Body and Brain Connection

Review

Common Sense Media says

Mini-games make you think, get you active, and are fun, too.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Learning3
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Body and Brain Connection is a collection of active-gaming mini-games, all of which have a mental challenge at their foundation (usually involving math, logic, or memory). The game's aim is to exercise the brain and body together. The games can be a lot of fun, but they're also really challenging. Younger kids may be in over their heads if they try to join in game. There are also group mini-games, which will, when they're over, define some players as being "smarter" than others, since these are ostensibly "brain games." Be aware that this is a Kinect game, and can only be played on Xbox 360 consoles fitted with a Kinect system.

  • Positive messages5
    The message is about keeping your brain as healthy as your body and exercising it by giving it frequent mental challenges.
  • Positive role models4
    You have two hosts -- a scientist and a talking light bulb. Both are very congratulatory when you do well, and push you to try harder when you fare poorly.
  • Ease of play3
    The challenge factor is high on many of these mini-games, but the whole experience is meant to be a tough mental and physical test. And as difficult as they may seem when you try them the first time, it's definitely possible to improve with practice -- which is the point the game aims to make.
  • Violence2
    In one game, you have to punch and kick at cartoony mice that pop out of tubes, a la Whack-a-Mole. In another, your avatar gets bopped in the face by a giant boxing glove if you get an answer wrong.
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What kids can learn

3

Kids can learn to think while moving fast by playing these brain games that have a physical twist. A lot of simple math comes into play (patterns, number order, greater than/less than, telling time). But the whole point of this game is to see how quickly you can come up with simple answers and then coordinate your body when "acting out" the solutions to the problems. It's a sort of "Can you walk and chew gum at the same time?" challenge. And the repeated practice lets kids improve. A blend of quick thinking and physical movement makes for unique brain-and-body exercise.

Subjects
  • Arts
  • Hobbies
  • Language & Reading
  • Math
    arithmetic, equations, sequences
  • Science
  • Social Studies
Skills
  • Collaboration
  • Communication
  • Creativity
  • Emotional Development
  • Health & Fitness
    body awareness, movement
  • Responsibility & Ethics
See more details

What's it about?

Body and Brain Connection is another video game, like Brain Age for the Nintendo DS and Big Brain Academy for the Wii, that uses games to test one's mental skills and abilities. The difference here is that, as a Kinect game, it incorporates the player's full body into the action. You have to strike poses you've just seen onscreen, move your arms like the hands of a clock to tell time, raise and lower your arms to form bridges for passing cars, reach out to pop balloons with math answers on them, shift back and forth to catch falling pizzas, and so on. There are solo and multi-player modes.

Is it any good?

 

With its unexciting title and stodgy look, Body and Brain Connection will probably be an easy Kinect game to overlook, but it would be a shame if that happens, because it's far more entertaining and engaging than it appears on the surface. Admittedly, there are going to be certain people who simply won't enjoy math games (and a number of these mini-games involve doing fast math), but there are a also a slew of quick-reflex action games in which the brain work is a little less obvious -- and those should appeal to almost everyone. The whole package is nicely designed to get you pumped up and eager to try each game again, intent on beating your previous score. Fans of games like Brain Age should really love Body and Brain Connection, but hopefully they won't be the only ones to try it out.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about friendly competition among family members. How can brothers, sisters, moms, and dads play multi-player games against one another and have fun without creating any tension or frustrations? Use this opportunity to talk about sportsmanship and playing games for the joy of playing, not the joy of winning.

  • Parents can ask kids which kind of mini-games are their favorites and why. Do they prefer the more physical games? Or do they respond well to games that require more thought-processing?

This review was written by Christopher Healy

What kids can learn

3

Kids can learn to think while moving fast by playing these brain games that have a physical twist. A lot of simple math comes into play (patterns, number order, greater than/less than, telling time). But the whole point of this game is to see how quickly you can come up with simple answers and then coordinate your body when "acting out" the solutions to the problems. It's a sort of "Can you walk and chew gum at the same time?" challenge. And the repeated practice lets kids improve. A blend of quick thinking and physical movement makes for unique brain-and-body exercise.

Subjects
  • Arts:
  • Hobbies:
  • Language & Reading:
  • Math: arithmetic, equations, sequences
  • Science:
  • Social Studies:
Skills
  • Collaboration:
  • Communication:
  • Creativity:
  • Emotional Development:
  • Health & Fitness: body awareness, movement
  • Responsibility & Ethics:
  • Self-Direction:
  • Tech Skills:
  • Thinking & Reasoning: decision-making, problem solving, solving puzzles

What's it about?

Body and Brain Connection is another video game, like Brain Age for the Nintendo DS and Big Brain Academy for the Wii, that uses games to test one's mental skills and abilities. The difference here is that, as a Kinect game, it incorporates the player's full body into the action. You have to strike poses you've just seen onscreen, move your arms like the hands of a clock to tell time, raise and lower your arms to form bridges for passing cars, reach out to pop balloons with math answers on them, shift back and forth to catch falling pizzas, and so on. There are solo and multi-player modes.

How kids will learn

Kids will learn by playing a series of mini-games where they get to stand up and move as they think. They may be asked, for instance, to set an onscreen clock to a certain time by moving their own arms as if they were the hands of the clock. Another game asks them to create greater-than or less-than symbols with their arms. Family members can save their performances, so they know where to improve. As kids move quickly to answer these math-filled challenges, they may discover how to better control their bodies.

How parents can help

  • Play with your kids. This is a great game for multiplayer fun.
  • Encourage your child to try sports with strategic components to further explore the brain-body connections.
  • Challenge your kids to come up with a new physical way to solve a math problem.
This review was written by Christopher Healy

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This review was written by Christopher Healy
Platforms:Xbox 360
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Mini-games
Developer:Namco Bandai
Release date:February 8, 2011
Price:$49.99
ESRB rating:E for Comic Mischief
This review was written by Christopher Healy

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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