Did you know that the average human takes between 200 and 250 milliseconds to react? That’s a blink of an eye, in fact. Reaction time test games let you measure how fast your brain can react. Some people touch a button when a color changes. Some people hit their spacebar as soon as they see a sheep run across the screen. It has a strange appeal and feels like you’re fighting against yourself, but the stakes aren’t as high as dumping a glass of water. Read more.
Let’s be honest. You could think you’re fast. You might think of yourself as the ninja of your group, catching flies in the air while you talk. Then you start a reaction test game. Click. Hold on. Oh no, you clicked too early. Clickers who do it too soon, come together! A lot of us get nervous, and that’s what the game uses to its advantage. No judgment—we’ve all been there, gazing at a blank screen with our fingers tight, and suddenly WHAM! You cringe when the light changes.
These games cover a lot of ground. Some are as easy as a shift in hue; you should click the second that happens. Some of them require you to capture digital items or respond to sounds instead of sights. There’s always a twist to keep you on your toes. The actual kicker? The hardest part is sometimes the waiting. The longer it takes for that boom or flash, the more you wonder, “Did I miss it?” Should I just click anyway? It sounds stupid, but it’s really stressful.
But what’s the point? Why not just see how quickly you can eat jellybeans? You may change your reaction time with practice, but it also shows how fatigued, distracted, or even angry you might be. When you’re really weary, try playing a game. It’s a whole other experience than when you’re awake. Some studies even say that not getting enough sleep or having too many things to do can make you react more slowly. So, in addition to being able to brag, you receive a small health check every time you play.
This is a humorous story. A friend of mine says he can click quicker than a squirrel that is scurrying away from a dog. But every time we start a test, he clicks once before the screen changes—almost every time. He says it’s because of “high anticipation levels.” I say he’s getting ahead of himself.
You do get better, though. If you play enough, your numbers will go down, even if it’s just a little. But don’t be surprised if you hit a plateau. There are limits to how fast you can react, just like how fast you can sneeze with your eyes open. Want some advice? Don’t think too much. Let your body do what it wants. Don’t blink, but if you do, don’t blame me if you forget and gaze till your eyes moisten.
One last thing. It’s normal to compare your score to others, but keep in mind that age, lack of sleep, distractions, and stress all affect how well you do. Don’t take that leaderboard too seriously. Games that test your reaction time remind us that our fingers may not always be as fast as our brains or hearts. And what about being faster than a cat? Well, good luck with that.