About Simon Says Memory Game
Simon Says is a free online memory sequence game inspired by the classic electronic toy: four glowing colored pads light up in a pattern, each with its own musical note, and you have to repeat the pattern back. Every round adds one more step, so the sequence keeps growing until your memory — or your nerve — gives out.
It is one of the purest memory tests there is. There are no power-ups and no luck in your favor: just color, sound and order. The first few rounds feel easy, but somewhere past ten steps you'll find yourself humming the tune and chunking colors together to keep up.
Our Simon game online has a glossy four-pad console, warm musical tones (a C-major chord, so long sequences sound like a melody), full keyboard support, a Strict mode for experts, a Reverse mode for a real brain twister, and a global leaderboard for the longest Classic runs.
How to play Simon Says
- 1
Watch and listen
Press Play. Simon lights up one pad and plays its note. The center of the console shows the round number and says Watch… while the sequence plays.
- 2
Repeat the pattern
When the center says Your turn, press the pads in the same order. Click or tap them, or use the keyboard: Q W A S (or 1 2 3 4) map to the green, red, yellow and blue pads in the same layout as the console. The ring around the center fills as you go.
- 3
The sequence grows
Get the whole sequence right and Simon replays it with one new step added at the end. The playback gets a little faster every round, so later levels test both memory and focus.
- 4
One mistake ends the run
Press a wrong pad and you'll hear the buzzer — the pad you should have pressed blinks so you can see what went wrong. Your score is the number of rounds you completed.
Controls
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Click / tap | Press a colored pad |
| Q W A S | Green, red, yellow, blue pads |
| 1 2 3 4 | Green, red, yellow, blue pads |
| Enter | Start or play again |
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Simon Says tips and strategy
Hum the melody
Each pad has its own note, so every sequence is also a little tune. Many strong players remember the sound more than the colors — keep the sound on and hum along in your head.
Chunk the sequence
Don't remember twelve separate colors — remember three or four short groups, like "green-green-red, blue-yellow, red-blue-blue". Grouping is the single most effective trick for long sequences.
Only learn the new step
Every round is the previous sequence plus one new step at the end. You already know everything else, so focus hard on the last light while the rest plays back.
Name the colors silently
Saying "green, red, red, blue" to yourself adds a verbal memory on top of the visual one. Some players use the key letters instead — Q, W, W, S — which also helps when playing on a keyboard.
Use the layout
Think of moves as directions: top-left, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right. Patterns like "across, down, across" are easier to recall than a list of colors.
Don't rush — except in Strict mode
Classic mode never times you out, so take a breath before you start repeating. In Strict mode you have only three seconds between presses, so start the moment Simon finishes.
Game modes
- Classic: the original rules. One mistake ends the game, and your longest sequence is ranked on the global leaderboard.
- Strict (toggle): a tougher version of either mode. The playback is faster, and you must press each pad within three seconds — similar to the time limit on the original toy. Strict runs in Classic mode still count for the leaderboard.
- Reverse (practice): Simon plays the sequence and you enter it backward, last step first. It is a great working-memory exercise and makes a 6-step sequence feel like 12.
The history of Simon
The electronic game Simon was invented by Ralph Baer and Howard J. Morrison and launched by Milton Bradley in 1978. Its round shape with four colored quadrants — green, red, yellow and blue — and its distinctive tones made it one of the best-known electronic toys of its era. The name comes from the children's game "Simon Says," where players must only follow instructions that begin with those words.
Decades later the idea is still the same: a pattern that grows by one step each round and a single question — how long can you keep up?
Why sequence games are good memory training
Repeating a growing sequence exercises working memory — the short-term "mental notepad" you use to hold information for a few seconds — along with attention and auditory memory. Because the task gets harder by exactly one step at a time, it is a clear way to measure your progress from day to day.
For more memory challenges, try Memory Match, the Number Memory digit span test and Pattern Recognition, or test your speed with Reaction Time. Browse everything in our memory games collection.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Simon Says online?
Press Play and watch the pads light up. Then repeat the same pattern by clicking, tapping or using the Q W A S keys. Each round adds one more step, and one wrong press ends the game.
What is a good score in Simon?
Reaching level 10 is a solid result for most people, and getting past 15–20 steps takes real focus and a good chunking strategy. Check the leaderboard to see how the best players compare.
Does the Simon game get faster?
Yes. The playback speeds up gradually as the sequence gets longer, and Strict mode starts faster and has a three-second limit for each press.
Can I play Simon Says with the keyboard?
Yes. Q, W, A and S (or 1, 2, 3 and 4) press the green, red, yellow and blue pads, matching the layout of the console. Press Enter to start a new game.
Can I play without sound?
Yes, the lights alone are enough to play, and you can mute the game with the speaker button. Many players find the notes make long sequences easier to remember, though.
Who invented the Simon game?
Simon was invented by Ralph Baer and Howard J. Morrison and released by Milton Bradley in 1978. Baer is also known as a pioneer of home video game consoles.
Is this Simon memory game free?
Yes — it is completely free, with no download or account needed, and it works on phones, tablets and computers.