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Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Just Minutes a Day!
Brainage
Recommended Age:
10+
ESRB Rating:
E
Genre:
Puzzle
Tested Platform:
Nintendo Dual-Screen (DS)
Available Platforms:
Nintendo Dual-Screen (DS)
Number of Players:
1
Fun Factor:
*****
"Edutainment" is a word kids don't like very much. The reason is simple: it usually refers to a game that's meant to teach, sacrifices playability and fun in favor of being "good for you." To kids, these games are sort of the equivalent of green vegetables. So, what's an educational title doing in a list of the best Family Fun Games of 2006? Well, Brain Age bucks the assumptions about edutainment by concentrating on the gameplay, and offering a whole lot of addictive thinking fun. The game was designed by a prominent Japanese neuroscientist whose study of how learning stimulates various parts of the brain led him to create this title.

Brain Age challenges players with timed quizzes covering topics like simple addition, color recognition, speed reading, and more. The Nintendo Dual-Screen system features a stylus, which can be used to draw, write, or interact with the bottom screen. It also has a microphone. Brain Age puts both of these capabilities to good use.

For example: One test throws colored words on the screen and challenges you to read the color, not the word. The word BLACK might appear colored blue. Players have to say "blue." During the computation test players are challenged to mentally add, subtract, or multiply small figures quickly and write their answers with the stylus. Another game has you read some classic literature and times you (it would be nice if it then quizzed you for comprehension, but it doesn't). The game then computes your score and gives you your "Brain Age." I'm 35 and I scored a 60 on my first try -- I've since knocked it down to about 40. Players will see an improvement immediately. The only problem is the "age" concept: kids will feel proud that they have the mind of a 55-year old when it's actually not considered a strong score. The age thing is misleading because the better you do, the younger your brain. The game really tests you for speed and accuracy-not the only way of measuring brain power, but makes for a fun game. The other problem is that the game sometimes doesn't recognize your answer. This is more of a technology limitation but it has one benefit: kids will be inspired to learn to write legibly while under the clock!

Brain Age is innovative, educational, and players will enjoy seeing how their skills stack up against their parents, friends, and siblings. Oh, and as a bonus, the game features a separate and robust version of Sudoku.

Parents, take note: The reading and math requirements in the game require an older child, or one functioning above their grade level. The math problems are at about the 3rd grade level, while reading is at about the 6th grade level. If your kids are old enough, and if you don't take the "age" scoring concept too seriously, Brain Age is a fun edutainment title that earns a spot on our list of Best Video Games of 2006.

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