 | 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. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day
- Nintendo DS
- Price: $19.99
- Genre: Puzzle
Common Sense Media says
Get sharp with this fun, smart game for families.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this educational game asks players to do math problems, read out loud, count syllables in passages, and memorize numbers and their location on the screen. Since math calculations are tested, kids need to know their multiplication and division facts before playing. Some of the mental games rely on voice and handwriting recognition technology, which don't always work correctly. This software appeals to both kids and adults, making it a fun way for families to play together.
What's it about?
BRAIN AGE challenges players with a variety of Mini games that provide a mental workout. Some of the activities include doing math problems, reading out loud, counting syllables in passages, and memorizing numbers and their location on the screen. The game keeps score of each Mini game and uses that data to show players whether their "brain age" is improving. The software keeps track of whether players play every day, slowly reveals its content over days of playing, and rewards each day's playing with a sticker on a calendar.
Is it any good?
Family members, or up to 16 friends, can wirelessly compete in a game of 30 math calculations to see who can solve them the fastest. This competition requires additional Nintendo DS units but only one software cartridge. Players write their answers on the DS's touch screen. Our testers found that the handwriting recognition software was good but not great.
Brain Age makes mental workouts easy because it takes just a few minutes a day. And having Sudoku puzzles to play during down times is extra motivation to stick your Nintendo DS into your backpack, purse, or briefcase every day. Overall, this software appeals to both kids and adults, making it a fun way for families to play together.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about whether playing mental games makes your brain smarter. Are you learning to use your mind better or simply mastering the games presented? Also, families may want to discuss Professor Kawashima's theory that doing short mental exercises every day keeps brains sharp. Is this game something you need to do every day?
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AGE
This game is soooo cool! I love this game! I play it all the time!
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AGE
Brain tests are educational and fun
Sexual Content (Not an Issue): None.
Violence (Not an Issue): None.
Language (Not an Issue): None.
Social Behavior (On): Professor Kawashima keeps giving encouragement, even if your scores aren't that great.
Commercialism (Not an Issue): None.
Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco (Not an Issue): None.
Educational Value (On): The game is all about keeping your brain young and healthy.
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AGE
Read the book carefully.
Machine needs work on voice recongition. It has trouble with the workd " BLUE ".
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AGE
Pros and Cons
I haven't read any of the other reviews yet, so I may end up repeating...
Overall, the game is just so-so to me. Worth the $20 I suppose but I did expect more.
Pros: Ability to save up to four personal data files so the whole family can track their progress. It also remembers things like birthdays and responds to things such as time of day or time of year ("Good morning, the days sure are getting hotter aren't they?"). The challenges themselves are fairly entertaining. And while occasionally it won't recognize things I write, 99% of the time it does. When it doesn't, it is because I was rushing or being sloppy.
Cons: Not enough to do! New activities are "unlocked" very infrequently, and from what I can tell, there aren't that many to unlock anyway. So you are basically stuck with the same 5 or so activities every day. And it will only actually record your results for each activity once per day. You can practice as many times as you want, but it doesn't count for anything except practice. Also, my 8 year old daughter has a somewhat hard time with some of the math and other challenges. Another con is that the tips and tricks and other phrases that are shown to you are repeated very often. I wish there were more variety all around.
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AGE
A good way to keep your kids brains sharper and smarter
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AGE
S'okay
Its fun at first but once u unlock everything its boring. I like sudoku.
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AGE
Fun at first but you'll slowly lose interest... :L
This is an ok game. It's fun at first, but you'll slowly lose interest. After two months of continuesly playing it, i started to get bored of doing the same things over and over and over and over again. It's just too repetitive, where you do the same excercises every single day. I would only recommend this game if you're somebody who doesn't mind doing repetitive things and likes to perfect something.Otherwise I don't think you should buy this...:L Overall, I rate it 4 out of 5.
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AGE
It's a good game
It gets people smarter. I can read at 9.8 syllables per second. Under 6 is not age appropriate because THEY'LL GET MOST THINGS WRONG!!!! Give it for people 7 and over. I also have poor "Counting Heads" skills, but I'm 12 years, 8 months and 28 days old, so that makes me in ADOLESCENCE, and I am no longer a child, but not yet an adult. Sorry for going off the topic, but It's a good game. My "Least to Greatest" skills are getting better.
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| Platforms: | Nintendo DS |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Puzzle |
| Developer: | Nintendo |
| Release date: | April 23, 2006 |
| Price: | $19.99 |
| ESRB rating: | E |
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