Common Sense Media Review
By Jinny Gudmundsen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Get sharp with this fun, smart game for families.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day
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.
Talk to Your Kids 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?
Game Details
- Platform : Nintendo DS
- Subjects : Language & Reading : following directions , letter or word recognition , vocabulary , Math : arithmetic , patterns , sequences
- Skills : Self-Direction : goal-setting , identifying strengths and weaknesses , work to achieve goals , Thinking & Reasoning : decision-making , logic , memorization
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Nintendo
- Release date : April 23, 2006
- Genre : Puzzle
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : September 26, 2024
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