Review for Brain Training by Dr. Kawashima for Nintendo Switch. Game for Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 03/01/2020
In 2006, a year after its release in Japan, it made its debut on the Nintendo DS, Brain Training by Dr. Kawashima. A puzzle game based on the experiments of the neuroscientist Ryuta Kawashima, Supervisor of the Creation Center for New Industry at Tohoku University, with the aim of training the human brain with fun questions and tests of acumen. The success of the first chapter, later released on Nintendo Wii U, led the creation of the brilliant scientist to have further sequels including, a decade after the last one, Brain Training by Dr. Kawashima for Nintendo Switch.
Departing from what in the imaginary collective are the cornerstones of a video game (interesting storyline, active gameplay, captivating graphics or rewarding soundtrack), this title presents itself as a form of educational entertainment, i.e. entertainment aimed at both educating and entertaining. The basic structure of this chapter is so simple that it is reduced to only two modes: daily individual training and local multiplayer challenges. Another mode, called the world championship, is already present in the game even if it is blocked waiting for an update.
In addition to the classic memory card, the Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training package for Nintendo Switch contains a tactile stylus, definitely useful and comfortable to use in this specific video game. Although the stylus gives concrete help in carrying out the questions, we often found ourselves dealing with a wavering perception of writing, having to rewrite the same number over and over again before the video game really distinguished a specific number. This, at times, becomes frustrating, especially in those exercises like Calculus 25 where the vote is also based on the writing and calculation time. Then there are other exercises which, such as Lettura ad Alta Voce, return unchanged with respect to the other editions.
As in the original, in fact, Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo Switch offers a series of stimulating exercises, ranging from simple calculation to memorization, from reading to music. The latter is one of the most fun and, perhaps, least comfortable activities: in portable mode, in fact, having to hold the console with one hand and press the keys of a virtual piano with the other, following a score, it is a a task that is often complex. This problem is exacerbated on the Nintendo Switch Lite, which does not have the ability to detach the Joy-Con, although it benefits from a reduced weight of the console. Furthermore, not having a Joy-Con available reduces the activities of this title by a large number. Several exercises, in fact, take advantage of the infrared sensor and with the Lite version you would find yourself using an incomplete video game.
Some exercises are designed almost exclusively for local multiplayer: in this circumstance again it is necessary to have Joy-Con, thus making the purchase almost mandatory for those who own a Nintendo Switch Lite.
It would be a fun title, but boring in the long run, were it not for the fact that to unlock all the exercises you need to get the stamps. This therefore encourages us to return to the video game every day to unlock all available activities. The profile is updated after each workout according to parameters that take into account some specific factors such as self-control, processing speed and memory: this stimulates you to practice and constantly improve your result. While on the one hand we could define Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training as a pastime among more demanding video games, on the other hand this new work from Nintendo knows how to capture the interest of the gamer in its constant search for improvement of cognitive performance.
The complete localization in Spanish, combined with a relatively low price for a video game in physical version for Nintendo Switch, are further points in favor for a title that makes its simplicity in use its strong point.
Brain Training by Dr. Kawashima for Nintendo Switch is a fun, training, challenging, complete and perfect title if used for short game sessions, although unchanged in its original formula. The use of the console in portable mode is not always comfortable, especially when it must be held in the hand and not supported, for this reason it would be preferable to use a Nintendo Switch Lite, were it not that this would preclude some activities that require infrared, therefore of the purchase of further additional Joy-Con. To this are added some problems in reading the numbers even using the stylus supplied in the physical version. In conclusion, however, we recommend the purchase both for the complete localization in Spanish and for the decidedly low price for an official Nintendo video game.
► Brain Training by Dr. Kawashima for Nintendo Switch is a Puzzle type game developed and published by Nintendo for Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 03/01/2020
