How to play Memory Match
All the cards start face down, and every picture appears on exactly two cards. Turn over any card, then turn over a second one. If the two pictures match, both cards stay face up with a green border and count as a found pair. If they do not match, they are outlined in red for a moment and then flip back face down. While two unmatched cards are showing you cannot flip a third, so take that moment to memorise them.
Every time you turn over a second card counts as one move, whether it matches or not. The timer starts with your first flip and stops when the last pair is found. It also pauses if you switch to another tab.
Pick a board size from the menu:
- Easy: 4 by 3, six pairs.
- Normal: 4 by 4, eight pairs.
- Hard: 6 by 4, twelve pairs.
The cards are shuffled fresh for every game. Your best score, which is your lowest number of moves, is saved separately for each board size on this device. A perfect game would need exactly one move per pair, but that takes lucky guesses; a good memory keeps you close to it. Press Restart at any time to reshuffle.
Controls
| Desktop | Click a card to flip it. Arrow keys move the highlight and Enter or Space flips the highlighted card. |
|---|---|
| Mobile | Tap a card to turn it over. Tap a second card to see if the two match. |
Tips and strategy
Every flip is information
Early in the game, a mismatch is not a waste. Each card you reveal tells you where one picture lives. The aim is to never pay for the same information twice, so concentrate on remembering every card you have seen.
Play a known card first when you can
When you turn over a new card and recognise its picture from earlier, go straight to its partner. When you do not recognise it, use your second flip on another unknown card to learn something new, rather than guessing at a card you have already seen and know is different.
Work systematically
- Explore the board in order, row by row or column by column, so the positions form a pattern in your mind.
- Clear one area at a time; fewer face-down cards in a region makes the rest easier to track.
- Match pairs as soon as you know both locations, so they stop taking up space in your memory.
Memory tricks
- Say the picture and position to yourself: "apple, top left".
- Link nearby cards into a little story, such as a rocket flying over a cactus.
- Group cards by colour or theme, for example all the foods together.
Chasing a best score
Fewest moves is what counts for your record, not speed, so there is no need to rush. Take a second to look at each mismatched pair before it flips back. On the Hard board, it is normal to need roughly one and a half to two moves per pair; getting close to one move per pair means your memory and your luck were both on form.
About Memory Match
Matching games with face-down cards have long been a favourite with families. They can be played with an ordinary deck of playing cards by pairing ranks, or with special picture decks made for younger children. The rules are simple enough for a young child, yet adults find it surprisingly hard to keep track of more than a handful of positions.
Because the game relies on short-term visual memory rather than general knowledge, teachers and parents often use it as a fun way to practise concentration, and many people enjoy it as a quick brain workout. This version was built for PlayNook from scratch. It uses colourful emoji pictures, a smooth flip animation and three board sizes, and it keeps your best move count for each size so you can see yourself improve over time.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a move?
Each time you turn over a second card, one move is added, whether the two cards match or not.
Is my best score saved?
Yes, your lowest move count is stored in your browser for each board size separately. Clearing your browser data will reset it.
Why can't I flip a third card?
When two cards do not match, they stay visible briefly so you can memorise them. The board unlocks as soon as they flip back.
Does the timer affect my best score?
No. The best score is based only on moves. The timer is shown just for fun and pauses when you switch tabs.
