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Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Strategy
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 17 Apr 06
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- With your brain getting older by the minute, Nintendo lets you reverse the flow and makes it younger. Fun exercises to stimulate the mind while on the go.
Overview
When the Nintendo DS was first released, it was dismissed as a mere gimmick, namely because the dual screen and touch screen features. But one notable advantage that the handheld has over the technically superior Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) is the way games have successfully used those unique features to create highly original and fun titles. One game that could be considered extremely creative is the game we are going to be checking out today, which is Brain Age, a game that literally wants to expand your brain. So is it still a fun learning experience? Read our full review to find out!
Gameplay
I have to say when I first heard about Brain Age I wasn't all that enthused because I have to say when I play video games it is usually to get away from any sort of major thinking. Video games are often used as a reprieve from anything overly serious. However there are some games like Tetris that do challenge the brain and can be fun at the same time. So the big question is can Brain Age manage to be fun and still manage to keep your brain active and healthy.
For those who are expecting a game that more just tests your brain but doesn't give you a score, well then this is not Brain Age. In fact Brain Age is very blunt in the age the program thinks your brain really is. So for those who don't like criticism (like myself), the game may seem a bit harsh at first. But rest assured this criticism works in the game's favor as it provides a huge incentive to work hard to prove the game that your brain is many years ahead of your actual age.
This is one of those games that really use the DS hardware to its advantage, especially when considering the great recognition of the touch pad, which is where you will be giving many of your answers to the game's questions. So the game works on a day to day basis and really just manages to track your activity, and rewards you for your hard work. As you progress in the game you will find that more and more of these "activities" are unlocked, so the game manages to bring a lot of great things together to keep the game and experiments feeling fresh.
The basic premise of this game is not as much for entertainment as it is for basically working out your brain. As many feel after getting out the gym, relaxed and ready to go, the same feeling can be said about Brain Age. After a while, once you get used to the daily fixing of this game, you can really see it actually having an effect on your brain. Trust me ,this is not just some gimmick. The activities are extremely challenging and really manage to wake you up and get your brain thinking in a way that it quite honest normally wouldn't do.
In the end, I have to say the gameplay of Brain Age is just plainly quite intriguing. I liked what the developers did with this game on so many different levels. It is just a very clean and easy to use interface that allows any sort of gamer to play this game. If you even are somewhat interested in training your brain, there is a lot to like about the gameplay of Brain Age. It is not overly amazing, but its simplicity definitely works in its favor.
Graphics
Visually this game are not going to win any sort of awards, and probably will never be noted for any of its visual effects. But what this game does manage to do is appeal to a much larger audience than most games out there. I say this because this is a game that is extremely easy to navigate and extremely easy to play. The fonts are a bit larger then some may be used to, and the game just feels like it was designed for easy use. The visuals work well for the game and for that I really don't have any major complaints.
Fun Factor
Like I mentioned before, I can't say that I was overly excited about Brain Age, just because this much thinking doesn't sound like a great time. However when playing Brain Age on a day to day basis, you get to see that working out your brain can actually be a very beneficial experience, one in which really does enhance your life. I liked the majority of the game's exercises in which you get tested on, and the progression you get to see from this game is just a really entertaining experience.
Overall
In the end, Brain Age is one of those games that quite plainly is very different from what most of us consider a video game. With that being said, Brain Age manages to do enough right for me to be able to recommend this game to any DS owner who is looking to sharpen their brain and maybe be challenged a little while doing it. If that sounds like fun to you, then you are really going to enjoy Nintendo's Brain Age.
- Gameplay
8.0 - Graphics
7.0 - Fun Factor
8.0 - Overall
8.0
