Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Need a brain boost? Try Brainiversity!



"Brain games" are all the rage these days, offering fun "edutainment" for all ages. The success of brain games for the Nintendo DS such as the Brain Age series and Big Brain Academy offer testament to this fact. But what if you want to the benefit of playing these games without having to fork over $130 for a Nintendo DS? Brainiversity for Windows is the answer.

Brainiversity features 16 different activities covering Language, Memory, Math and Analysis and is played in English or Spanish. You can track your progress over daily exams and compare them with your friends and family. Under the practice mode, you can unlock activities as you make progress.The host, Edison the light bulb, shares fun facts including J.K. Rowling's birthday.

My son and I (the avid gamers in our family) tried out the game and give it two thumbs up. It was a bit difficult for my 7-year-old son at first, as some of the math questions involve multiplication and division, but he managed fine. A junior version is in the works from by Red Sprite Studios.

Brainiversity is offered by Brighter Minds Media. Check out their entire line of books and games for children as well as their weekly contest.