History VideoGame / BrainAge

** When you get Walking Speed and tap the stick figure walking across the screen, it will whistle the Game/SuperMarioBros theme.
** In Brain Training 2, the Virus Buster game is basically a DS version of Game/DrMario. It even uses a calm remix of the Dr. Mario theme.

Also known as ''Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training'' in PAL regions (including Europe), ''Brain Age'' is series of "brain training" video games for the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS and [[UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS 3DS]] based on the research of Dr. Ryuta Kawashima.

If you go into the equivalent of "Campaign Mode" in any of these games, you will be expected to take a test from which Dr. Ryuta Kawashima (represented as a talking head) will determine the mental age of your brain. (20 is ideal.) For the original ''Brain Age,'' it is to quickly say the color that a word is written in, made slightly trickier because the words are the names of the colors they come in, and the words frequently [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroop_effect don't match the color]]. In ''Brain Age 2,'' you are to quickly win or lose games of Rock Paper Scissors verbally. (Why, yes, this game does use the DS mic.) There are also alternate tests for when you cannot speak into the mike. Checks on a file after the first one will include two other tests, as well. The third title for the 3DS, ''Brain Age: Concentration Training'', focuses on very strict and challenging exercises to help vastly increase your concentration. Also known as "Oni Training" or "Devilish Training" because of its {{Nintendo Hard}} nature.

The games also have a few minigames that you could play to relax and unwind after a brain training session. The first game came with ''lots'' of Sudoku puzzles. The second game came with ''lots more'' Sudoku puzzles and added Virus/Germ Buster, a touch-based remake of ''VideoGame/DrMario''. The third game took away Sudoku, but added Blob Blast, a touch-based remake of ''Wario's Woods'' (particularly the NES version).

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dr_kawashima.jpg]]

Also known as ''Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training'' in PAL regions (including Europe), ''Brain Age'' is series of "brain training" video games for the NintendoDS and [[Nintendo3DS 3DS]] based on the research of Dr. Ryuta Kawashima.

** Ler's just say the handwriting recognition is... [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSFHKAvTGNk less than perfect]].

* GameBreakingBug: the first ''Brain Age'' has a game that is supposed to test how fast you read. But the DS has no way to test if you are ''reading'' it before you move on -- there's no reading comprehension test. It ''will'' kick you out if you go to the next page too quickly (claiming "you were reading too fast I couldn't do the fancy brain measure stuff"), but then some people actually ''do'' read that fast... Similarly, the "speed counting" test doesn't have any way to make sure you actually said the numbers (though, again, it tries).

* NewTechnologyIsEvil: ''Brain Age: Concentration Training'' opens with a lecture that information-driven technology such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops cause poor concentration, which Dr. Kawashima calls "information addiction". Of course, he adds that technology isn't the only thing that effects concentration negatively.

-->-- '''Dr. Ryuta Kawashima''' introduces the game.

* GameWithinAGame: The second game contained Virus/Germ Buster, a touch-based remake of ''VideoGame/DrMario''. The third game added Blob Blast, a touch-based remake of ''Wario's Woods'' (NES). It also includes three variations of [[{{TabletopGame/Solitaire}} Solitaire]] (Klondike, Spider and Golf) and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shisen-Sho Shisen-sho]] Mahjong solitaire as part of its Brain Training series of activities.

* StopHelpingMe: Dr. Kawashima's advice can come off as incredibly condescending, given time.
--> '''Dr. Kawashima''' (''said with a disappointed face''): “Hey, are you feeling a little tired?”

** In ''Concentration Training'', pressing L or R at the title screen will toss soybeans at the doctor's head. You can rotate his head using the gyroscope and hit different parts of his head to yield different reactions. If you get a soybean up each of his nostrils at the same time, he'll congratulate you for it.

* ShoutOut: One of the phrases in the Syllable counter is "Thank you, [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]], but your princess is in another castle."

** [[MissionPackSequel Oni]] [[SelfParody Training]] is supposed to be a collection of hard challenges.

* TrainingFromHell: Oni Training

The games also have a few minigames that you could play to relax and unwind after a brain training session. The first game came with ''lots'' of Sudoku puzzles. The second game came with ''lots more'' Sudoku puzzles and added Virus/Germ Buster, a touch-based remake of ''VideoGame/DrMario''. The third game took away Sudoku, but added Blob Blast, a touch-based remake of ''Wario's Woods'' (particularly the NES version), and [[{{TabletopGame/Solitaire}} Klondike solitaire]].

* GameWithinAGame: The second game contained Virus/Germ Buster, a touch-based remake of ''VideoGame/DrMario''. The third game added Blob Blast, a touch-based remake of ''Wario's Woods'' (NES).
* MinigameGame

A series of "brain training" video games for the Nintendo DS and 3DS based on the research of Dr. Ryuta Kawashima.

* GameBreakingBug - the first ''Brain Age'' has a game that is supposed to test how fast you read. But the DS has no way to test if you are ''reading'' it before you move on -- there's no reading comprehension test. It ''will'' kick you out if you go to the next page too quickly (claiming "you were reading too fast I couldn't do the fancy brain measure stuff"), but then some people actually ''do'' read that fast... Similarly, the "speed counting" test doesn't have any way to make sure you actually said the numbers (though, again, it tries).

Also known as ''Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training'' in PAL regions (including Europe).

If you go into the equivalent of "Campaign Mode" in any of these games, you will be expected to take a test from which Dr. Ryuta Kawashima (represented as a talking head) will determine the mental age of your brain. (20 is ideal.) For the original ''Brain Age,'' it is to quickly say the color that a word is written in, made slightly trickier because the words are the names of the colors they come in, and the words frequently [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroop_effect don't match the color]]. In ''Brain Age 2,'' you are to quickly win or lose games of Rock Paper Scissors verbally. (Why, yes, this game does use the DS mic.) There are also alternate tests for when you cannot speak into the mike. Checks on a file after the first one will include two other tests, as well.

Both of the DS games also come with ''lots'' of Sudoku puzzles.

The third title for the 3DS, ''Brain Age: Concentration Training'', focuses on very strict and challenging exercises to help vastly increase your concentration. Also known as "Oni Training" or "Devilish Training" because of its {{Nintendo Hard}} nature.

If you go into the equivalent of "Campaign Mode" for either of these games, you will be expected to take a test from which Dr. Ryuta Kawashima (represented as a talking head) will determine the mental age of your brain. (20 is ideal.) For the original ''Brain Age,'' it is to quickly say the color that a word is written in, made slightly trickier because the words are the names of the colors they come in, and the words frequently [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroop_effect don't match the color]]. In ''Brain Age 2,'' you are to quickly win or lose games of Rock Paper Scissors verbally. (Why, yes, this game does use the DS mic.) There are also alternate tests for when you cannot speak into the mike. Checks on a file after the first one will include two other tests, as well.

There are also a wide variety of training exercises to help improve the agility of your brain. You start with three, and get another one unlocked each time you do a training exercise until you have them all unlocked. You even can frequently come to face with surprise brain activities every time you sign in.

The games also come with ''lots'' of Sudoku puzzles.

The third title, ''Brain Age: Concentration Training'', focuses on very strict and challenging exercises to help vastly increase your concentration. Also known as "Oni Training" or "Devil Training" because of its {{Nintendo Hard}} nature.

There are also a wide variety of training exercises to help improve the agility of your brain. You start with three, and get another one unlocked each time you do a training exercise until you have them all unlocked.

And there are frequently activities for when you sign in.

You can do a quick brain-age check with either of these programs, but if you don't have a regular file, Kawashima will only give you a decade range.

Both games also come with ''lots'' of Sudoku games.

A series of "brain training" video games for the Nintendo DS based on the research of Dr. Ryuta Kawashima.

A pair of "brain training" video games for the Nintendo DS based on the research of Dr. Ryuta Kawashima.

* ShoutOut: One of the phrases in the Syllable counter is "Thank you, {{Mario}}, but your princess is in another castle."