My eleven-year-old son took to this game straight away, it took me a little longer but now I enjoy it too. On the other hand my husband had to be restrained from throwing it across the room and my Dad couldn't get on with it at all. The game had difficulty recognising his rather unique style of handwriting and at 67 years old he thought it "rather too late to be changing it now!"
INTRODUCTION *******************
More Brain Training, a follow up game to Brain Training, was developed by Japanese brain expert Dr Kawashima. His theory is that once maturity is reached, certain functions of the brain may begin to slow down with age. He believes that exercising the brain everyday can help prevent its physical decline. For younger people - under the age of 21 yrs - he believes that exercising the brain can help with creativity and memory and hopefully develop resistance against decline in later life.
My own theory is that the older you get the more your brain becomes choked up by clutter, commitments and stress!
Anyway, to achieve its aim of increasing your IQ over time, More Brain Training takes you through a series of exercises at regular intervals - preferably everyday. Results are recorded and displayed on graphs so that you can view your improvements or in my case - at times - considerable decline. The game will store details and exercise records for up to four different people, so you can compare results with family and friends.
CONSOLE REQUIREMENTS AND PURCHASING **********************************************************
T o operate the game you will need a Nintendo DS games console, which will cost around £98. The game itself is available for around £16.99 - £19.99. Try Amazon, Woolworths, WH Smith, Gamestation and other such stores and Internet sites. I advise shopping around if you are purchasing a Nintendo DS, as Brain Training or More Brain Training are frequently included as part of a package deal.
USE OF PEN AND VOICE RECOGNITION *************************************************
More Brain Training makes clever use of the DS's stylus pen technology and voice recognition facility. The pen works very well with the game as long as your handwriting is reasonably legible. The game seems to have problems recognising my 9s and my letter v, which can be frustrating if you are trying to complete an exercise against the clock. I haven't been too impressed by the voice recognition facility as although I haven't used it myself I have witnessed my son shouting at his game console in immense frustration before returning to his pen.
The instructions state that voice recognition varies depending on the individual. Young children or women in particular may find it difficult for their voices to be recognised perfectly. This can be improved by speaking more deeply. So unless your voice resembles like Barry White's forget it then!
GETTING STARTED ************************
To begin the game you must first create a personal data file to save your daily records. Confirm the days date, left handed or right handed and date of birth. You will then need to undertake an exercise to establish your current brain age. This can either be 21 which is the best you can be or 80 which is the worst - unless you are 86 I supposed and then 80 would be quite good! If you choose to use voice recognition then the exercise you will be faced with is Rock, Paper, Scissors. When the rock, paper or scissors icon appears on the screen shriek - in a low voice - into the Ds's microphone. If you choose the option not to speak, then you will be challenged to the continuous countdown exercise. Keep subtracting a designated number from the number shown on the screen as quickly as you can. I will tell you that my initial brain age was 66 - pretty disastrous for me, although I'm not going to give away my actual age!
DAILY TRAINING ********************
Once you have completed your initial brain age check you can choose to undertake daily training exercises. These timed exercises vary slightly each day to make things more challenging. There is a range of exercises and the more often you complete them the more choices and options are awarded to you. After 3 weeks of fairly regular training I have attempted the following timed exercises with varying results:
1. Missing Symbols - an exercise in completing sums and ok if you are good at mental arithmetic.
2. Masterpiece Recital - use a piano keyboard on the screen to bang out a tune with your pen. Great fun and good for budding musicians.
3. Word Blend - listen to the words being spoken and write them on the screen. Can be two or three words being spoken at the same time. No good if you are hard of hearing!
4. Word Scramble - Unscramble mixed groups of letters and write the correct word on the screen. Reasonable knowledge of English needed.
5. Memory Addition - Memorise a number before it is blacked out and then solve a sum by writing the answer on screen.
6. Days and Dates - Answer a variety of questions with reference to the day's date.
7. Correct Change - You are given a sum of money with which you have to deduct varying amounts and write the change on the screen.
8. Finishing Position - Drives me bonkers, but involves watching a runner taking part in a race while others whiz past him or back again and remembering your runners finishing position. Will turn you cross-eyed!
9. Germ Buster - there is no time pressure here, just the challenge. You blast germs to bits by lining up what look like medicine capsules of varying colours on top of them. You have to do it to understand it!
BRAIN AGE CHECK ************************
Every once and awhile - if you feel yourself getting brainier - undertake a brain age check. You will be given three different randomly chosen exercises to do, mostly from the above list, and a time limit. I find some easier than others and one exercise in particular is guaranteed to blow my brain age into senility! Once you have completed the three exercises you new brain age will be calculated and recorded.
I have been given the following exercises as part of a brain age check:
1. Speedy Symbols - Specific symbols are assigned to numbers. When each number appears on screen write the corresponding symbol.
2. Continuous Countdown - already explained
3. Rock, Paper, Scissors - already discussed
4. Memory Addition - already explained
5. Memorise 5 x 5 - My nightmare! Memorise 25 numbers in two minutes and place each number in the correct place on a grid.
6. Highest Number - touch the highest number on the screen with your pen. Numbers are jumbled up, in different sizes and floating around the screen at ever increasing speed.
OTHER OPTIONS/WIRELESS FUNCTION *************************************************
There are various other options available on More Brain Training. A Quick Play Option, just compete brain age checks, sudoku and training exercises for fun where you don't have to create a personal data file. Sudoku - if you like that sort of thing - and DS Download Play using the DS's wireless function.
With the DS wireless function you can play with 2 to 16 people using only one game card. Although each person in the room will need their own games console. You can all then participate in a picture quiz, competitive word scramble, memorise 5 x 5 and correct change. Have haven't been able to try wireless communication yet with this game but I have used it with other DS games and it works well as long as you are within a range of about 10 metres.
FINAL THOUGHTS ***********************
I can certainly appreciate the appeal of this game, which has sold in millions around the world. It is highly addictive, educational and challenging. I'm not 100% sure whether I would call it entertaining or fun. It is good if you are in the right frame of mind, don't take the results too seriously and don't use it to humiliate anyone. I prefer to attempt the exercises in private, when I am least under stress and not tired.
The game is excellent value for money and if I notice by the end of the year that my IQ has increased to a level which would rival Einstein then I will certainly return to let you know!
More details
Originality
Excellent - very original
Sound
Good - relevant music & effects
Longevity/Expected Longevity
ongoing
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Dr Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo DS a part of their lives. The good doctor is back with even more exercises to continue stimulating the different parts ...
Dr Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo DS a part of their lives. The good doctor is back with even more exercises to continue stimulating the different parts ...
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