Brain Age 2 for Nintendo DS

It was Christmas. I’d just gotten paid. I decided "why not buy a gift for JACKIE?". I’d happened to wander aimlessly into the nearest EB Games from work, where I found myself purchasing a Nintendo DS. Evidently, a gaming system is not much use if one does not have the games to play, thus accompanying such I bought Brain Age 2- the game that claims to boost brain power and "train your brain". Developed by Dr. Ryuta Kawashima, the game is intended to exercise and activate the mind through a series of games, drills, and interactive quips on a daily basis. Worldwide, Brain Age 2 has been critically acclaimed - and the reason is anything but clouded.

With it’s easy start-up menu and a wise-cracking talking head (a replica of Kawashima himself), the program offers a wide variety of training options and settings, as well as the much publicized "Brain Age Check" - a test made up of three randomly selected drills which reveal the level of alertness your brain has via age scale. No matter what you do, there’s always a display of your own progress, be it via line graphs or... modes of transportation (indeed the quicker and more accurately one finishes a drill, the faster the "transportation" becomes - walking pace being the slowest, and a rocket ship being the fastest). The Sudoko option is also rather popular - challenging you against yourself to finish a puzzle in the shortest amount of time.

While all is well and good on the surface, deep down, one has to ask: How accurate is this "Brain Age Check" REALLY? It all seems to depend on how awake you are. There are only a select few games used to actually "discover" one’s brain age, allowing one to master them and become intelligent at the DRILL as opposed to in the general MIND (for example, on my first few attempts my brain age was 84, but after a week it went as low as 22 once I familiarized myself with the content).

After a while the games become slightly repetitive, as they can be unlocked rather quickly should one play it on a daily basis (as recommended), and the continuous string of "brain tips" coming from the talking head do start to cramp your style. However, this game is entertaining nonetheless, which is why I’m awarding it an honorable 4/5 stars.