· IQMaxxing · Spatial reasoning
Mental Rotation: free spatial reasoning game, same or mirror?
Same shape turned, or its mirror? Decide fast.
What is Mental Rotation?
Twenty pairs of shapes. Is B the same shape as A, turned, or its mirror image? Flat shapes made of squares come first, then 3D stacks of cubes. Fast right answers earn a bonus.
Mental Rotation is a free spatial reasoning game based on a classic psychology task. Two views of a shape appear side by side: decide whether B is the same shape as A turned to a new angle, or its mirror image. Answer fast for a bonus.
The first levels use flat shapes made of squares turned by quarter turns, then eighth turns. From level 5, 3D stacks of cubes appear in isometric view and can turn in any direction. Every shape is checked so its mirror image can never be reached by turning it, so only one answer is ever right.
At a glance
- Category
- IQMaxxing
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Play time
- 2–4 min
- Price
- Free, in your browser, sign-up optional
How to play
- Compare A and B
- Turn A in your head until it lines up with B.
- Same or Mirror
- Same if a turn makes them match; Mirror if only a mirror image would. S/← or M/→ on a keyboard.
- Be quick
- 10 × level per right answer, plus up to 10 for answering within 4 seconds.
- Climb
- Flat shapes with quarter turns, then eighth turns, then 3D cube stacks.
Scoring
Each right answer scores 10 × level, plus a speed bonus of up to 10 that shrinks to 0 at 4 seconds. A run is 20 shapes.
Two right in a row moves you up a level (up to 7), a miss moves you down one. Levels 1–4 are flat shapes, 5–7 are 3D cube stacks.
What it trains
- Spatial reasoning
- Turning shapes in your head to compare them.
- Mirror awareness
- Telling a turned shape from its reflection.
- Quick decisions
- Answering accurately against a speed bonus.
Strategy and tips
- Find an anchor
- Pick a distinctive end or corner of A, such as the yellow square, and find it in B first.
- Then follow the arm
- From the anchor, check which way the next part goes: left or right of it.
- Turn, don't flip
- Turn A in your head in small steps. If you'd need to lift it off the page to match, it's a mirror.
- Count the bends
- On cube stacks, follow the arm from one end and note the direction of each bend.
- Speed comes later
- Accuracy first; the bonus follows once the turning feels natural.
Why play Mental Rotation?
Turning objects in your head helps with reading maps, packing a car, geometry, design and assembling furniture. It improves with practice like any skill; the game shows a progress score and a level, not a measure of intelligence.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mental Rotation free?
Yes. It is free and runs in your browser, with no download. Signing up is optional.
What's the difference between turned and mirrored?
A turned shape is the same object seen from another angle. A mirrored one is its reflection, like a left hand next to a right hand: no turn makes them match.
Could a shape be both?
No. Every shape is checked in code: none can be turned into its own mirror image.
Does it measure my IQ?
No. It's a training game with a progress score and a level, not a test.