Object-Location Memory
Flip cards and find the pairs
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What is the Object-Location Memory?
Object-location memory is our ability to remember where things are, such as where you left your keys or which drawer holds the spoons. It depends on binding what an object is to where it is. Researchers often study it with tasks similar to the card game Concentration, also known as Pairs or Memory, in which face-down cards are turned over two at a time to find matching pairs.
In these tasks, finding pairs efficiently depends on remembering the positions of cards you have already seen. Fewer wasted flips means more of those positions were remembered correctly. The Neuroptimize Object-Location Memory game is a version of the classic memory match game, played against a 60-second clock with coloured shapes on the cards. Each cleared board is replaced by a fresh deal, so you can keep going until time runs out.
How to play the Object-Location Memory
- At lower levels all cards are shown face up for a short preview when each board is dealt. Memorise as many positions as you can before they turn over.
- Tap a card to flip it, then tap a second card to find its partner, the card with the same shape in the same colour.
- A matching pair stays face up. A non-matching pair flips back after a moment.
- A wrong pair only counts as a mistake when it was avoidable, meaning you had already seen one of the cards involved. Flipping two new cards that happen not to match is not penalised.
- Clear the whole board for a bonus and a new deal. Keep finding pairs until the 60 seconds run out.
- Higher levels use bigger boards, from 3 by 4 up to 5 by 6, flip wrong cards back faster, and shorten the preview until it disappears from level 12.
Strategies and tips
Name each card you flip
Say what you see silently with its place, such as "red star, top left". A short verbal tag makes the location easier to recall than the image alone.
Flip unseen cards first
When you do not know where a card's partner is, use your first flip on a card you have never seen. That way every turn adds new information without risking an avoidable mistake.
Work row by row
Explore the board in a fixed order, such as left to right along each row. A systematic sweep makes it easier to remember which cards you have checked.
Focus the preview
On large boards you cannot memorise every card during the preview. Pick one area, such as the top two rows, and learn it well rather than glancing at everything.
Check colour and shape
Partners share both shape and colour, and on bigger boards the same shape can appear in more than one colour. Make sure you remember both before tapping the second card.
The science behind the Object-Location Memory
Object-location memory is the ability to remember where objects are positioned. It is often studied with tasks similar to the card game Concentration, in which pairs are found by recalling previously revealed positions, and it depends on binding an object's identity to its location.
Frequently asked questions
What is object-location memory?
It is the ability to remember where objects are positioned. It relies on linking an object's identity with its location, and researchers often study it with Concentration-style card tasks.
What is the memory card game called?
The classic game of turning over cards to find pairs goes by several names, including Concentration, Pairs, Pelmanism and Memory. The Neuroptimize Object-Location Memory game is based on the same idea, played against the clock.
Why was a wrong pair counted as a mistake?
The game only penalises avoidable mismatches, when you had already seen one of the two cards or its partner. Turning over two cards you have never seen is treated as fair exploration.
When does Object-Location Memory unlock?
Object-Location Memory is a free game that unlocks once you reach player level 10 in Neuroptimize. Pro members can play it straight away.