Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! - Nintendo DS
FAQ/Guide
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TRAIN YOUR  |  ___|  IN MINUTES
BRAIN      | |___        A DAY
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Written by Matthew M. Jean
Copyright 2006
Created May 7th, 2006
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===== Version History ======
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Version 1.0 - 5/07/06
Completed Guide and will add the DS Download section next update.
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==== Contacting Me ====
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These are the only kind of e-mails I want:
- Questions about Brain Age
- Info that is USEFUL and isn't in the FAQ
- Spelling errors, continuity errors, words touching, etc.
- Comments. Like it? Hate it? - Let me know
If you have a question after reading the walkthrough part, then e-mail me,
but it better have something to do with Brain Age and something that isn't
answered in the FAQ. I check my e-mail everyday, so you should get a reply
quickly.
E-MAIL: MetalGearRex007 at wowway . com
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Donations:
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I'm not asking for or expecting them, but if you feel this guide has helped
you and want to send me a donation, just send me an e-mail and I'll let you
know where you can send them.
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===== TABLE OF CONTENTS =====
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I.    Basic Information
Background
Controls
How Fast Was Your Brain Working?
II.     Quick Play
Quick Brain Age Check
Quick Training
Quick Sudoku
III.    Daily Training
Creating a Profile
Calendar / Menu Screen
Brain Age Check
Training
Stamps
Graph
Options
IV.     Sudoku
How to Play
Other Tips
V.    FAQ
VI.    Closing Comments
VII.    Thanks and Credits
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I. Basic Information
=============================================
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Background
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Brain Age is not a "game" per se. It is more of a training program to help
improve your memory and motor skills. Of course, that doesn't mean it's not
fun. Nintendo brought the game over here to the U.S. after the huge popularity
it's had with all ages in Japan. They now hope to bring the same success to
America.
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Controls
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The game is played with the DS being held on it's side, like a book. This
makes it easier to read and write at the same time, not to mention it's
actually more comfortable to hold this way. Everything is controlled with the
stylus and the microphone. No buttons are used. All answers are written on
the right side if you are right handed and the left if you are left handed.
So for those who are right handed, you will hold the DS like this:
___________  ___________
|     ::    ||           |
|  _______  ||  _______  |
| |       | || |       | |
| |  LOOK | || | WRITE | |
| |  HERE | || | HERE  | |
| |       | || |       | |
| |_______| || |_______| |
|     ::    ||           |
|___________||___________|
And for the left handers:
___________  ___________
|           ||    ::     |
|  _______  ||  _______  |
| |       | || |       | |
| | WRITE | || | LOOK  | |
| | HERE  | || | HERE  | |
| |       | || |       | |
| |_______| || |_______| |
|           ||    ::     |
|___________||___________|
The hand writing recognition is good for the most part.  But sometimes it may
confuse one letter or number you write for another or it may not register it
at all.  This is not a big problem and does not occur too often.  Just try
to write as clearly as possible during the timed tests so you don't get a
bad score because the game failed to recognize a number you wrote.
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How Fast Was Your Brain Working?
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After completing most puzzles and tests, you will be told what speed your
brain was working at with a comparison based on vehicles. Here is the chart
from slowest to fastest:
Walking Speed
Bicycle Speed
Car Speed
Train Speed
Jet Speed
Rocket Speed
=============================================
II. Quick Play
=============================================
The first of the four modes on the main menu is Quick Play. This is for
people that don't own Brain Age and want to see what it's all about. Tap
on Quick Play and it will bring you to three different options for you to try.
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Quick Brain Age Check
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This is a stroop test (more on that in the Daily Training section) that will
tell you what decade of life your brain is at, according to the results of
the test. A more detailed result is given in the Daily Training mode.
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Quick Training
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A calculation test that gives you 20 random math problems. The left screen
will display the current problem and you are to write the correct answer on
the touch (right) screen. Do this as fast as possible to find out how fast
your brain was working.
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Quick Sudoku
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This gives you a random Sudoku puzzle to solve. More on how to play Sudoku
in the Sudoku section.
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III. Daily Training
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Creating a Profile
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This is the main meat of the "game". Here you do your Daily Exercises and keep
that brain of yours nice and strong. When you first click on Daily Training,
you are required to input your the correct date and what hand you write with.
Then you are given the Stroop Test. This will test your ability to seperate
colors and words. When the test begins, random words will appear on the
screen. Now speak into the microphone and say the COLOR of the word you see,
not the word itself.
After the stroop test, you will be asked to write your name for your profle
and then your birth date, month and year. Once all of your information is
entered, the game tells you what your current Brain Age is, based on the
results of the stroop test.
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Calendar / Menu Screen
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Now that you've created a profile, you can start brain training. On the left
screen (for right handers, right screen for lefties) is your calendar and the
right screen displays four options.
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Brain Age Check
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Tap on this and it will give you the chance to update your Brain Age. The
goal Brain Age for a person is 20. You will be given three random tests, all
used to determine your current Brain Age. Once you complete your three tests,
the game will update your Brain Age according to how well you perfomed. Make
sure you complete all three tests without stopping because if you cancel
before all three are completed, the Brain Age will not be updated. Here is
a detailed list of the tests used in Brain Age Check:
____________________
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====| Calculations X 20  |====
|____________________|
Write down the answer to the math problems as fast as possible.  Simple.
____________________
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====|    Word Memory     |====
|____________________|
Displayed on both screens is a total of 32 words and you have two minutes
to memorize as many as you can. When the two minutes are up, you then have
three minutes to write down as many words as you can remember from that list.
It may be tempting to write down the words on a sheet of paper before taking
the second part of the test, but it defeats the purpose of the exersise.
____________________
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====|   Speed Counting   |====
|____________________|
Clearly count outloud from 1 to 120 into the microphone. When you are finished
counting, tap done.
____________________
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====|    Stroop Test     |====
|____________________|
Colored words will appear on the screen. What you need to do is say the COLOR
of the word into the microphone - not the word itself. This will be the first
test you take when creating a profile.
____________________
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====|    Connect Maze    |====
|____________________|
There are 13 letters and 13 numbers scattered across the screen. Your job is
to draw a line from, starting with "A", each letter to the next number. So
you would start by drawing a line from "A" to the number "1" then from "1",
draw a line to the letter "B". From "B" you would draw a line to the number
"2" and so forth. Do this until you get to the number "13". Throughout the
test you are not allowed to lift your stylus or touch any number or letter
out of order. This test is timed so try to do this as quickly as possible.
____________________
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====|   Number Cruncher  |====
|____________________|
This one is one of my favorites. The test will ask you random questions about
the numbers displayed on the left screen. Example: "How many red 7's are
there?" or "How many numbers are sliding?" When you know the answer, write
it down and another question and set of numbers will be displayed.
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Training
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Selecting this will give you a list of different training exersises. I will
go through each exersise in detail. Some are unlocked after obtaining enough
stamps.
____________________
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====| Calculations X 20  |====
|____________________|
Write down the answer to the math problems as fast as possible. Simple. What
you want to do is read the next problem as you write the answer to the
problem above it.
____________________
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====| Calculations X 100 |====
|____________________|
Once again, write down the answer to the math problems as fast as possible.
____________________
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====|   Reading Aloud    |====
|____________________|
A short story is displayed and all you do is read the story OUT LOUD into the
microphone as fast and as clear as possible. Flip the pages by tapping "next"
with the stylus.
____________________
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====|    Low to High     |====
|____________________|
There are a set of numbers that will appear for a moment on the screen.
After they disappear, tap the boxes accordingly in order from lowest to
highest.
____________________
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====|   Syllable Count   |====
|____________________|
Read the small quote that is displayed and write down how many syllables make
up the quote. Example: "An apple a day will keep the doctor away." There are
11 syllables in that quote: "An ap-ple a day will keep the doc-tor away." So
you would write down 11 as your answer.
____________________
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====|     Time Lapse     |====
|____________________|
Quickly as you can, figure out how much time has passed between the top clock
and the lower clock. Then write down the amount in hours and minutes.
____________________
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====|     Head Count     |====
|____________________|
A house will fall on a group of people. It's your job to keep track of how
many people come in and out of the house. Keep track as best you can and
when it asks you how many people are currently in the house, write it down.
____________________
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====|   Triangle Math    |====
|____________________|
Nintendo's instruction booklet describes this better than I ever could, so
here it is:
"Start from the top and work your way down, performing calculations on the
numbers based on the mathematical operators that appear between them. Once
you finish the top level, solve the problems in the second row using the
answers derived from above. Continue this process until only one answer
remains. Please write this number in the frame provided on the Touch Screen."
____________________
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====|  Voice Calculation |====
|____________________|
Just like Calculations X 20, but instead you say the answer, not write it.
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Stamps
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After completing an exersise, you will receive a stamp on your calendar. You
only get one per day, but you only have to complete one exersise to get it.
Collect enough stamps and you start unlocking more exersises and other things.
Here is a list of the unlockables:
01 Stamp    Unlock Low to High Exersise
02 Stamps    Unlock Syllable Count Exersise
03 Stamps    Unlock Head Count Exersise
13 Stamps    Unlock Triangle Math Exersise
15 Stamps    Unlock Time Lapse Exersise
20 Stamps    Unlock Voice Calculation Exersise
05 Stamps    Unlock Tips Option
07 Stamps    Unlock Stamp Designer Option
09 Stamps    Hard Mode for Head Count Exersise
11 Stamps    Hard Mode for Calculations X 100 Exersise
17 Stamps    Hard Mode for Triangle Math Exersise
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Graph
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This allows you to view your progress in each training program over a two
month period. By tapping the arrows on the top of the screen, you can view
different months. If you have more than one profile on the Game Card, you
can compare your stats with another profile.
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Options
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== Settings ==
This allows you to change the font size when reading, whether you use your
right or left hand and the choice to erase your profile.
== Change Signiture ==
Sick of your original profile signiture? Change it.
== Stamp Design ==
When you get a certain amount of stamps on your calendar, you unlock the
option to change the stamp design (the default being the OK with a circle
around it).
== Tips ==
Any tips the doctor gives you after completing a training program will be
added here to view at any time.
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IV. Sudoku
=============================================
I never even heard of Sudoku before getting this game, but I found it to be
pretty fun and addicting. There are 3 different difficulty levels: Beginner,
Intermidiate and after you unlock it, Advanced. Under each difficulty are
four tutorials and 36 puzzles.
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How to Play
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Each puzzle contains 9x9 grid like this:
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|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
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To solve the puzzle, you must fill in each square with the digits 1-9. But
there are guidelines you must follow:
1) Each column can only contain one of each number from 1-9. Example:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
|_|_|_|_|2|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|7|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|4|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|5|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|9|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|1|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|6|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|3|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|8|_|_|_|_|
2) Each row can only contain one of each number from 1-9. Example:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
|_|_|_|_|2|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|7|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|4|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|5|_|_|_|_|
|5|3|2|6|9|7|4|1|8|
|_|_|_|_|1|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|6|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|3|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|8|_|_|_|_|
3) Each large 3x3 square can only contain one of each number from 1-9.
Example:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
|_|_|_|_|2|_|1|5|6|
|_|_|_|_|7|_|2|4|9|
|_|_|_|_|4|_|3|8|7|
|_|_|_|_|5|_|_|_|_|
|5|3|2|6|9|7|4|1|8|
|_|_|_|_|1|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|6|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|3|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|8|_|_|_|_|
When you think you know where a number belongs, tap on a square to zoom
in on it. Then fill it in with a large number, then zoom out.
Using these guidelines, there becomes only one solution to every puzzle.
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Other Tips
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Before starting a puzzle, you are asked if you want to be notified if you
write an incorrect answer.  If you choose "Yes", then you are allowed 5
mistakes per puzzle before it sends you back to the puzzle menu. A green
check mark will appear over the number as it zooms out. If you were
incorrect, a red X will appear as you zoom out.
Choosing "No" means you won't know if an answer is wrong until every square
is filled. A green check mark will appear over the number as it zooms out. If
you were incorrect, a red X will appear as you zoom out.
If you want to make a note of where a number could go, zoom in on a square and
write down a small number and it will record it in that area of the square.
Then when you figure out the answer, just draw a large number over any notes
in that square to delete them. Drawing a large zero in a box will erase any
small notes.
If for some reason you are not able to finish a puzzle in one sitting, just
tap on "Save and Quit" in the corner of the screen and you can resume it
later.
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V. FAQ
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Q: If it's not really a game, then is this worth buying?
A: Depends on if you want to have a nice tool to help improve brain functions.
Sudoku is very fun and might be worth the purchase, but there is a limited
number of puzzles to complete (unless you want to go back and try to finish
them faster). At a price of $19.99, it's not a bad deal.
Q: Why does it always screw up my fours (4)?
/ |               |  |
A: They expect you to write them more like this: /__| (4) not this: |__|
Notice the "triangle".                    |                   |
|                  |
Q: I have trouble speaking english, is there another language option?
A: Not that I know of. About 15% of exersises are reading based and I think
the microphone only counts the syllables, not if you are reading it
correctly. The only one that might be trouble is the Stroop Test - that
one does know if you are saying the word wrong.
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VI. Closing Comments
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Nintendo sent me this game for free to try out before it was released (thanks
again) and I actually had no intention on buying it. But after playing this
for a few minutes each day, I think it's a great training tool. For anyone
who enjoys something different and has a $20 bill, this is a good addition
to your DS library. Not everyone will have the patience to play this everyday
and may think this is a cheap way for Nintendo to make money. So this "game"
is definately not for everyone.
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VII. Credits and Thanks
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A. Thank You:
- Nintendo for always trying something different.
- GameFaqs. For letting me have this on the site.
- Readers. I hope this guide helped.
- CJayC. For this awesome site.
B. Credits:
- ME! For writing this FAQ.
If you feel I used info from an e-mail you sent me in this guide and I
forgot to give you credit, tell me. I get a pile of e-mails (not that I'm
complaining) each day and it's hard to keep track of all of them.
This FAQ is to only be hosted on GameFaqs.com and GameSpot.com
Matthew M. Jean
Copyright 2006