The classic Simon has been training working memory since 1978 — and in 2026 the whole category is thriving. Modern electronic memory games add lights, motion sensors and multiplayer modes while keeping the addictive core loop that made Simon a legend. Here are the eight best handheld electronic memory and reaction games available today, each chosen for build quality and lasting play value.
The definitive modern edition of the 1978 classic. Four colors, four sounds, one addictive pattern. It is widely regarded as the best-designed memory toy ever made.
Simon Air uses motion sensors instead of buttons — you wave your hand over the colors. A genuinely fresh take that also makes the game harder in fun new ways.
A keychain-sized Simon that's absurdly fun to pull out on a long line. Same core game, one-fifth the size.
Bop It commands you to twist, pull and bop in sequence, mixing memory with fast physical response. The chaos factor makes it a legendary party game.
Not a pure memory game, but a legendary word-recall party device. Tests speed, vocabulary and social reading under pressure.
A colour-changing Rubik's Cube that fades between states as you handle it. Trains spatial memory in a hauntingly beautiful way.
A tingbowie-brand Simon-alike with satisfying LEDs and multiple game modes at a fraction of the Hasbro price. Great for grab-bag gifting.
A pocket-sized Simon-style memory game with bright LEDs and multiple play modes. Ideal secondary handheld for the car or a school bag.
The classic Hasbro Simon is the safest bet for pure nostalgia and gameplay. Simon Air adds touchless motion controls (fun but slightly less precise). Simon Micro is a keychain-sized travel version.
It's a reaction and sequence game — you have to remember the last command while performing the next one. Great crossover with Simon-style play.
Yes — <a href="/games/simon">our free Simon</a> and <a href="/games/sequence-recall">Sequence Recall</a> train the exact same working-memory skill. The handheld version just adds the tactile magic.