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Big Brain Academy

(2006, Video Games - Educational, Rated E, Play it on: Nintendo DS)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.
  • Is it any good?

    5.0
  • Common Sense says

    Families compete for "weightiest" brain.

updated 07.04.08

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Fifteen games that test arithmetic, memory, visualization, and problem-solving.
  • Messages:

    Provides fun way for cross-generational players to compete on two or more DS's
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness :

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    A sequel to Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Big Brain Academy

Parents need to know that this game requires that players be able to read, understand money, and do addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; this is not a good fit for kids younger than 8. With younger children, you may need to explain how to play the games under the "Think" category. Because this is played using a stylus on the DS touch-sensitive screen, it's an easy game for parents or other video game newbies to learn how to play. Overall, it's a terrific game for families to play together.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about which of the 15 games they like best and why. Do you think you are getting smarter by playing these games? Can you think of real-life jobs where math computations are a part of the job? Does the educational aspect of the games make you feel good about playing or does it feel more like homework?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer
    Age 10
    Lives in Oklahoma
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    good games

    good for your kids for a summer

  2. Kid Reviewer
    Age 12
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 3.0

    It's not too bad...

    You just have to get used to it.

  3. Kid Reviewer
    Age 10
    Lives in
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 0.0

  4. Kid Reviewer
    Age 8
    Lives in
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 1.0

    Hard and boring!

    This is just a boring game for the DS because you just go onto it, compete for the biggest brain...trust me: The Wii version is sooooooo beter!

  5. Teen Reviewer
    Age 13
    Lives in New Jersey
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 2.0

    Make Sure You're Going to Play It

    After playing the original Brain Age for a while, this felt like a chore to play...

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