-back from level 9 and a 3-back from level 20. Within each stage the time to answer gets shorter as your level rises.
- From level 5 the letters appear in different colours, which you should ignore. From level 14 each card flips face down after a moment, so you have to catch the letter quickly.
Strategies and tips
Keep a rolling list
Say the last N letters silently, like "B, K, M", and update the list with each new card by dropping the oldest letter. Your answer is always a comparison with the first letter in that list.
Ignore the colours
From level 5 the cards change colour, but only the letter counts. Read the letter first and deliberately let the colour go, so it does not trick you into a false match.
Watch for near misses
On 2-back and 3-back, some cards repeat the previous letter rather than the one N back. These lures feel familiar, so check the position before tapping Match.
Read the card at once
From level 14 the card turns face down after a short time. Take in the letter the moment it appears, then use the rest of the timer to decide.
Default to No match
Most cards are not matches, so a quick No match is right more often than not when you have genuinely lost track. Then rebuild your rolling list from the next few cards.
The science behind the N-Back
The n-back task, introduced by Wayne Kirchner in 1958, presents a sequence of stimuli and asks whether the current one matches the one shown n steps earlier. Because the comparison item changes with every new stimulus, the task is widely used to study the updating function of working memory.
Frequently asked questions
What does the n-back test measure?
The n-back task is used to study working memory, especially updating: replacing old information with new as each item arrives. It is one of the most common working memory tasks in psychology and neuroscience research.
Is the n-back test hard?
It gets hard quickly. Most people find a 1-back easy, a 2-back demanding and a 3-back very challenging, because each step up adds another item to track. The Neuroptimize N-Back moves through these stages gradually across its 30 levels.
What is the difference between 1-back, 2-back and 3-back?
The number tells you how far back to compare. In a 1-back you compare each card with the previous card, in a 2-back with the card two before, and in a 3-back with the card three before.
Is the N-Back game free?
The N-Back is a Pro game in Neuroptimize, and Pro starts with a 7-day free trial. Free players can also get it as the Pro game of the day in their daily workout.