Big Brain Academy DS Review

                Studies on video games often indicate violent behavior in gamers. It is also widely believed that video games make kids stupid. But when the Nintendo DS came around, it seemed to be the perfect vessel for games that defy that stereotype. Big Brain Academy (exclusively on the Nintendo DS) is one of those games.
         The premise in Big Brain Academy is simple: there are five categories with several fun, brain-stimulating activities. The categories are: identify, memorize, analyze, visualize, and compute.  Each category has three different mini-games, for a total of fifteen. Game options you can use to test your mental ability are tests, practice and versus modes.
         I’ll start with the things I like about Big Brain Academy. First, I like the idea of a game that strives to build your brain, rather than destroying it. It allows my parents to be assured that I’m not just mindlessly bashing bad guys, like what they see in other games. Another thing I like about this game is the fun way in which the stylus is used. Not all games can be entirely stylus-driven, but this one pulls that off nicely.
         Unfortunately, the flaws in Big Brain Academy are all too evident. My main concern is that it’s just a shallow game. With only three methods of play, Big Brain Academy becomes boring much too fast. There’s simply not enough to chew on.
         Overall, Big Brain Academy is an enjoyable experience, but lacks the substance to make it truly great. I give it a 6.5/10.