Only 10 Percent of People Can Solve This Sci-Fi Movie Brainteaser in 4 Minutes or Less—See How Long It Takes You

Scene from 'The Matrix' (1999).
Scene from 'The Matrix' (1999). | Warner Home Video

It's a good time to be a science fiction fan. Ghostbusters: Afterlife premieres on November 19, and a month later, The Matrix Resurrections hits theaters. If you're anxiously waiting for the next installments of your favorite franchises, you can pass the time with this sci-fi movie-themed brainteaser.

Nochex

This hidden image puzzle from the online payment processor Nochex includes references to 18 iconic science fiction films. The picture shows the perspective of an interstellar pilot inside his cockpit, and it gets more complex the longer you look at it. Nods to aliens, superheroes, time travel, and sci-fi ghosts are hidden around the scene.

Nochex showed the puzzle to their developers and challenged them to spot all the references while the clock was ticking. According to the company, only 10 percent of people beat the brainteaser in under 4 minutes. The record for solving it is 1 minute and 40 seconds. Start a stopwatch before scouring the image above and see if you can beat that time. If you're still stumped after several minutes, you can find all the movies referenced in the picture listed below.

This list of science fiction classics only scratches the surface of the genre. Here are 10 of the best sci-fi movies of all time, and if you're in search of a sci-fi themed gift, take a look at our gift guide.

  • 12 Monkeys (1995)
  • The Matrix (1999)
  • Star Trek (2009)
  • Transformers (2007)
  • Star Wars (1977)
  • Planet of the Apes (1968)
  • Inception (2010)
  • E.T. (1982)
  • Back to the Future (1985)
  • WALL-E (2008)
  • Avatar (2009)
  • Sunshine (2007)
  • Donnie Darko (2001)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
  • Gravity (2013)
  • Alien (1979)
  • Terminator (1984)
  • Ghostbusters (1984)
  • This article was originally published in 2021 and has been updated for 2022.