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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![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[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[E307: Brain Age 2 is looking better all the time]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/12/e307-brain-age-2-is-looking-better-all-the-time/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/12/e307-brain-age-2-is-looking-better-all-the-time/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/12/e307-brain-age-2-is-looking-better-all-the-time/#commentsFiled under: , ,


It looks like the second round of Brain Age will have a lot more to offer, and that's without even considering the unlockable Dr. Mario! We've updated our gallery with new screenshots that include images from a change-making game (a very helpful skill to practice) and a pretty dubious drawing of New York that's still better than anything we could manage (but somehow reminds us of Pictochat ... ). And don't forget to check out the trailer after the jump!

Continue reading E307: Brain Age 2 is looking better all the time

JoystiqE307: Brain Age 2 is looking better all the time originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 09:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain agebrain age 2BrainAge2dr. marioDr.Marioe3e307gallerymore brain trainingMoreBrainTrainingscreenshottrailertrainingunlockablevideoThu, 12 Jul 2007 09:51:00 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[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[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<![CDATA[DS Daily: Does YOUR brain need more training?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/23/ds-daily-does-your-brain-need-more-training/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/23/ds-daily-does-your-brain-need-more-training/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/23/ds-daily-does-your-brain-need-more-training/#commentsFiled under:



From the look of an AP photo from the Nintendo Media Summit, the US is going to be getting a little more face time with Dr. Kawashima after all. We're sure no one is surprised. We find this whole thing rather alarming, honestly. Didn't we get trained? Did our training fail, or is it just that we have more brain than the first game could handle?

All jokes aside, are you going to go in for round two?

JoystiqDS Daily: Does YOUR brain need more training? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 May 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain agebrain trainingBrainAgeBrainTrainingdr. kawashimaDr.Kawashimadsdmore brain trainingMoreBrainTrainisequelWed, 23 May 2007 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Reggie extols the wonders of the DS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/22/reggie-extolls-the-wonders-of-the-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/22/reggie-extolls-the-wonders-of-the-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/22/reggie-extolls-the-wonders-of-the-ds/#commentsFiled under:

Just in case you didn't know, the DS owns the Japanese market. At today's Nintendo Media Summit, Reggie Fils-Aime dropped a major bomb: so far in 2007, half of all games sold in Japan have been for the DS. Yes, that was half. It may be time to move beyond the "it prints money" joke. We're not sure that really communicates this level of success. Also, the numbers of people over the age of 30 who are buying the DS are up -- if you look at DS adopters over 35, the statistics are huge: the numbers are up 212%.

Looking at that, it's easy to guess why we're seeing more and more of what we jokingly refer to as "non-games" rolling out for the DS. A lot of these new gamers aren't as interested in traditional fare, and as the market expands, the type of games has to expand as well. Satoru Iwata had good reason to come down hard on NoA for not getting the U.S. market on the Brain Age train; everywhere else, the game continues to walk off shelves at alarming rates.

Reggie said they're seeing "significant market change" in the U.S., and we can only hope that means that, as the gaming market expands, so will gaming advertising. It's time DS commercials broke out of their Saturday morning slots and started marketing to the new gaming class: adults who like shooting zombies just as much as they like studying languages.

JoystiqReggie extols the wonders of the DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 May 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain ageBrainAgecasualhardcorenintendo media summitNintendoMediaSuReggie Fils-AimeReggieFils-aimerevenuesalesTue, 22 May 2007 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Non-Japanese brains need more training]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/non-japanese-brains-need-more-training/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/non-japanese-brains-need-more-training/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/non-japanese-brains-need-more-training/#commentsFiled under:

Just when you thought you were free from the mocking head of Dr. Kawashima (or could at least pick it up cheaply), he's back for another round with More Brain Training. The sequel has been officially confirmed for Europe and will release in late June.

There's been no official word yet on a U.S. release, but it's been showing up on retail lists for August, so we expect confirmation any time. Nintendo of America better start their marketing campaign now, or else they may face the wrath of Iwata again, and no one wants to see that happen.

JoystiqNon-Japanese brains need more training originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain agebrain trainingBrainAgeBrainTrainingdr. kawashimaDr.Kawashimadslitemore brain trainingMoreBrainTraininintendosequelWed, 16 May 2007 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Brain Age for $14: a smart move]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/brain-age-for-14-a-smart-move/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/brain-age-for-14-a-smart-move/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/brain-age-for-14-a-smart-move/#commentsFiled under: ,


If you're not one of the approximately 12 million people training their brains in minutes a day, then you aren't truly participating in the DS cultural phenomenon. We won't put a value judgment on that decision-- some people just aren't interested in brain training, or non-traditional gaming, or math. But if you have yet to get into Brain Age for financial reasons, we may be able to help you.

Circuit City is offering the game this week for $13.99, which, as anyone who has played it will tell you, is less than $19.99. Also available: Zoo Tycoon and, uh, some unknown media for other devices.

Now is a great time to pick up Brain Age and see what all the fuss is about (it's about short, brain-teasing minigames!) It would make Satoru Iwata happy, and isn't that what it's really all about-- the smile on one absurdly rich man's face?

JoystiqBrain Age for $14: a smart move originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2007 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agebrainbrain agebrainagedealdealsdsds liteDsLitelitenintendonintendo dsNintendoDssalestycoonzoo tycoonZooTycoonWed, 16 May 2007 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[More Brain Training coming to Europe, maybe US]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/more-brain-training-coming-to-europe-maybe-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/more-brain-training-coming-to-europe-maybe-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/more-brain-training-coming-to-europe-maybe-us/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The evil floating head of Dr. Kawashima returns! Gamasutra reports that More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima: How Old Is Your Brain?, the sequel to Brain Age (known outside of the US as Brain Training), is coming to Europe this summer.

The educational series has been a phenomenal success for Nintendo -- in Japan, the sequel sold over 400,000 in its first week of release. More Brain Training will cost €30/£19.99 (approx. US $41) at launch.

There have been no plans announced for a US release, though Gamestop has listed Brain Age 2 as arriving August 1 for $19.99.

JoystiqMore Brain Training coming to Europe, maybe US originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2007 13:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain agebrain trainingBrainAgeBrainTrainingDSeducationedutainmentkawashimaWed, 16 May 2007 13:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Iwata reminds Nintendo of America who's boss]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/04/iwata-reminds-nintendo-of-america-whos-boss/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/04/iwata-reminds-nintendo-of-america-whos-boss/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/04/iwata-reminds-nintendo-of-america-whos-boss/#commentsFiled under:




(Hint: it's Iwata. Iwata is boss.) Nintendo just released their financial results briefing, which contains a transcript of a question-and-answer session with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. Ever wondered what it would be like to work for Iwata? This quote should replace that wonder with terror: "When I received a report from the U.S. that they sold 1 million Pokémon Diamond & Pearl already, I asked them, 'why did you sell only 10,000 Brain Age last week, when Europe sold through 30,000?' This is a typical example of how I communicate with our people in the U.S."

Why would Iwata be so mean in the face of ostensibly great news? Because he's a huge jerk? Probably not. For one thing, Pokémon selling a million copies doesn't mean that anyone at Nintendo of America did anything particularly well. All they had to do was release it, making sure that the word "Pokémon" was clearly visible on the box.

But more importantly, Iwata isn't looking just to sell a bunch of games. He wants to expand the gaming market in the US like the DS has in Japan, and for that, Brain Age needs to get into non-gamers' hands. Then Nintendo can sell a bunch of games to them as well as to Nintendo fans. As Iwata notes in the report, 500,000 DS systems were sold in the US in March, which is a large number, but not as large as the 600,000 to 700,000 sold in Japan each month.

[Via NeoGAF]

JoystiqIwata reminds Nintendo of America who's boss originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 May 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agebrainbrain ageBrainAgediamonddsds liteDsLiteeuropefinancesfinancialinvestorsiwatalitenintendonintendo dsNintendoDsnoapearlpokemonsalesFri, 04 May 2007 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Is Nintendogs the most 'important' DS game?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/25/is-nintendogs-the-most-important-ds-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/25/is-nintendogs-the-most-important-ds-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/25/is-nintendogs-the-most-important-ds-game/#commentsFiled under:

The folks at GamePro have put together a pretty interesting feature listing their picks for the top 52 most important games ever. These aren't necessarily the best games, or the best-selling games, but their choices for those titles that have been the most influential on gaming as a whole. And while we're sure many of their picks will be questioned and debated to the point of exhaustion, we're really only interested in one small part of the list -- that is, the only DS title to make the cut. Nintendogs weighs in at #44. Does this mean it's the most influential of all DS games? Since it's the only one on the list, it would seem so, and while we agree that Nintendogs certainly advanced gaming, we might argue that since the franchise draws heavily on both Animal Crossing and the digital pet phenomenon, it's hard to see Nintendogs as a "focusing lens" that forever changed gaming. Does that mean Nintendogs did nothing new? Of course it did. But the idea of a needy digipet existed long before Nintendo popularized the portable pooches with their array of titles. GamePro says "first" doesn't matter -- it's being the folks that do it right that matters -- Nintendogs certainly did a lot of things right, but is it the most important game on the DS? It's an interesting question.

And we have a question of our own -- where's Brain Age? The game that started the training phenomenon is easily equally influential, or perhaps even more so. But we won't argue; rather, we admire the effort that goes into such a list, and after skimming the comments on the article, we don't envy the flood of angry e-mails that are surely flowing into the mailboxes of the writers.

JoystiqIs Nintendogs the most 'important' DS game? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Animal CrossingAnimalCrossingBrain AgeBrainAgedigital petDigitalPetDSedutainmentinfluentialNintendoNintendogsWed, 25 Apr 2007 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Readers pick best webcomic: brain fart]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/17/readers-pick-best-webcomic-brain-fart/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/17/readers-pick-best-webcomic-brain-fart/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/17/readers-pick-best-webcomic-brain-fart/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Some found it juvenile and immature, but Slackerz writer Scott Smith (who created the comic along with artist Scott Hepting) explained that his winning comic was inspired by actual events and that, yes, scribbling your 'a,' 'r,' and 't' can lead to some naughty results in Brain Age. Despite the objection by some, Smith's comic was overwhelmingly voted webcomic of the week.

Second place went to Dueling Analogs and third place was claimed by Rooster Teeth in their first ever appearance on the wrapup. Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!

[Update: credit given to Hepting for drawing Slackerz comic.]

Continue reading Readers pick best webcomic: brain fart

JoystiqReaders pick best webcomic: brain fart originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Apr 2007 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain ageBrainAgedueling analogsDuelingAnalogsgrind houseGrindHousepaper marioPaperMariorooster teethRoosterTeethslackerzweb comicWebComicTue, 17 Apr 2007 11:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Am our gaming learning?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/16/am-our-gaming-learning/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/16/am-our-gaming-learning/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/16/am-our-gaming-learning/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Seed Magazine has an interesting article that talks about the effects of Brain Age on your own grey matter, and calls it "entertainment masquerading as neurology." However, there might be more to it than that.

The same article talks about a company called PositScience that sells brain training sessions for a mere $395 a pop, and it might actually be doing something. According to program developer Michael Merzenich, "We've demonstrated that you can take the brain of a 75-year-old and make it function like the brain of a 35- or 40-year-old. It takes training, and some hard work, but it's possible."

It involves big words like "neuroplasticity," but it's a brain-fitness workout, which Brain Age is as well. So you can pay almost four hundred smackers for the big words, or try your hand at the sub-$20 version. Either way, something's gotta be happening to your neurons. Right?

[Thanks, Cam]

JoystiqAm our gaming learning? originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 16 Apr 2007 12:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainBrain AgeBrainAgeDSlearningMon, 16 Apr 2007 12:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Why would I want a Hot Brain?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/12/why-would-i-want-a-hot-brain/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/12/why-would-i-want-a-hot-brain/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/12/why-would-i-want-a-hot-brain/#commentsFiled under: ,

The new brain-training PSP game, Hot Brain wants to make your brain hotter. Unfortunately, not Tricia Helfer hotter. No, they mean temperature hotter. Like "I'm getting a stroke" hotter. Isn't that a bad thing?

Regardless, the dialog and voice acting have us excited: this could add just a little bit more personality to that whole Brain Age thing. Wonder if this game will also feature a floating decapitated head?

JoystiqWhy would I want a Hot Brain? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Apr 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain ageBrainAgehot brainHotBrainThu, 12 Apr 2007 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Daily: Je ne sais quois]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/30/ds-daily-je-ne-sais-quois/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/30/ds-daily-je-ne-sais-quois/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/30/ds-daily-je-ne-sais-quois/#commentsFiled under:

That special something -- the DS has it, certainly; the dual screen handheld is slowly taking over the world. Sales charts everywhere are packed with DS titles. The systems themselves continue to outsell everything and hell, everyone already has one ... including your mother.

So what is it? What is it about the DS that has made it universally popular? Nintendo attributes a lot of the success of the DS to Touch Generations, and while that's certainly had a huge effect on sales of the system (and in widening the market), that can't be everything. You aren't listing Brain Age as the reason to own a DS ... are you?

JoystiqDS Daily: Je ne sais quois originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Mar 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Brain AgeBrainAgeDSDS LitedsdDsLiteNintendoTouch GenerationsTouchGenerationFri, 30 Mar 2007 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Daily: The daily requirement]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/11/ds-daily-the-daily-requirement/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/11/ds-daily-the-daily-requirement/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/11/ds-daily-the-daily-requirement/#commentsFiled under:

It's becoming more and more common for games to require or expect you to play every day; quite a few of the big sellers on the DS encourage daily gameplay, in fact. Frankly, we're hesitant to say that we really like that. Expected every day is one thing, but Animal Crossing and Nintendogs seem to take it pretty far. In the former, you often find yourself gently scolded by the other inhabitants, and in the latter ... by not playing, you are starving puppies and are therefore a bad person. That's just harsh.

But if you really enjoy a game, then perhaps the every day requirement isn't quite so onerous. We've seen a few towns in AC:WW that were lovingly crafted and maintained, day after day, for impressive lengths of time. And while we admire that sort of dedication, we just may not have it, and no one wants to be thought of as the person who starves puppies. So Nintendogs? Not for us, not in the long run. When it comes to these daily games, what's your take?

JoystiqDS Daily: The daily requirement originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 11 Mar 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Animal CrossingAnimalCrossingBrain AgeBrainAgedailyDSdsdNintendoNintendogsSun, 11 Mar 2007 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Daily: New horizons]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/04/ds-daily-new-horizons/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/04/ds-daily-new-horizons/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/04/ds-daily-new-horizons/#commentsFiled under: ,

There have been a lot of familiar franchises on the DS, and we love them! But, and this is where a lot of the system's publicity comes from, there has also been an explosion of new genres and new experiences, as well as revivals of past trends. So, as hardcore gamers (the kind who read game blogs), has your gaming universe been expanded by the DS? Have you taken part in any completely new experiences? Played your first graphical text adventure? Minigame collection? Whatever Brain Age was?

Or maybe what you discovered on the DS is something popular that you just missed out on for some reason, like Final Fantasy or Castlevania. We want to hear about your experiences! We want to know how the DS has affected your gaming tastes! We want to know how you classify Brain Age!

JoystiqDS Daily: New horizons originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 04 Mar 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agebrainbrain agebrainagedailydsds dailyds litedsdDsDailyDsLiteduskfantasyfinalfinalfantasyhotelhotel duskhotelduskmarionintendonintendo dsNintendoDsphoenixphoenix wrightphoenixwrightwrightSun, 04 Mar 2007 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Korea Times blue over Brain Age recognition issue]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/04/korea-times-blue-over-brain-age-recognition-issue/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/04/korea-times-blue-over-brain-age-recognition-issue/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/04/korea-times-blue-over-brain-age-recognition-issue/#commentsFiled under: ,

Korea, which Nintendo just recently began marketing in, is learning the joys of Brain Age recognition frustration. As sister site DS Fanboy reports, it looks like the Koreans are having problems with the software recognizing certain numbers. The Korea Times reporter says, "The game is supposed to recognize spoken words in some of exercises, but some words rarely register correctly. Also, when you write your answers on the touch screen, the machine sometimes confuses similar Korean words and numbers such as 9 and 0, 7 and 9, and 6 and 0."

She dismisses these as simple "mistakes [that] don't make or break the game." Korea's got it easy on the number recognition issue. As many English speaking owners of Brain Age will discuss the absurdity of screaming at their DS during the color training exercise, "Blue. Blue. Blue? BLUE?! BLUE! THE COLOR IS BLUE!"

JoystiqKorea Times blue over Brain Age recognition issue originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 04 Feb 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain ageconfusionDSerrorskoreanumbersSun, 04 Feb 2007 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hot Brain action!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/25/hot-brain-action/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/25/hot-brain-action/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/25/hot-brain-action/#commentsFiled under:

Brain Age fans will have something to get excited about if they own a PSP. Midway has announced a new "mind-training" game titled Hot Brain. Being developed by Midway's San Diego studio, the game has five timed categories: logic, memory, math, language and concentration. Oddly, Hot Brain will be voice acted by comedian/actor Fred Willard who some may remember from Anchorman. The game's is titled Hot Brain, because the objective is to get the highest brain temperature by correctly answering questions and completing challenges. Hot Brain will also include multiplayer with such modes as Test Mode, Brain Race and Think Tank.

Fans of the genre can look forward to Hot Brain sometime this summer.

[Via IGN]

JoystiqHot Brain action! originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Jan 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain ageBrainAgefred willardFredWillardhot brainHotBrainignmidwayThu, 25 Jan 2007 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo sends 100 elder-achievers DS Lites & Brain Age]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/23/nintendo-sends-100-elder-achievers-ds-lites-and-brain-age/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/23/nintendo-sends-100-elder-achievers-ds-lites-and-brain-age/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/23/nintendo-sends-100-elder-achievers-ds-lites-and-brain-age/#commentsFiled under: , ,

lute was recognized; why not joe-pa?Nintendo has honored 100 grandparents, from 54-year-old Rubin, a professional racquetball player from Staten Island, to 104-year-old Waldo, a beekeeper and author living in Kansas. Recipients of the prestigious honor, which included a DS Lite and copy of Brain Age, were selected by the Grandparent Marketing Group on the basis of "agelessness"; that is, each honoree represents someone who defies stereotypes associated with the elderly. "They refuse to act their age. They think young, and therefore they act young. Brain Age is one more tool in their anti-aging arsenal," explained Nintendo's George Harrison.

The 'Ageless American' honor is just Nintendo's latest promotional tactic, part of the Touch Generations campaign, which seeks to tap into the 55-and-up gamer demographic (reportedly accounting for 25% of the total gaming population). This past August, Nintendo hosted a Grandparent's Day competition in New York City -- sadly, despite weeks of practice, President Bush was not eligible to compete.

JoystiqNintendo sends 100 elder-achievers DS Lites & Brain Age originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Jan 2007 02:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Brain AgeBrainAgeDSDS LiteDsLiteTue, 23 Jan 2007 02:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Brain training on your internet browser]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/16/brain-training-on-your-internet-browser/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/16/brain-training-on-your-internet-browser/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/16/brain-training-on-your-internet-browser/#commentsFiled under:


Did you know that the Nintendo DS isn't the only system that can train your brain? In Japan, Sega created their own mildly-successful edutainment games that required you to do math at the speed of light. AZ92 from the PlayStation forums is hosting a few Flash demos of the game, formatted for the PSP. You can use m.pspfanboy.com to play these short demos, directly from your PSP.

Demo 1
Demo 2
Demo 3
Demo 4

[Update 1: First server ran out of bandwidth. Updated links. Thanks, Crazy_Chris]!

JoystiqBrain training on your internet browser originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain agebrain trainerbrain trainingBrainAgeBrainTrainerBrainTrainingflashmathTue, 16 Jan 2007 16:25:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Daily: DS as educational tool]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/13/ds-daily-ds-as-educational-tool/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/13/ds-daily-ds-as-educational-tool/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/13/ds-daily-ds-as-educational-tool/#commentsFiled under: ,

We're no strangers to the notion that the DS is education-friendly; after all, one of the system's best-selling titles is little more than a learning tool spiced up with a dash of competition. The subject has come up over the years, and it's surfaced again as another education professional is coming out in favor of video games as viable job preparation platforms for children, but most of David Williamson Shaffer's work is centered around specific types of games -- games designed as educational software. But what about regular games? As gamers, do you feel that playing has helped hone your wits? That's today's DS Daily topic: what, if any, benefits does gaming provide, and are only certain kinds of games "good" for you?

JoystiqDS Daily: DS as educational tool originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 13 Jan 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Brain AgeBrainAgeDSeducationNintendoschoolSat, 13 Jan 2007 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Does brain training really work?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/04/does-brain-training-really-work/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/04/does-brain-training-really-work/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/04/does-brain-training-really-work/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

NPR's Morning Edition takes a look at competing theories on the effects of mental exercise on staving off dementia and mental degradation in old age. While the piece doesn't deal specifically with video games, the implications for brain training games like Brain Age and Mind Quiz and even puzzle and adventure games are pretty apparent.

The results are decidedly mixed. One study of nearly 3,000 elderly people showed that a few hours of directed mental exercise could show effects up to five years later, but the improvement was rather modest for most volunteers. Another researcher cited in the NPR report thinks that building a "cognitive reserve" of mental skills before old age is more effective than taking up Sudoku in your autumn years. And then there's genetics, which may play a more important role in the proceedings than a simple crossword puzzle.

The final takeaway? While games and puzzles might be a good way to keep your brain in shape, don't consider them a sure-fire way to prevent Alzheimer's disease. And whatever you do, don't get too frustrated while you play -- research suggests that's avoiding stress and depression can help you maintain good mental health.

JoystiqDoes brain training really work? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Jan 2007 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain agebrain trainingBrainAgeBrainTrainingDSgameshealthPCPSPpuzzlesWiiThu, 04 Jan 2007 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[DS snags two slots at top of '06 charts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/ds-snags-two-slots-at-top-of-06-charts/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/ds-snags-two-slots-at-top-of-06-charts/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/ds-snags-two-slots-at-top-of-06-charts/#commentsFiled under:

It's always nice to be reminded that it's not just about us. Y'know, the hardcore devotees the folks who cackle over zany niche titles, when we're not busy whipping it good in something a little more mainstream. Awesome as we are, we're not the only ones who drive the DS market ... and the list of the bestselling games of 2006 (in the U.S.) serves as a great little reminder. The DS grabbed two of this year's top spots with New Super Mario Bros. and Brain Age, which took 2nd and 10th, respectively. Numero dos behind Madden '07 is a pretty big deal, and surely not all of the people who bought New Super Mario Bros. would consider themselves Nintendo fanfolk, and that's almost certainly true of Brain Age, as well. The DS may not be recognized as the top system in the U.S., but we're still in your lists, stealin' your slots. And, of course, that money.

JoystiqDS snags two slots at top of '06 charts originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Jan 2007 16:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Brain AgeBrainAgeDSMaddenNew Super Mario BrosNewSuperMarioBrosNintendosalestop tenTopTenTue, 02 Jan 2007 16:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Best of the rest: Ross' picks]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/01/best-of-the-rest-ross-picks/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/01/best-of-the-rest-ross-picks/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/01/best-of-the-rest-ross-picks/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lumines Live! (XBLA)
On a big screen with surround sound, Q Entertainment's Lumines Live was easily the most-played game in my library (if you stretch the definition of library to digitally distributed titles). Although I railed against how microtransactions were implemented in this title and still think the extent to which they disclosed the dearth of features was misleading, both the Basic and Advanced Pack got more than enough play time, as did the multiplayer. It is the best Xbox Live Arcade title since Geometry Wars.

Continue reading Best of the rest: Ross' picks

JoystiqBest of the rest: Ross' picks originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Jan 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2006bestbethesdaBethesda-SoftworksBig Brain AcademyBigBrainAcademybookworm adventuresBookwormAdventuresBrain AgeBrainAgeBurger KingBurgerKingCapcomCapcom-Production-Studio-1Chibi RoboChibiRoboCookingCooking-MamaCooking-Mama-LtdDead-RisingDSgame of the yearGameOfTheYearghost reconGhostRecongotyJellyvisionluminesMacMajesco-EntertainmentMicrosoftMinigamesNintendooblivionPCq entertainmentQEntertainmentrecapRockstarSurvival-HorrorTable TennisTableTennistetristetsuya mizuguchiTetsuyaMizuguchiWiixblaxbox liveXbox-360XboxLiveYou Don\\\'t Know JackYouDon\\\'tKnowJackMon, 01 Jan 2007 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wired trains its brain]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/29/wired-trains-its-brain/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/29/wired-trains-its-brain/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/29/wired-trains-its-brain/#commentsFiled under: ,

The January issue of Wired magazine includes a few short columns about writers trying to improve their abilities; Joshua Green's story about improving his brain functions relies on Nintendo's Brain Age game, a better diet, and more sleep. His non-scientific study left him with a brain age improvement from 44 to 34 after four weeks of work.

Now that Brain Age has been out for a while, do you think it has sharpened your mind? Anecdotally, we like the game, but we think it just makes us better at Brain Age.

JoystiqWired trains its brain originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Dec 2006 18:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Brain AcademyBrain AgeBrain TrainingBrainAcademyBrainAgeBrainTrainingDSWiredFri, 29 Dec 2006 18:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon's holiday hardware sales led by DS Lite]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/26/amazons-holiday-hardware-sales-led-by-ds-lite/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/26/amazons-holiday-hardware-sales-led-by-ds-lite/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/26/amazons-holiday-hardware-sales-led-by-ds-lite/#commentsFiled under:

Amazon is already reporting that 2006 was its "best ever" year for holiday sales -- and the DS Lite led the charge! Though Amazon hasn't yet released specific numbers, they report the handheld clawed past the 360 and the PS2 to claim the online retailer's most hardware sales. When it game to games, New Super Mario Bros. and Brain Age were highlighted as top sellers. Looks like the Touch Generations campaign is continuing to kick giant slices of ass when it comes to sales. We heard that a good DS was hard to find this holiday season, but top seller at Amazon is big stuff!

JoystiqAmazon's holiday hardware sales led by DS Lite originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Dec 2006 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AmazonBrain AgeBrainAgeDSholidayNew Super Mario Bros.NewSuperMarioBrNintendoonlinesalesTouch GenerationsTouchGenerationTue, 26 Dec 2006 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo and CNN Money's best gifts for gamers]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/21/nintendo-and-cnn-moneys-best-gifts-for-gamers/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/21/nintendo-and-cnn-moneys-best-gifts-for-gamers/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/21/nintendo-and-cnn-moneys-best-gifts-for-gamers/#commentsFiled under:

CNN Money's Chris Morris usually has interesting input on the gaming market, but with his Ten Best Gifts for Gamers, he seems to have missed the mark.

Two titles for the DS appear on the list -- Brain Age and New Super Mario Bros. Great games? Indeed, and were this a list of suggested gifts for non-gamers or those new to the hobby, we would happily applaud. But for established gamers? Who hasn't played these games? How many of us still own them? We thought the whole idea behind gift-giving was to find something new, but maybe we've been doing it wrong all these years.

Any DS games on your personal wishlists? Or are you the type who can't stand waiting and just buys them on your own?

JoystiqNintendo and CNN Money's best gifts for gamers originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Nov 2006 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Brain AgeBrainAgeChris MorrisChrisMorrisCNN MoneyCnnMoneyDSgift guideGiftGuideholidayNew Super Mario Bros.NewSuperMarioBros.NintendoTue, 21 Nov 2006 15:00:00 EST