My Brain Age is 36!

Did you know we only use about 5% of our brains on a daily basis? – the less we use our brain, the lazier our brains become! The more we use them, the more blood flows to the prefrontal cortex, and the smarter we get. TV decreases our brain’s activity, reading and playing games will increase activity.

Brain Age is (obviously) an interactive game for the Nintendo DS. I loved Brain Age because it is very challenging, and could actually improve my brain power, as opposed to diminishing it. Brain Age 2 is an expansion of the skills learned on Brain Age

Designed to make you feel totally inept………oh, I mean,to help the user activate their prefrontal cortex, and unleash the power of the brain while having fun. It is for one or more players, although only one person at a time can train their brain. Guided by “Professor Kawashima” (who reminds me of "Max Headroom") you will be taught how to use the games and puzzles and why they will help activate parts of your brain that may not otherwise be activated on a daily basis.

Your Brain Age – when the game is first started up, you will be prompted to take a brain age test. …bring your “A” game!! Brain Age tests use voice commands as well as the stylus. You do not have a choice of the tests that will be used to determine your brain age, and you may be asked before the test begins if you are in a quiet place where you can speak, or not. If not, the test will be adjusted to use the stylus only. Doesn’t mean that it will be any easier, but as the voice reception of the Nintendo DS can be iffy, it may be less frustrating. Don’t be surprised if your “brain age” is higher than your physical age! But train your brain for a few minutes a day and you will bring that number down quickly.

The Brain Age tests may include “Rock, Paper, Scissors, Serial Subtraction, High Number, and Number Memory.

Rock, Paper, Scissors – using the microphone, look at the picture on the screen, and speak the answer out loud…you may be asked to lose or win so pay attention to the instructions.

Serial Subtraction – Subtract the given number from the larger number quickly, you may be asked to subtract the number again, and again!

High Number – a series of numbers is shown on the touch screen in various sizes – touch the highest value number – the physical size of the number can confuse the numerical size in your mind!

Number Memory – You have two minutes to memorize the numbers on the screen before the numbers are taken away and you must remember and write down as many of the numbers as you can.

Once your brain age is determined, and you will be horrified at the results, you may begin the brain training regime. Copious instructions are given by Professor Kawashima before the start of each game and there are 6 game choices at the start of the training. More game choices, and levels of difficulty, are unlocked as you train daily.

Sign finder: Determine quickly what sign (plus, minus, multiply, divide) is missing, get a correct or incorrect score, and then go on to the next problem. To begin with there are 20 problems. Later in the game you will be given 100 problems.

Calendar Count: Answer the questions regarding the day and date based on today’s day and date – i.e. “what was the date two days before three days after today” The week is calculated to be Sunday through Saturday, so if it asks how many days are left in the week, take this into consideration

Piano Player: listen to the music, and then start the game. Touch the notes on the piano keyboard in time to the pointer on the musical score. Don’t make any mistakes! Extra points are given for keeping up with the tempo, for a total of 95 possible points. You don‘t need to be able to read music for this one, it helps though, and you will eventually pick up some keyboarding and music reading skills

Memory sprint: watch the runner – keep your eye on him and count how many runners pass him, and then how many runners he passes as he races to catch up. He’ll slow down and catch up a few times, and when he reaches the finish line, you will be asked what position he finished the race in.

Clock Spin: Look at the time on the analog or digital clock and write down the answer in hours and minutes on the touch screen. BUT, the clock can be reversed, upside down, tilted, back to front. This is one of my favorites!

Word Blend: You must listen to the spoken words, and write down the words you hear. The game will start with one spoken word, then two spoken simultaneously, then three! Male and female voices are usually mixed, but they blend together so well, you might hear something completely different that what was spoken! If you don’t hear the word right away, you can try again, and eventually, if you can’t get it, pass.


Change Maker: The game asks you to calculate the amount of change needed for an amount shown on the screen, given the number of bills underneath. Touch the coins and bills on the touch screen to make change. For example, make change out of a $5 bill and 2 $1 bills for $6.23. Touch the one cent twice, the quarter 3 times.

Word Scramble: Letters will be spinning on the screen in random order, decode the order and write down the word. The number of letters increases with each problem, and so does the difficulty of the game!

Math Recall: You must memorize a number quickly before it is blacked out, then add it to the number shown in the problem and write the answer. The other number in the problem will be blacked out and carried down to the next problem.

Block Count: I just unlocked this one today. Watch the blocks descend into the alphabetized rows. Once the first block drops down, the rows are blacked out. You must remember how many blocks tall each row is, and you must count spaces too!! If two blocks fall in “B” and none in “C” but then a double wide block falls over “B” and “C”, then “C” will be three blocks tall! Get it? Yes, it took me a while too!


Each game you complete will give you a score, and your best scores to date. Track your scores on the graph to see your progress. You will be graded on speed too, a walking man, a bicyclist, a car, a train, a jet, a rocket. The faster the better obviously.

Get a small stamp on the calendar for each day you play, a large stamp if you play 3 or more games, and the respect and admiration of the Professor Kawashima for consecutive days of play.

Results can be charted against other players on your game card to see how well you are doing compared to other players.

Now, if you have friends with a DS, but no Brain Age 2 cartridge of their own, they can download a minigame from your DS, and the challenge is on for up to 16 players!!

The VERY BEST feature of Brain Age 2 is ……… (Pause for effect)….Sudoku!! - three levels of the outrageously popular number finder puzzle , basic, intermediate and advanced. Basic, gives you more information with which to find the missing numbers; Intermediate, gives you less numbers and is more challenging; Advanced, you must be pretty much psychic!! Or have the type of analytical brain that would make Dr. Steven Hawking proud! If you can finish the advanced Sudoku levels, I think your pre-frontal cortex is in great shape. You can choose to be either notified of your mistakes, or not notified. If you make more than 5 mistakes – YOU FAILED. I failed for the first time today – I swear that Intermediate game should have been in the Advanced section!!!

Now, the problems with this game…..actually, it is more of a problem with the DS that affects the game, sometimes it doesn’t pick up your voice well enough to play the games! When using the stylus, the screen can be so sensitive that you must write the numbers or signs very precisely, or your answer will be counted as incorrect even though you got it right!! The games can only be played once a day…they can be replayed but for no score and you are encouraged by Professor Kawashima to only play them once a day.

The fun factor of these games keeps me coming back every day for my dose of brain training, and Sudoku, so I give it an enormous and hearty THUMBS UP!!!