Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Bury the Shovelware: Best of Tests DS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/13/bury-the-shovelware-best-of-tests-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/13/bury-the-shovelware-best-of-tests-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/13/bury-the-shovelware-best-of-tests-ds/#commentsFiled under:



Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but in the world of gaming it often comes across as a slap in the face. Let us distinguish between inspiration and outright mimicry. It's not at all uncommon for a good game to have strong roots in a previously-released title. Descendants of popular titles are acceptable and standard, as many early popular arcade games including Galaxian and Centipede were heavily based on the groundbreaking Space Invaders. Even the industry-revolutionizing Super Mario Bros can be seen as the prototype for nearly every side-scrolling game since, itself having traces of Pitfall.

But in order to avoid being a cheap imitation, the inspired game must expand upon or branch the formula in a new direction. Before its release, the excellent Banjo-Kazooie was seen by some gaming journalists as nothing more than a Super Mario 64 clone. In hindsight, that's an amazingly foolish indictment. But there's the trick: while they do share similarities, they are very different games. Banjo-Kazooie did what a good game inspired by another should do: use a solid foundation and build upon it. Some titles, like Best of Tests DS, takes the solid Brain Age foundation, but instead cuts it open and squeezes lemon juice inside.

Continue reading Bury the Shovelware: Best of Tests DS

JoystiqBury the Shovelware: Best of Tests DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain-agebrainagejoystiqfeaturesshovelwareWed, 13 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BAFTAs postponed, no chance for Nintendo love in 2008]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/baftas-postponed-no-chance-for-nintendo-love-in-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/baftas-postponed-no-chance-for-nintendo-love-in-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/baftas-postponed-no-chance-for-nintendo-love-in-2008/#commentsFiled under:

No BAFTA game awards this fall? How can this be? The last two years, Nintendo has picked up a few awards and a little bit of sweet, sweet recognition, and we're not sure we want to face a 2008 without the same treatment. The British awards, which lauded Wii Sports in 2007 and Electroplankton and Brain Age in 2006, suffered some problems last year and will be postponed until 2009. Due to the awards' schedule, games that weren't yet released or finished were being considered, and one of the games up for an award last year ultimately wasn't released in 2007. Sounds like the changes are necessary, but an award-free year is a sad proposition indeed.

Maybe they'll make it up to us next year.

JoystiqBAFTAs postponed, no chance for Nintendo love in 2008 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awardbaftabrainageelectroplanktonThu, 17 Apr 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Plato to school kids with new learning games for PSP]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/04/plato-to-school-kids-with-new-learning-games-for-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/04/plato-to-school-kids-with-new-learning-games-for-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/04/plato-to-school-kids-with-new-learning-games-for-psp/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Despite a handful of 'me too' cash grabs for Sony's portable, exercising gray matter has been the domain of the Nintendo DS. However, Plato Learning, an e-learning company based out of Minnesota, has hatched a plan to bring educational games to the PSP beginning sometime in April.

The games, part of the company's existing Achieve Now line of educational products, will be targeted at helping elementary and middle school students "meet high academic standards and improve academic proficiency" in areas such as language, reading, and math. The project could potentially bring as many as 57 different educational titles to the PSP, but will the games give players an inferiority complex by telling them they think with an addled brain of someone twice their age? For now, this too remains Nintendo's exclusive domain.

[Via PSP Fanboy]

JoystiqPlato to school kids with new learning games for PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achieve-nowachievenowbrain-agebrainagee-learningplatoPSPTue, 04 Mar 2008 08:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Cosplay in Minutes a Day!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/cosplay-in-just-minutes-a-day/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/cosplay-in-just-minutes-a-day/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/cosplay-in-just-minutes-a-day/#commentsFiled under:

Here's a cheap, easy costume you can whip up for your next Halloween/convention/boxart-head meetup -- dress up as Dr. Kawashima's disembodied head! Here's all you need:
  • some white posterboard
  • a pair of scissors
  • a sharpie marker
  • a pair of glasses
  • an aging Asian man
Flickr user ClockworkGrue spotted this character last weekend at WonderCon 2008. Girls must have swooned over it, as there are lipstick kiss marks all around the Brain Age mascot. Why else do you think he goes around calling himself LL Cool K (Ladies Love Cool Kawashima)? Step past the break for more video game related costumers spotted at Wondercon 2008.

Continue reading Cosplay in Minutes a Day!

JoystiqCosplay in Minutes a Day! originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain-agebrain-trainingbrainagecobracosplaykawashimano-more-heroespyramid-headsilent-hilltravis-touchdownMon, 25 Feb 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[News recycling: Brain Age doesn't like your accent]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/05/news-recycling-brain-age-doesnt-like-your-accent/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/05/news-recycling-brain-age-doesnt-like-your-accent/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/05/news-recycling-brain-age-doesnt-like-your-accent/#commentsFiled under: ,


Bringing an old story back to the forefront with a new angle, BBC show Watchdog reports that Michelle Livesey of Manchester can't get Brain Training (Brain Age in the States) to recognize her saying "yellow" -- she's apparently not saying it "posh" enough. Although Watchdog added a new dimension with Brain Training's inability to recognize yellow, the original problem color blue is also in the mix. The issue is all in the accents.

According to Nintendo, on page 47 of the Brain Training manual it gives hints on how to use the voice recognition properly. Suggestion number four is: "Pronounce each word as clearly as possible, and try to avoid using strong dialects or accents." Just check out Nicole Kidman saying scissors in a Nintendo ad to see how things could go wrong with accents. Nintendo claims it has been continually monitoring the voice recognition efficiency in its software since the game launched in June '06. We believe them, just as long as we don't have to say the color blue, or yellow if we're from Manchester.

Continue reading News recycling: Brain Age doesn't like your accent

JoystiqNews recycling: Brain Age doesn't like your accent originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accentbrain-agebrain-trainingbrainagebraintrainingdialectDSerrorkidmanTue, 05 Feb 2008 14:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Brain Training creator refuses millions in royalties]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/01/brain-training-creator-refuses-millions-in-royalties/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/01/brain-training-creator-refuses-millions-in-royalties/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/01/brain-training-creator-refuses-millions-in-royalties/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The Brain Training series of DS games has been incredibly profitable all across the globe, with 17 million titles sold worldwide. But Dr. Kawashima -- the floating head mascot and brilliant mind behind the series -- doesn't care about the money. In fact, he has refused to take any royalties from the games at all, proudly boasting that "not a single yen has gone in my pocket."

The series' DS royalties alone are over 2.4 billion yen -- about 22 million dollars USD -- half of which Kawashima is entitled to (the other half going to Tohoku University, his employer). Rather than taking the money, Kawashima is content to support his family of four with his own wages, which are around $100,000 USD.

A self-declared workaholic, Dr. Kawashima has dedicated his life to his research into the aging of human brain, which was the genesis of the Brain Training games. We're happy you like your job so much, but don't you think your wife and four sons could benefit from a bit of that brain money?

JoystiqBrain Training creator refuses millions in royalties originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain-agebrain-trainingbrainagebraintrainingdr-kawashimaDSWiiFri, 01 Feb 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Best Buy does 2 for $30 deal]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/21/best-buy-does-2-for-30-deal/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/21/best-buy-does-2-for-30-deal/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/21/best-buy-does-2-for-30-deal/#commentsFiled under:

Best Buy is having a sale on all of their video games priced at $19.99, allowing those looking to stock up on titles to snag two games for the sum of $30. And, looking over the list of titles that qualify, there's quite a bit of fun to be had.

Notable games in the sale include Nintendo's training titles Brain Age, Brain Age 2 and Flash Focus. There are also other games like WordJong, SimCity DS, Spectrobes and Orcs & Elves up for grabs too.

[Via QJ]

JoystiqBest Buy does 2 for $30 deal originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best-buybestbuybrainagebrainage2eaflash-focusorcsandelvessimcitywordjongMon, 21 Jan 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Brain Training big in UK in 2007]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/09/brain-training-big-in-uk-in-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/09/brain-training-big-in-uk-in-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/09/brain-training-big-in-uk-in-2007/#commentsFiled under:

Sales data for the year have come in regarding the UK and Nintendo's brain-empowering software on the DS ranked pretty darn high on the list. Both Dr Kawashima's Brain Training and More Brain Training from Dr. Kawashima were on the list, with the first title only being beaten by FIFA 08. You folks in the UK really love your soccer football, eh?

The full list is as follows:
  1. FIFA 08 (EA)
  2. Dr Kawashima's Brain Training (Nintendo)
  3. Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision)
  4. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami)
  5. More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima (Nintendo)
  6. Halo 3 (Microsoft)
  7. The Simpsons Game (EA)
  8. Wii Play (Nintendo)
  9. Assassin's Creed (Ubisoft)
  10. WWE Smackdown VS Raw 2008 (THQ)
[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqBrain Training big in UK in 2007 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainagebrainage2kawashimasalessalesfiguresukWed, 09 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A year of Promotional Consideration]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/30/a-year-of-promotional-consideration/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/30/a-year-of-promotional-consideration/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/30/a-year-of-promotional-consideration/#commentsFiled under:



Promotional Consideration is a weekly feature about the Nintendo DS advertisements you usually flip past, change the channel on, or just tune out.

The titling of this post is a bit of a misnomer, as we didn't start this column until early July, so it's more of a "half-year of" piece. No, you jerks, the humor in us beginning our Promotional Consideration retrospective on a disappointing note isn't lost on us.

Still, with 26 articles now behind us, one every week since this feature's inception, we've written enough of these to develop a few that are actually worth reading. We've picked out our five favorite Promotional Consideration posts of 2007, carefully hiding them after the post break, that magical realm where anything seems possible.

Continue reading A year of Promotional Consideration

JoystiqA year of Promotional Consideration originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 30 Dec 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bestbrainagebraintrainingbrandingcommercialeoyjamsessionsjoystiqfeatureskonamimagazinemy-word-coachpromotional-considerationpromotionalconsiderationsignubisoftSun, 30 Dec 2007 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dr. Kawashima goes mobile with Namco Bandai brain game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/dr-kawashima-goes-mobile-with-namco-bandai-brain-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/dr-kawashima-goes-mobile-with-namco-bandai-brain-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/dr-kawashima-goes-mobile-with-namco-bandai-brain-game/#commentsFiled under:

Floating head doctor Ryuta Kawashima has once again been called upon to lend his expertise and disembodied features to a brain training game, this time for mobile phones. CVG reports that Namco Bandai's Brain Coach with Dr. Kawashima will use a "scientifically proven series of fun brain training challenges" to exercise and activate several parts of your brain, most likely the ones that shut down whn u rite a txt msg to ur palz.

Brain Coach has only been announced for Japan so far, but given the popular trend kicked off by Nintendo's Brain Training and its intelligent ilk (almost all of it featuring Kawashima), it's unlikely to stay there for very long. Kawashima's constant presence in the genre practically makes him the mental Madden.

JoystiqDr. Kawashima goes mobile with Namco Bandai brain game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Dec 2007 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Brain-AgeBrain-CoachBrain-TrainingBrainAgeKawashimaMobileNamco-BandaiNamcoBandaiWed, 12 Dec 2007 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[More Brain Training ads in the wild]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/26/more-brain-training-ads-in-the-wild/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/26/more-brain-training-ads-in-the-wild/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/26/more-brain-training-ads-in-the-wild/#commentsFiled under:

Looks like Nicole Kidman's European campaign for More Brain Training is still going strong -- at least, in the city of Dordrecht in South Holland. Even through the reflection of the train station on the glass, her concentration is clear ... but hey, she's got to get that brain age down somehow.

Head over to Flickr to see Arjan in't Veld's full-sized picture, and feel free to let us know when you start seeing Patrick Stewart pop up everywhere on behalf of the DS. There can never be enough Patrick Stewart!

JoystiqMore Brain Training ads in the wild originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Nov 2007 22:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adbrain-agebrainagemore-brain-trainingnetherlandsnicole-kidmannicolekidmanMon, 26 Nov 2007 22:45:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Daily: DS, daily]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/26/ds-daily-ds-daily/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/26/ds-daily-ds-daily/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/26/ds-daily-ds-daily/#commentsFiled under:

You may notice a little bit more swagger in our writing style-- it's the confidence that comes from having a youthful, energetic brain. Yes, we've been playing Brain Age 2, tapping on piano keys and unscrambling words and remembering big groups of numbers with the best of them.

One thing that bothers us a bit about Brain Age and its sequel is the daily-play design. Sometimes we like that we can fit a satisfying gaming experience into just a few minutes, but sometimes we have two hours to kill playing games, and we want to play Brain Age. While you can train all you want, you can only make so much "progress" in one day, due to artificial constraints. If one can even be said to make progress in a nontraditional game like Brain Age, that is.

What about you? Do you like it when games feed you pre-measured portions of game time? Or do you really hate running out of stuff to do?

JoystiqDS Daily: DS, daily originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain-agebrain-age-2brainagebrainage2dailyWed, 26 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Daily: Let's chat]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/02/ds-daily-lets-chat/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/02/ds-daily-lets-chat/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/02/ds-daily-lets-chat/#commentsFiled under:

No, really, let's talk about whatever you want. It's Sunday, and for those of us in the U.S., it's a holiday weekend, so it's a good time to relax and discuss ... whatever. Like online petitions, for instance -- we get a lot of those. Do you guys believe they can ever do any good? We don't have to be serious, either. Doing much gaming this weekend, or spending the time outside? Anyone else getting tired of the heat and feel the urge to just stay in side and raise that brain age? Or, if you're in the mood to make requests, let us know what we're not talking about enough.

JoystiqDS Daily: Let's chat originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 02 Sep 2007 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BrainAgechatterpetitionssummerSun, 02 Sep 2007 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Promotional Consideration: Underground Brain Training]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/promotional-consideration-underground-brain-training/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/promotional-consideration-underground-brain-training/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/promotional-consideration-underground-brain-training/#commentsFiled under:

Promotional Consideration is a weekly feature about the Nintendo DS advertisements you usually flip past, change the channel on, or just tune out.

Those of you lucky enough to live in a city with a rapid transit system have likely seen at least one ad for a handheld game during your commutes. After all, what better audience to advertise a portable title to than people who're trapped in a high-speed steel car full of strangers while they wait to be ferried from one spot to another?

In honor of Brain Age 2's release in the states last week, we'll be looking at a few ads we found for Nintendo's educational software that've appeared in transit stations in countries like Canada and France. Join us past the post break for this week's edition of Promotional Consideration.

Continue reading Promotional Consideration: Underground Brain Training

JoystiqPromotional Consideration: Underground Brain Training originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 Aug 2007 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisementbrainagebraintrainingcanadafatherfrancemotherpromotionalconsiderationsubwaytrainSun, 26 Aug 2007 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Daily: It's great, but ....]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/21/ds-daily-its-great-but/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/21/ds-daily-its-great-but/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/21/ds-daily-its-great-but/#commentsFiled under:

Even the best games sometimes have flaws, though we often gloss over them when trying to sell our friends on our favorites. But today is a day for honesty (because, uh, we said so), so we thought we might discuss those flies in the ointment. From issues with "blue" in Brain Age to Trauma Center adding even more difficulty when arbitrarily deciding you've done something wrong, we've seen dark spots in even the best of what the DS has to offer. Of course, that leads to another question: could that explain why, despite all of the great games on our favorite handheld, the reviews often seem a little lower, on average, than games for other systems? Or is there another reason that you suspect?

JoystiqDS Daily: It's great, but .... originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BrainAgeflawsproblemsTraumaCenterTue, 21 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Focus on Nintendo at PAX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/20/focus-on-nintendo-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/20/focus-on-nintendo-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/20/focus-on-nintendo-at-pax/#commentsFiled under:


Nintendo's list of playable Wii games at this year's Penny Arcade Expo may be somewhat lacking-- Fire Emblem and stuff that's already out-- but there's enough of interest on the DS to keep us occupied. We're very excited that the new Zelda game will be on display, as it's been getting some extremely positive reactions. We also look forward to some exposure to the exiled Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol, as well as the sequel to DK King of Swing. But for us, the real draw is Flash Focus. Because we're weird and we tend to go for the weird experiences! The first-party DS games playable at PAX include:
  • The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
  • Brain Age 2
  • Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol
  • DK Jungle Climber
  • Flash Focus
We're hoping the third-party DS games include the following:
  • Contra 4
  • Contra 4
  • Contra 4
  • Contra 4
  • Barnyard Blast
We'll be at PAX this weekend, doing our best to keep our social anxiety under control, having panic attacks, and maybe playing some games or something.

[Via GoNintendo]

JoystiqFocus on Nintendo at PAX originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainagechibirobodkjungleclimberflashfocusjungleclimberpaxzeldaMon, 20 Aug 2007 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Confirmed: Brain Age 2 bundle incoming]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/07/confirmed-brain-age-2-bundle-incoming/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/07/confirmed-brain-age-2-bundle-incoming/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/07/confirmed-brain-age-2-bundle-incoming/#commentsFiled under:


Despite popping up and going away at various online retailers, the Brain Age 2 bundle is here to stay. And, considering we were thinking about replacing our worn DS Lite anyway, this comes as very welcome news. Those of you looking to pick up this bundle may do so come August 21st for $149.99, when the game releases.

The bundle still has as of yet to be listed through various online retailers again at the time of this report. We'll be keeping our eye out, though.

JoystiqConfirmed: Brain Age 2 bundle incoming originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Aug 2007 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainagebundlecolorTue, 07 Aug 2007 13:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Today's most beautiful video: Face Training]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/02/todays-most-beautiful-video-face-training/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/02/todays-most-beautiful-video-face-training/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/02/todays-most-beautiful-video-face-training/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Ever since we heard about it, we've been waiting to see Face Training in action. The DS muscle control game program just launched in Japan, and three commercials show it off. We're amazed.

A camera connects to the GBA slot, and the DS perches on a stand, pointing the lens at the player user. Face Training then seems to monitor and rate your ability to smile. Aside from physical therapy, we're not sure where the market is for this game application. Maybe Japan has more of a need to practice eyebrow movements than we ever realized.

See the trailers after the break. (Or for an even longer look, visit the game's Japanese site.)

Continue reading Today's most beautiful video: Face Training

JoystiqToday's most beautiful video: Face Training originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain agebrain trainingBrainAgeBrainTrainingcommercialDSFaceTraininghottestvideojapanjapanesetouchgenerationstrailervideoThu, 02 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo uses beach nurses to promote Brain Age in Greece]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/nintendo-uses-beach-nurses-to-promote-brain-age-in-greece/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/nintendo-uses-beach-nurses-to-promote-brain-age-in-greece/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/nintendo-uses-beach-nurses-to-promote-brain-age-in-greece/#commentsFiled under: , ,


A reader of N+ recently sent in a note about Nintendo's unique marketing approach in Greece. To help promote Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!, women dress up as nurses and walk around local beaches letting sunners test their brain age. This seems a bit counter-intuitive, as hot nurses plus scantily-clad beachgoers tend to make the blood flow to parts of the body that aren't the brain. But you have our attention, at the very least. More pics can be found on Nintendo's official Greek site.

[Via N+]

JoystiqNintendo uses beach nurses to promote Brain Age in Greece originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Jul 2007 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainagebraintrainingDSmarketingnintendoTue, 24 Jul 2007 13:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Beach nurses promote Brain Age in Greece]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/beach-nurses-promote-brain-age-in-greece/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/beach-nurses-promote-brain-age-in-greece/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/beach-nurses-promote-brain-age-in-greece/#commentsFiled under:


Promoting Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!, these nurses you see above were on-hand at the beaches in Greece, providing beach-goers with an opportunity to test their brain's age while soaking up some sun. Seems like a cool marketing idea, but why go with the whole nurse theme? Personally, we think it would've been better if Nintendo flew Dr. Kawashima over to the beaches of Greece and had him approach folks with the DS ... wearing a Speedo.

On second thought, maybe that isn't the best idea. Carry on, Nintendo ...

[Via N+]

JoystiqBeach nurses promote Brain Age in Greece originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Jul 2007 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainagegreecekawashimaTue, 24 Jul 2007 12:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Two-tone DS Lite, Brain Age 2 bundle coming August 20 [Update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/23/two-tone-ds-lite-appears-then-vanishes-from-canadian-retailer-w/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/23/two-tone-ds-lite-appears-then-vanishes-from-canadian-retailer-w/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/23/two-tone-ds-lite-appears-then-vanishes-from-canadian-retailer-w/#commentsFiled under: ,

Last week, forum members at RedFlagDeals stumbled upon a listing on Canadian retailer Future Shop for a two-toned, Crimson and Black Nintendo DS Lite bundled with a matching carrying case and Brain Age 2. The entire set was priced at $159.99 Canadian dollars (approx. US $153). It was to ship on August 20 alongside the brain trainer's release date.

Unfortunately, the listing has since gone missing. We really dig the new colors and the deal. Here's hoping it comes back up close to Brain Age 2's launch, either on Future Shop or another retailer site.

Update: Though it hasn't returned to Future Shop yet, Gamestop has a listing for the bundle, priced at $149.99, with no image available and no mention of a bonus carrying case.

[Via Engadget]

JoystiqTwo-tone DS Lite, Brain Age 2 bundle coming August 20 [Update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainagebrainage2canadaDSdslitefutureshopnintendoMon, 23 Jul 2007 15:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Is that a black and red DS Lite?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/20/is-that-a-black-and-red-ds-lite/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/20/is-that-a-black-and-red-ds-lite/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/20/is-that-a-black-and-red-ds-lite/#commentsFiled under: ,


Sure, we've seen the two new colors Japanese consumers are getting their hands on, however a third and more appealing (to us, anyway) color has emerged from the ashes of E3. A red and black DS, which is red on the top clamshell piece and black throughout the remainder of the handheld, is only to be included in special bundles along with Nintendo's upcoming sequel Brain Age 2.

In checking around the internet, we found a bundle of the new color is already being made available to Canadian folks via retailer Future Shop, where they can pick up the new DS Lite, along with Brain Age 2, for a cool $159.99 (or $152.67 USD). The bundle even comes with a carrying case, which we're not sure is to be included in other bundles, as well.

JoystiqIs that a black and red DS Lite? originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainagebrainage2bundlecolore307Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:50:00 EST<![CDATA[DS releases for the week of July 16th]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/16/ds-releases-for-the-week-of-july-16th/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/16/ds-releases-for-the-week-of-july-16th/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/16/ds-releases-for-the-week-of-july-16th/#commentsFiled under:



We hate to break it to you -- but if you're in the U.S., there are no new DS games this week. And here we were all coasting on a post-E3 high, too, stuffed with news and excitement. Sigh. Guess we'll just have to ogle the releases around the world, then. Collect your oglin' glasses and hit the jump!

Continue reading DS releases for the week of July 16th

JoystiqDS releases for the week of July 16th originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>archimebrain agebrain trainingBrainAgeBrainTrainingjulymore brain trainingMoreBrainTrainingreleasessommelierMon, 16 Jul 2007 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Daily: Brain Training Training]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/16/ds-daily-brain-training-training/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/16/ds-daily-brain-training-training/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/16/ds-daily-brain-training-training/#commentsFiled under:


With Brain Age 2 on the way, we thought we'd start helping everyone limber up mentally, in the most meta way we could think of. Let's come up with new Brain Age challenges! They may increase bloodflow to the prefrontal cortex, or they may not-- we have no idea! We'll get you started with some examples:
  • You have two minutes to write as many jokes as you can about Dr. Kawashima's mama!
  • Calculate Nintendo's profits based on a given number of Brain Age sales!
  • How well can you remember the lyrics to Kris Kross's Sprite jingle?

JoystiqDS Daily: Brain Training Training originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 16 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain agebrain age 2BrainAgeBrainAge2dsdkris krossKrisKrossMon, 16 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Daily: Machismo]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/07/ds-daily-machismo/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/07/ds-daily-machismo/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/07/ds-daily-machismo/#commentsFiled under:


Ever lie about what you're playing? Say, for instance, you're playing Pokemon, which is widely regarded among the non-gaming population (and certain contingents of the gaming population) as for babies, and you, as a non-baby, are asked what's in your DS by a friend.

Do you say something distinctly un-baby-like, like Brain Age or the tough-sounding Tank Beat? Or do you stay true to yourself and happily announce that you're training your new Wurmple? Are there other situations in which you consider lying? If, for example, you are playing Brain Age and you're accosted by a gamer friend who hasn't joined the non-game revolution? Or if some bloggers survey their audience and you're playing something that you don't think is appropriately cool?

JoystiqDS Daily: Machismo originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 07 Jul 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain ageBrainAgedsds litedsdDsLitelieslitelyingmaddednnintendonintendo dsNintendoDspokemontank beatTankBeattingleSat, 07 Jul 2007 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Train your brain in public]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/03/train-your-brain-in-public/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/03/train-your-brain-in-public/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/03/train-your-brain-in-public/#commentsFiled under:


Imagine an alternate universe in which arcades not only exist, but are still stocked with new games. Now imagine that one of the biggest and most impressive-looking units in the place is a brain training game. As you may have guessed, it's not an alternate universe! You know, because the coverage on this site is limited to just the one universe.

Minna de Kitaeru Zenno Training is an arcade brain training game released in late 2006 by Bandai Namco, created under the supervision of the smartest disembodied head we know, Dr. Ryuta Kawashima. Much like Brain Age, it uses a touch screen to present simple mathematical and logical tasks. But unlike Brain Age, Zenno Training is on a huge screen in the middle of a game center.

It's quite amazing how popular brain training has become! We wonder if Bandai Namco expects people to go back to the arcade every day for training. That would be so diabolical!

JoystiqTrain your brain in public originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Jul 2007 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bandaibrainbrain agebrain trainingBrainAgeBrainTrainingdsds liteDsLitekawashimakitaerulitenamconintendonoutoretrainingTue, 03 Jul 2007 13:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Conjecture Countdown: 8 days to go]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/03/conjecture-countdown-8-days-to-go/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/03/conjecture-countdown-8-days-to-go/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/03/conjecture-countdown-8-days-to-go/#commentsFiled under:



Even with a diminished E3, there's no controlling the wave of rumors that hit the Internet every year before the show. Why fight it? From now until E3 hits, we'll be posting one piece of wild speculation every day. Some may be patently ridiculous, and others just might turn out to be true. Even some of the ridiculous ones might turn out to be true! Rest assured, everything will be totally made-up and unfounded. Except, of course, when we speak about all the ass Reggie is going to kick. That part? Totally true.

Rumor: The third Train Your Brain installment, Brain Age: With a Vengeance, will be announced for a late 2007 release. To keep the non-game series fresh, this third episode will come packed with popular gimmicks like customizable outfits, alternate endings, and a new, sinister villain -- Dark Dr. Kawashima!

JoystiqConjecture Countdown: 8 days to go originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Jul 2007 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain ageBrainAgedr kawashimaDrKawashimadse3e3cchumorkawashimanintendonintendo dsNintendoDsnon gamenon gamesNonGameNonGamesrumorsTue, 03 Jul 2007 10:40:00 EST<![CDATA[The beauty of Kidman, the brilliance of DS marketing]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/26/the-beauty-of-kidman-the-brilliance-of-ds-marketing/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/26/the-beauty-of-kidman-the-brilliance-of-ds-marketing/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/26/the-beauty-of-kidman-the-brilliance-of-ds-marketing/#commentsFiled under: , ,

That sound you hear is your mom opening up her wallet to buy a Nintendo DS because Nicole Kidman is playing Brain Training and refuses to recognize her brain age as 52. If Nicole Kidman can fight her brain aging, so can middle-aged baby-boomers who refuse to get old as well. Having spent thousands to keep the outside of their bodies looking young, what's a couple hundred to keep their brain young as well? The advertisement is simple, cute, stars one of the globe's most beautiful actresses in a pristine white setting, and sadly, it makes us want to get a DS for our mothers. Why couldn't Nintendo make Nicole sit panties around her ankles on a toilet or spaz and cry?

The part of the commercial that will send up red flags for gamers, and we can't help but laugh about, is when Kidman goes, "Scissors ... scissors!" Did the voice recognition software not understand her (if they were just filming her play the game)? Did they give her an Australian version of Brain Training for her accent? The absurd fun of Brain Age barely recognizing the word blue is still one of the craziest parts of that game. We clearly remember with our copy saying, "Blue. BLUE! Bru? There we go." Adding sad stereotypes to software is never good.

JoystiqThe beauty of Kidman, the brilliance of DS marketing originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Jun 2007 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainagebraintrainingDSkidmanPS3Tue, 26 Jun 2007 18:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Nicole Kidman Brain Age 2 ad]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/26/nicole-kidman-brain-age-2-ad/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/26/nicole-kidman-brain-age-2-ad/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/26/nicole-kidman-brain-age-2-ad/#commentsFiled under:


Yesterday, we brought word that Nicole Kidman would be the new face set to advertise Brain Age 2, and now we have the ad in which she is featured. The best part of the ad? Her brain age is junk. Yup, let us all grab our tummies and let loose an earth-shattering laugh, for she has many millions of dollars, but at least we can draw a better Koala bear than she can.

Check out the ad past the break.

Continue reading Nicole Kidman Brain Age 2 ad

JoystiqNicole Kidman Brain Age 2 ad originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Jun 2007 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainagedsdslitekidmanlitenicolekidmannintendonintendodsnintendodsliteTue, 26 Jun 2007 15:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Nicole Kidman the pretty face of More Brain Training DS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/nicole-kidman-the-pretty-face-of-more-brain-training-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/nicole-kidman-the-pretty-face-of-more-brain-training-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/nicole-kidman-the-pretty-face-of-more-brain-training-ds/#commentsFiled under: , ,

No, she won't be replacing the laughing, disembodied head of Dr. Kawashima, but actress Nicole Kidman will be starring in a series of print and television ads for DS's More Brain Training in Europe.

According to Metro.co.uk, Kidman's a fan of the Brain Training titles, although the exact age of Kidman's brain is not known. As reported previously, More Brain Training (Brain Age 2) is due out in Europe on June 29.

JoystiqNicole Kidman the pretty face of More Brain Training DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainagecelebritiesdsnintendoMon, 25 Jun 2007 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Nicole Kidman enjoys Nintendo products*]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/nicole-kidman-enjoys-nintendo-products/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/nicole-kidman-enjoys-nintendo-products/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/nicole-kidman-enjoys-nintendo-products/#commentsFiled under:

Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman has joined the ranks of the brain-trained. The star of Practical Magic, Batman Forever, and Days of Thunder has agreed to become the official face of More Brain Training (well, the other official face) in a series of print and television advertisements to be shown across Europe.

"I love the concept that Nintendo is reaching out to new audiences with their self improvement products like Brain Training," Kidman said. "Most importantly, I've quickly found that training my brain is a great way to keep my mind young." Maybe now Nintendo and Brain Age will finally be able to achieve some success.

*For money.

JoystiqNicole Kidman enjoys Nintendo products* originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adadsagebrainbrain agebrain trainingBrainAgeBrainTrainingcommercialcommercialsdseuropekidmannicole kidmanNicoleKidmannintendonintendo dsNintendoDstrainingMon, 25 Jun 2007 11:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Non-Game Boy: Serious games before they were cool]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/non-game-boy-serious-games-before-they-were-cool/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/non-game-boy-serious-games-before-they-were-cool/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/non-game-boy-serious-games-before-they-were-cool/#commentsFiled under:


Since the release of Brain Age in Japan, Nintendo has turned their attention toward casual, nontraditional fare for adult audiences. Much of it, like Brain Age, is casual game material with a slight educational slant, but other successful DS releases, like Cooking Navi and Eigo Zuke, are not games at all, but rather educational aids and tools designed to use the DS's unique interface. They're all doing massive business, which makes it difficult to laugh at them no matter how silly they are.

But Nintendo was not the first company to attempt to sell application software on a gaming system, however. That distinction probably falls on BASIC Programming for the Atari 2600. Nintendo wasn't even the first company to sell application software on a Nintendo handheld. In fact, Game Boy non-games appeared in 1991. They didn't change the face of gaming. But they make for an interesting historical footnote now, and isn't that better than selling millions of copies? It is for us!

Continue reading Non-Game Boy: Serious games before they were cool

JoystiqNon-Game Boy: Serious games before they were cool originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Jun 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>austin powersAustinPowersbrain ageBrainAgecalculatordsds liteDsLitefeaturesfrenchfrommersgame boyGameBoygametekgbgbcinfogeniuslitenintendonongamenongamesshagulatorspanishspell checkerSpellCheckertravel guideTravelGuideMon, 25 Jun 2007 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Brain Age 2 boxart is BLUUUUUUUUUE]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/18/brain-age-2-boxart-is-bluuuuuuuuue/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/18/brain-age-2-boxart-is-bluuuuuuuuue/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/18/brain-age-2-boxart-is-bluuuuuuuuue/#commentsFiled under:

We don't necessarily make a post about the box design for every new game, but we pretty much had to for Brain Age 2, for the following reasons:
  1. It's a huge game
  2. We are too weak to resist the obvious joke (see title)
  3. hahahaha bluuuuuuuue
We don't know if it's possible to be as excited about the return of Brain Age as the Japanese public continues to be, but we eagerly await the return of our teacher, friend and constant source of Photoshop inspiration, Dr. Ryuta Kawashima's Disembodied Polygonal Head.

[Via GoNintendo]

JoystiqBrain Age 2 boxart is BLUUUUUUUUUE originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Jun 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agebluebrainbrain agebrain trainingBrainAgeBrainTrainingdskawashimanintendonintendo dsNintendoDsnongamestrainingMon, 18 Jun 2007 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Toys R Us summer toys list contains up to one video game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/13/toys-r-us-summer-toys-list-contains-up-to-one-video-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/13/toys-r-us-summer-toys-list-contains-up-to-one-video-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/13/toys-r-us-summer-toys-list-contains-up-to-one-video-game/#commentsFiled under:


Toys R Us has put out their list of the top 24 hottest toys for this summer, and, surprisingly, there is only one video game on the list-- and even that one's kind of a non-game, according to some people's definitions. Nintendo's brain-teasin' hit Brain Age represents the entirety of our hobby in Toys R Us's summer marketing campaign, despite being a game about math problems, and despite being over a year old. Technically, they also advertise the Leapster, but ... don't worry about the Leapster..

Are we seeing early signs of a Japan-style Brain Age phenomenon? Should we start hoarding DS Lites?
[Via Game|Life]

JoystiqToys R Us summer toys list contains up to one video game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jun 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agebrainbrain ageBrainAgedsds liteDsLitekawashimalitenintendonintendo dsNintendoDsnon-gamenongamessummertoys r usToysRUstruWed, 13 Jun 2007 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix chief: 360, PS3 too fancy for today's market]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/12/square-enix-chief-360-ps3-too-fancy-for-todays-market/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/12/square-enix-chief-360-ps3-too-fancy-for-todays-market/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/12/square-enix-chief-360-ps3-too-fancy-for-todays-market/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Though the exact word used by the Financial Times article is "over-engineered," a word we deemed too complex for today's headline. Yoichi Wada, chief executive of Square Enix, feels that consoles such as the PS3 and 360 are over-engineered and out of place in today's gaming market, noting that handheld platforms will be the ones to dominate this year. After handing Dragon Quest IX (and thus the keys to Japan) to the Nintendo DS and inundating the PSP with remakes, Wada's belief should come as no surprise.

"There is a new breed of gamers in the market - we have to make games for all kinds of people," he says. "In the old days, we could just focus on the PlayStation or the GameBoy, but the environment has changed completely." It's the same story we've been hearing for months, that one filled with flailing grandmas and casual players shouting "Blue!" at the top of their lungs. Wada isn't giving up on the hardcore gamer just yet, though. Despite thinking that "there are too many specs" on the more advanced systems, he reckons they'll fare better in "a year or two years." Isn't that about the time Final Fantasy XIII comes out?

JoystiqSquare Enix chief: 360, PS3 too fancy for today's market originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jun 2007 20:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Brain AgeBrainAgeDragon QuestDragon Quest IXDragonQuestDragonQuestIxDSFinal FantasyFinalFantasyPS3PSPSquare EnixSquareEnixWii SportsWiiSportsXbox-360Tue, 12 Jun 2007 20:54:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Daily: Dr. Kawashima or BLUUUUUUUUUUUUE?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/09/ds-daily-dr-kawashima-or-bluuuuuuuuuuuue/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/09/ds-daily-dr-kawashima-or-bluuuuuuuuuuuue/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/09/ds-daily-dr-kawashima-or-bluuuuuuuuuuuue/#commentsFiled under:


In this corner, we have the one, the only, the talking, taunting head of DOCTORRRRRRRRRRR KAWASHIIIIIIIIIIMA! And in the blue corner, it's the reigning heavyweight champion of the world ... your complete inability to speak your own native language! READY? FIGHT!

Which one presents more of a challenge -- the mocking Dr. Kawashima, or those tricky phonetics?

JoystiqDS Daily: Dr. Kawashima or BLUUUUUUUUUUUUE? originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 09 Jun 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bizarrodsdbluebrain ageBrainAgedr. kawashimaDr.KawashimadsdSat, 09 Jun 2007 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Daily: Did it work?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/28/ds-daily-did-it-work/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/28/ds-daily-did-it-work/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/28/ds-daily-did-it-work/#commentsFiled under:


So we've all had a while to mess with Brain Age. We've Stroop tested and memorized lists of words and been yelled at by a floating head. Did it work? Do you feel smarter ... more aggressive ... like you could take on the world?

Or can you at least do division a little more quickly? That's pretty good too.

JoystiqDS Daily: Did it work? originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 May 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agebrainbrain ageBrainAgedsds litedsdDsLitenintendonintendo dsNintendoDsMon, 28 May 2007 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo Media Summit: Brain Age 2 hands-on (DS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/25/nintendo-media-summit-brain-age-2-hands-on-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/25/nintendo-media-summit-brain-age-2-hands-on-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/25/nintendo-media-summit-brain-age-2-hands-on-ds/#commentsFiled under: , ,

After the monumental success of the first Brain Age on the Nintendo DS, it's no surprise that Nintendo would revisit the Brain Age series again. At this week's Media Summit, the press got to play around with their sequel, the cleverly named Brain Age 2. Upon powering on the DS, we are visited by the floating, disembodied head of Professor Kawashima, who is back to once again help us train our small and unhealthy brains with a variety of tricky minigames.

One of the immediate things that I noticed was that the hand-writing recognition has gotten way better. My writing is pretty horrible, so I was stoked to see that feature improved upon. The developers mentioned they put a lot of time into refining the recognition engine The minigames themselves were the variety of mathematical and word-based tests that you'd expect out of a Brain Age title but seemed a little more entertaining than the ones included in the previous game. The best part in my opinion though, had nothing to do with training your brain. As you complete tasks, you earn tickets that you can then use to play a Brain Age version of the NES classic, Dr. Mario. Now that's what I call a reward!

Look for Brain Age 2 on the Nintendo DS on August 20th and check out some new screenshots below.

Gallery: Brain Age 2 (DS)

Continue reading Nintendo Media Summit: Brain Age 2 hands-on (DS)

JoystiqNintendo Media Summit: Brain Age 2 hands-on (DS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 May 2007 00:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BrainAgeBrainAge2DSNMS07Fri, 25 May 2007 00:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Non-games selling non-poorly in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/23/non-games-selling-non-poorly-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/23/non-games-selling-non-poorly-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/23/non-games-selling-non-poorly-in-japan/#commentsFiled under: ,

It's no secret that Japan has got Brain Age on the brain. Brain Age and its sequel, which was just now (kind of) announced for the US, have broken all kinds of sales records and been pretty much the sole motivator for the insane success of the DS.

But what is less well-known is that, in addition to driving the creation of a ton of copycat software, training fever is pervasive enough to drive sales of that stuff. In other words, Brain Age has created a market for non-games, just like Nintendo hoped it would.

Gpara compiled a list of 95 DS non-games ordered by Media Create sales numbers, and NeoGAFfer Jonnyram has translated the first ten. These things don't cost much to make, and they are bringing in stacks of money. That's Economics Training at work. Or it would be if that existed. Give it a couple of weeks.
  1. Brain Age 2: 4,266,000
  2. Brain Age: 3,403,000
  3. Eigo Zuke (English Training): 1,937,000
  4. Big Brain Academy 1,519,000
  5. General Knowledge Training/Common Sense Training:1,381,000
  6. Cooking Navi: 815,000
  7. Kanji Test: 523,000
  8. Tokoton Kanji Brain: 406, 000
  9. IQ Suppli DS: 219,000
[Via NeoGAF]

JoystiqNon-games selling non-poorly in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 May 2007 18:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agebig brain academyBigBrainAcademybrainbrain ageBrainAgedsds liteDsLitelitenintendonintendo dsNintendoDsnon gameNonGamenongamestrainingWed, 23 May 2007 18:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Improove you're verbage with My Word Coach for DS, Wii]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/23/improove-your-verbage-with-my-word-coach-for-ds-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/23/improove-your-verbage-with-my-word-coach-for-ds-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/23/improove-your-verbage-with-my-word-coach-for-ds-wii/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Described as a "Brain Age with words," Ubisoft's My Word Coach for Wii and DS aims to make linguistic education fun. IGN tested out the game and were impressed by the amount of fun and education embedded into the game. Not to mention the DS connectivity with the Wii version, where you can use the stylus as a controller -- very useful when you are writing letters, for example.

Sporting 17,000 words and definitions, a glossary for reference and profile settings that let you review your previous successes and failures, My Word Coach can certainly help with one's verbage (not to imply that you, dear reader, don't already have an impeccable grasp of the English language). With four-person multiplayer, we'll be able to beat our friends and learn new, more bombastic diction with which to trash talk.

My Word Coach is due out Fall 2007.

[Via Wii, DS Fanboy]

JoystiqImproove you're verbage with My Word Coach for DS, Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 May 2007 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain ageBrainAgeDSmy word coachMyWordCoachubisoftWiiWed, 23 May 2007 16:55:00 EST