Big brain academy

Although Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training has the spotlight on DS, it was Big Brain Academy that first convinced me Nintendo were onto a good thing. Apart from looking more attractive and with a warmer sense of humour, Big Brain Academy on DS requires nothing more than prodding the screen – much easier than scribbling numbers or overcoming regional accents while speaking into the mic. The playschool presentation style also makes fun the main focus, family and friends volunteer to take part rather than being bribed.

Precisely the same ‘this looks fun, what is it?’ appeal of Big Brain Academy works equally well on Wii via the TV. The Wii remote is brandished casually as a pointer, only the large ‘A’ button is required to make decisions. You can begin practice immediately with any of the 15 challenges divided among five categories. Because the general idea is of a mental gym, the resident host Dr Lobe lets you take tests as often as you like (as opposed to Dr Kawashima who restricts performance challenges to daily measures). Of course you can use your Mii characters as students, and if you’re online your student record can be shared with friends, your best results can be challenged by each other and regularly updated. Forget high scores, this is ‘exams for grams’ and only the biggest brains get bragging rights.

Don’t get us wrong, we love Dr Kawashima for all his geek humour, making us more intelligent… and placing us one step removed from Nicole Kidman. The Doc can be delightful, but not always fun. Dr Lobe, on the other hand, says ‘no pain, brain’ is for flunkies – fun is where it’s at. And it’s true: popping balloons in mathematical order, guiding a toy train to its destination by placing track, memorising sounds in reverse, and watching where the birdie goes as cages are re-arranged sideshow style are all worth a giggle. They're genuinely entertaining as competitive games played side-by-side on the same TV, and heart-warming to see kids helping each other solve problems in co-operative game modes. Okay, they'll argue about it too but hey.

Maybe Dr Kawashima is smarter than Dr Lobe, encouraging his daily routine versus a playful workout whenever you feel like it. In this respect Big Brain Academy will be best enjoyed within the family as quality time in good measure but runs the risk of being a flash in the pan. However the online Mii-student feature is a spark of real genius, surely everyone will train religiously for the biggest brains in town.