Healthy Living Books Video Games
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Video Games : Dr Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? (Nintendo DS) .
Rating: 
- Good idea, pity it didn't turn out better
This was the first game me and my sister bought (we went halfers on it) and i have to say we were excited abut it. First, let me say, in my opinion, is good about it...
1) The variety of puzzles: I liked how many different puzzles were in here, especially the maths puzzles (i ot down to 15 seconds for 30 and 45 for 100) and did see a big improvement on my maths. The clock challenge makes you think, but my personal favourite is sudoku. Before, i couldn't get into it, now i love it and i look forward playing to it.
2) The tests: the tests you take beofre you start and during your progress, although you have to enter it manually, and think that it would have been better if test were done in timed intervals.
Now for the bad points...
1) Voice recognision/ writing- IT IS USELESS! For some, it picks it up, but as for the word "yellow" and the number "6" it is opeless! I've even tried to follow the advice but it still doesn't recognise them, which makes the voice calculations challenge useless! I like the reading chapters element, but again, it marked me down because it didn't pick up some of the words. This also applies to the writing. Numbers are not reognised, which leads to false times being recorded and having to write the same thing over and over again! And what's ith the "drawing three things and compairing" part? Hav you noticed the difference etween his and your drawings? They make you feel really bad and pathetic, even if your an artist, like my sister! No way can anyone achieve the same picture quality using a stylus- it's impossible!
2) The doctor himself- how annoying can one "person" get? He repeats the same bits of advice over and over, and his "surprise" look is even worse, and seemed patronising to me!
I used to play it every day, and will admit it did help a little, but when i had unlocked everything, it became repetative and boring, especially when the same puzzles in each category were being repeated! I was remembering the answers, which i'm sure you're not supposed to do. It was fun for a while, but me and my sister haven't touched the dailey play for a good 6 months, but i'm still playing the sudoku from time to time, which remains as challenging, although is it really a good idea to let players play the same set of grids again? I understand the time is recorded but still, there are those who will just cheat and memorise it until it's done in a matter of seconds.
Overall, not a bad first title to own as it does get you used to the microphone and the touch screen, but for those who have played other games, i'd void. It's a good idea that hasn't been put together right and ended up being second rate. If i wasn't sharing it with my sister, this would have been traded a while ago.
Rating:
- Really bad character and voice recognition
The character recognition is dire - enter a 1 then a 2 with an obvious gap between for 12 and it sees a 4 ! Enter a 1 and a 3 and it interprets a 9. It frequently fails to recognise Yellow (the only 2 syllable colour in the game and it interprets as Red). Most software lets you adjust for your own voice - this does not. You cannot correct wrong scores. I am now aware that the Brain Training has been panned on BBCs Watchdog - I wish I had seen it. VERY VERY FRUSTRATINGDr Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? (Nintendo DS)
Rating:
- mental exercise is fun
If you are looking for a game that gives your brain some stimulation, then this is for you. It is simply addictive because you are challenged to beat your previous best. When you record a flyer ( best record ) a train goes by and the game creator gives you emphatic praise.
There is a number challenge (for example) involving people walking in and out of a house. You have to count the number of people coming and going and estimate how many are left in the house. Simple? You should try it. I managed to get two right out of five. I was disappointed with my first effort but I was rewarded with a Train!
Give this a go. You will not be disappointed.
Rating: - Dr Kawashima's Brain Training: How old is your brain?
I have just recently bought a Nintendo lite, and this is one of the first games I played, and I can honestly say , it is really good fun, despite the fact that I scored an 80 year old brain on my first attempt (I am only 37!!)
I have never been a big maths fan, but this IS fun, let all your friends try it too. Very engaging, highly recommended.
Rating: - Good game but gets boring and frustrating
This game can be great fun but, it has its limits. I find that it can quickly become boring and repetative. It can also be quite frustrating as the voice recognition is sometimes poor and you find yourself yelling at it to get it to regonise what you are saying, in addition sometimes it does not recognise what you are writing.
Dr Kawashimas "waffling" can become rather tiresome as well!
- Good idea, pity it didn't turn out betterThis was the first game me and my sister bought (we went halfers on it) and i have to say we were excited abut it. First, let me say, in my opinion, is good about it...
1) The variety of puzzles: I liked how many different puzzles were in here, especially the maths puzzles (i ot down to 15 seconds for 30 and 45 for 100) and did see a big improvement on my maths. The clock challenge makes you think, but my personal favourite is sudoku. Before, i couldn't get into it, now i love it and i look forward playing to it.
2) The tests: the tests you take beofre you start and during your progress, although you have to enter it manually, and think that it would have been better if test were done in timed intervals.
Now for the bad points...
1) Voice recognision/ writing- IT IS USELESS! For some, it picks it up, but as for the word "yellow" and the number "6" it is opeless! I've even tried to follow the advice but it still doesn't recognise them, which makes the voice calculations challenge useless! I like the reading chapters element, but again, it marked me down because it didn't pick up some of the words. This also applies to the writing. Numbers are not reognised, which leads to false times being recorded and having to write the same thing over and over again! And what's ith the "drawing three things and compairing" part? Hav you noticed the difference etween his and your drawings? They make you feel really bad and pathetic, even if your an artist, like my sister! No way can anyone achieve the same picture quality using a stylus- it's impossible!
2) The doctor himself- how annoying can one "person" get? He repeats the same bits of advice over and over, and his "surprise" look is even worse, and seemed patronising to me!
I used to play it every day, and will admit it did help a little, but when i had unlocked everything, it became repetative and boring, especially when the same puzzles in each category were being repeated! I was remembering the answers, which i'm sure you're not supposed to do. It was fun for a while, but me and my sister haven't touched the dailey play for a good 6 months, but i'm still playing the sudoku from time to time, which remains as challenging, although is it really a good idea to let players play the same set of grids again? I understand the time is recorded but still, there are those who will just cheat and memorise it until it's done in a matter of seconds.
Overall, not a bad first title to own as it does get you used to the microphone and the touch screen, but for those who have played other games, i'd void. It's a good idea that hasn't been put together right and ended up being second rate. If i wasn't sharing it with my sister, this would have been traded a while ago.
Rating:
- Really bad character and voice recognitionThe character recognition is dire - enter a 1 then a 2 with an obvious gap between for 12 and it sees a 4 ! Enter a 1 and a 3 and it interprets a 9. It frequently fails to recognise Yellow (the only 2 syllable colour in the game and it interprets as Red). Most software lets you adjust for your own voice - this does not. You cannot correct wrong scores. I am now aware that the Brain Training has been panned on BBCs Watchdog - I wish I had seen it. VERY VERY FRUSTRATINGDr Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? (Nintendo DS)
Rating:
- mental exercise is funIf you are looking for a game that gives your brain some stimulation, then this is for you. It is simply addictive because you are challenged to beat your previous best. When you record a flyer ( best record ) a train goes by and the game creator gives you emphatic praise.
There is a number challenge (for example) involving people walking in and out of a house. You have to count the number of people coming and going and estimate how many are left in the house. Simple? You should try it. I managed to get two right out of five. I was disappointed with my first effort but I was rewarded with a Train!
Give this a go. You will not be disappointed.
Rating:
- Dr Kawashima's Brain Training: How old is your brain?I have just recently bought a Nintendo lite, and this is one of the first games I played, and I can honestly say , it is really good fun, despite the fact that I scored an 80 year old brain on my first attempt (I am only 37!!)
I have never been a big maths fan, but this IS fun, let all your friends try it too. Very engaging, highly recommended.
Rating:
- Good game but gets boring and frustratingThis game can be great fun but, it has its limits. I find that it can quickly become boring and repetative. It can also be quite frustrating as the voice recognition is sometimes poor and you find yourself yelling at it to get it to regonise what you are saying, in addition sometimes it does not recognise what you are writing.
Dr Kawashimas "waffling" can become rather tiresome as well!
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