Big Brain Academy™

Format: Nintendo DS

Launch Date: 05/29/06

ESRB: E (Everyone)

Game Type: Mental Training

Players: 1-8

Game Information

Developed by Nintendo Software Technology Corp

KEY INFORMATION

How much does your brain weigh? Find out with Big Brain Academy, the DS title that makes mental exercise incredibly fun.

• Big Brain Academy is a series of minigames (called Activities) that are designed to exercise the brain. Players can "weigh" their brain in Test mode, earn medals for individual activities in Practice mode or play against friends and family in Versus mode.

• Big Brain Academy's Test mode will quiz players in five areas: thinking, memorization, computation, analysis and identification. After taking the test, players will be told the "weight" of their brain and areas of strength or weakness - and it will identify a brain type that is similar to their own. Once they have a score, they can keep playing the game to exercise the brain in areas where it needs improvement based on their performance in the Test mode.

• This title features a riotous multiplayer mode in which up to eight people can play with a single game card. Players will compete in Activities to see who has the "biggest" brain, and the results will be displayed for all to see. A demo test can also be sent to another DS.

How to progress through the game: When starting a new game, players will enter Test mode and take a five-part quiz that shows their brain "weight," a letter grade and a profession or famous historical individual that may have a similar brain. Results are based on how many correct answers players get in a set period of time - and the goal is to gradually increase the "weight" of their brain. Players also can play all of the Activities in Practice mode. If they do well in Practice, they'll earn bronze, silver, gold and platinum medals.

Special powers/weapons/moves/features: The 15 Activities are minigames that test logic, memory and - all of them involve the touch screen in some way. The tactile nature of the Activities makes them very fun to play, while the quick play time (all take less than one minute) gives them a compelling feel.

Sample Activities:

Think:

• Heavyweight - Choose which object weighs more - it's not so easy with three different scales.

* Pathfinder - Look at the creature on the top screen and draw a line that will lead him to his friend.

Memorize:

• Sound Bites - Carefully listen to people and animals as they make noise, then try to touch them in the correct order.

* Memo-Random - Examine the panels on the top row, then touch the correct one when the panel is replaced by a question mark.

Analyze:

• Missing Link - Look at the red line in the picture on the top screen and draw it into the picture on the touch screen. Watch out! Some pictures will be inverted.

* CubeGame - Count the blocks, being careful not to forget the ones hiding at the bottom of the stack.

Compute:

• Coin-parison - Choose the panel with the greater amount of money.

* Written Math - Read the problems in word form, then solve them by tapping the number pad on the Touch Screen.

Identify:

• Shadow Shift - Tap the images on the Touch Screen that match the spinning shadows on the top screen.

* Matchmaker - Look through a number of colorful panels to find the matching pair.