Information

Hosted by Professor Kawashima, Brain Age is a series of games that test your mental agility. The speed you clear puzzles is plotted on a progress chart. There are several different modes to play.

Brain Age Check

Designed to be played for just a few minutes each day, you have to clear three games in a row. The games are picked at random from the following selection:

• Stroop Test

  The words "red", "blue", "yellow" and "black" are displayed, but appear in another colour. You have to say out loud the colour of the word, rather than the word itself. Your answers are picked up by the microphone.

• Speed Counting

  Count out loud from 1 to 120 as fast as you can clearly.

• Word Memory

  You are shown a list of 30 four-letter words that you study for two minutes. Once those two minutes are up, you are given a further three minutes to recall as many of the words as you can. Write them down on the touch screen.

• Connect Maze

  A random group of circles contain the letters A-M and the numbers 1-13. You have to join up the circles on the touch screen moving from letter to number sequentially (e.g. A-1-B-2-C-3...)

• Calculations X 20

  You are presented with 20 simple math problems that you have to solve as quickly as you can.

• Number Cruncher

  Several numbers appear, and may vary in size, colour or movement. You are asked questions about the numbers (e.g. How many red numbers are there?) and you have to write down your answers as quickly as you can.

Training

This mode provides even more games that you can play at any time. If you clear one game then you receive a daily stamp, while clearing three will give you a larger stamp.

• Calculations x 20 / x 100

  The same as the Calculation game above, only you can choose between clearing 20 sums or 100.

• Reading Aloud

  You are presented an excerpt from a classic novel and you have to read it aloud to yourself as fast as you can.

• Low to High

  You are displayed a series of boxes. A countdown displays, and then you are quickly shown numbers in the boxes. Once they disappear, you have to tap the boxes in the correct order.

• Syllable Count

  Phrases are displayed on the screen and you have to write down the number of syllables that the phrase contains.

• Head Count

  You are shown several stick figures who are then hidden inside a house. People leave and enter the house. When prompted, you must write down the number of people remaining in the house.

• Triangle Math

  Similar to the calculation puzzles, you have to solve sums containing three numbers.

• Time Lapse

  You are shown two analogue clocks and have to work out the difference between the two times.

• Voice Calculation

  Another sums game, only this time you have to speak the answers out loud.

Sudoku

Added to the Western versions of the game are over 100 Sudoku puzzles. You are presented with a 9 x 9 grid, subdivided into 3 x 3 squares. Each row, column and 3 x 3 square must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Some squares already contain numbers, and you have to work out the other numbers using deductive reasoning.

Cameos

Syllable Count

Screenshot Required

One of the phrases in Syllable Count is "Thank you Mario! But our princess is in another castle!", which was the line said by Toad in Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros. Theme

Screenshot Required

When you get Walking Speed on any of the games, tap the stickman and he will whistle the first few notes of the Super Mario Bros. theme.

Brain Age Series

• Brain Age
• Brain Age 2
• Brain Age Express