Product Description

The Wii Remote controllers hands-on control makes playing a cinch. This rethinking of the popular Nintendo DS game will test players brains with fun problems and allow people of any age to play together. Multiplayer versus and co-op play modes also have been added, allowing players to use the title as a brain-training exercise or a raucous party game. Features: The Wii Remotes hands-on control makes playing the game a breeze, and revamps the DS game that exercised players minds with enjoyable brain-teasers. In addition to single-player mode, there are versus and co-op multiplayer modes that people of any age or education level to play together. Mii data compatible. Special powers/weapons/moves/features: The game features a two-player versus mode that uses a split screen. The same problems will appear in a different order. The first player to get 12 correct answers wins.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #121 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Nintendo
• Model: 90017
• Published on: 2007-06
• Released on: 2007-07-20
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Platform: Nintendo Wii
• Original language: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish
• Subtitled in: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .57" h x 5.44" w x 7.51" l, .44 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Preview
Nintendo clearly learned a lot from the DS when designing the Wii, with its unique control system and ultra user friendly interface. It’s not just the hardware which bares comparison though, with Nintendo planning a similar range of unusual software, some of which can barely be described as a video game at all. Big Brain Academy on the DS was the less academic of the two brain training games released, testing your grey matter in five separate areas categorised as "Think", "Memorize", "Analyze", "Compute" and "Identify".

Only three mini-games have been shown so far for the Wii version, the first presenting you with three numbered blocks and a total that you have to reach by adding two of them together. Your job is to knock the one you don’t need out by wielding the Wii remote like a hammer. The second game is a variant of spot the difference, except with inverted and distorted pictures where you have to place the missing elements in the second image. The third mini-game displays two towers of bricks where you have to punch holes in one so that it exactly matches up to the other.

All three games are played against an opponent, which implies that all or most of the other games will be too. Since you can also use your Mii character this is certain to be a multiplayer favourite for just about anyone in the family. So even if it doesn’t improve your brain power it should at least ensure you remain happy in your ignorance.
HARRISON DENT

Customer Reviews

A little bit of competitive speed and accuracy fun
There are several parts to this game. There is a "test" covering 5 areas of mental agility: identification, memory, analytical ability, computational ability and visualisation. Each area has three games such as identifying a fragmented picture, recognising faces, choosing the correct rotating shape, deciding whether more red or blue balls have gone into a basket, choosing the odd picture out. Each game has 4 levels of difficulty from easy through to expert, giving you a reasonable variety of play. To sit the test you go through all the games and get an overall score in "brain weight" and a grade at the end. There is also a practice section which allows you to choose to play games individually at your desired level and earn medals (bronze, silver, gold and platinum).

In addition to this part of the game there are 3 "group" games. Some you can play on your own, other games allow you to play in turn with someone else, or in a head-to-head simultaneous sprint. The fun thing about some of these sections is that new games pop up to save you from the repetition of the main 15 games.

As a near 40 year old I quite enjoy this. My 4 year old son can play and enjoy some of the games that don't involve reading words. So, like other reviewers, I find that this can bridge the age-gap in electronic gaming.

My only concern with this game is the implication that in "training" your brain it is somehow going to make you more clever. I am a neuropsychologist and loathe the cod-science that suggests that the brain is like a muscle - the more you use it the stronger it will become. This is not founded in scientific fact. You can get a practice effect on whatever task you are doing - with these games the more often you play them, the more familiar they are, the faster you can complete them so your score increases. It's a distracting bit of fun, it's not going to make you more clever than you already are!

I can recommend this game as good family entertainment.

Worth £20.
Bought for £20 new and sealed. Easy to play but also fun and challenging. Not as hard as I expected as I find high scores are effected by the speed you answer with as opposed to the question itself being tricky. But, I guess that keeps the game quick and exciting. Very nice presentation, quirky and bright/clear. Good with a friend playing together or against one another. Good use of Mii characters resulting in extra laughs and overall charm. Defiantely one of the best 'mini game games' on the Wii. Nice variety in question types and a cool reulsts board that displays your strongest/weakest category. Fun to try and get better results and improve your mental weak points. Well worth buying, these sort of games should be released for less then standard retail price so it's good that this one was.

Big Brainy Review
Big Brain academy is a very fun brain-quiz. I bought it for my brother's birthday.My brother is the one down below. My favourite game is face-case. big brain academy is my second best game! Martha - age 7.

Big brain academy is a very helpful disc because it can help you with school (if you're a child obviously). I especially like the headmaster, he is very funny sometimes.My favourite game is match blast, it is quite easy for me when it's on hard but overall i'm an expert when it's on easy. You learn lots on this disc it is very fun. It also looks like a school! Harvey - 9 years old.