NCS
Product Synopsis
«©NCSX»
A couple
of years ago, Nintendo ignited a new gaming
genre which challenged gamers with arithmetic,
mental exercises, and other interactions which
required thinking and reasoning. Sega jumped on the
bandwagon with Brain Trainer which
sold relatively well...
Brain Trainer -
Original Arrival Date: October 20, 2005
«©NCSX»
The logo of Tokohoku University, Sendai sits on the
front of Sega's latest PSP game. In case you're
wondering, the logo depicts a brain underneath a
samurai helmet. The Brain Trainer software includes
brain exercises which are based on the work of Ryuta
Kawashima, a professor of neuroscience at Tohoku U.
Ryuta Kawashima conducted research which showed that
elderly test subjects who suffered from dementia
improved dramatically when they were inducted into a
regimen of math and reading-out-loud exercises.
Ryuta found that these two simple activities helped
the communication skills and motor functions of the
elderly test subjects. Sensing a sensation, Ryuta
Kawashima trademarked his mental exercise program
under the name of Learning Therapy and he wrote two
books called Nou Kitaeru Otona no Doriru (Drills for
adults to train their Brains) with different math
exercises and passages to read. The books were a
success in Japan and sold more than 2 million
copies.
Earlier this year, Kawashima's learning program
reached the Nintendo DS and now the PSP is a
recipient of more brain training courtesy of Ryuta's
groundbreaking work. At the outset of the
interaction, players enter their name, date of
birth, and other personal details. You are then
shuffled into a classroom where a guide introduces
you to the exercises. Input is entered through the
four face buttons. For example, an arithmetic
problem appears on the left portion of the screen
and the possible answers are shown on the right side
of the screen. Press the face button that
corresponds to the answer and you're off to the next
problem.
The full name of this game is Touhokudai Gaku
Mirai Kagakugijutsu Kyoudoukenkyuu Center: Kahashima
Ryuuta Kyouju Kanshuu Nou Chikara Trainer Portable.
NCS Software Notes
* The math drills are made up of simple addition and
subtraction equations. You're graded not only on
correct answers but also on the speed at which you
answer them. Scoring 20/20 questions at a slower
pace will earn you a "B" but answer the equations
quickly and you'll earned a coveted "A" score.
* Drills can contain 20, 30, or 50 questions; the
quantity is selected by the test taker.
* Math tests include the aforementioned addition
and subtraction exercises but there's also a series
where one presses the PSP face buttons in the
sequence of the numbers shown on screen from lowest
to highest. There's another where a series of digits
are shown and then followed up by another series of
digits. The goal here is to press on the number that
has changed from the previous series.
Brain Trainer 2 -
Original Arrival Date: May 24, 2006
«©NCSX»
Just as a muscle tends to atrophy due to lack of
use, the brain becomes dull when unchallenged by
stimulation. To prevent the population growth of
dim-witted dullards, Sega's second Brain Trainer
software features 50 thinking exercises which engage
and jolt brains into fighting shape. Similar to the
original Brain Trainer software, Professor Ryuuta
Kawashima from Tohoku University provides the design
pointers and testing methodology with which to test
one's brain.
Upon booting the software, users are prompted
with three menu selections for (1) Registering a new
test-taker, (2) Resuming a saved account, and (3)
Engaging another player in ad-hoc testing battle. Up
to four players may create a data file to store
personal information such as name, date of birth,
and sex to keep track of their testing results and
any improvements as exercises are conquered over the
course of days, weeks, and months.
At the outset of the Brain Trainer Portable 2, a
quick examination is given to determine the player's
brain age in order to set up a baseline. The optimum
brain age is 20 years old. Once the baseline is
established, a series of drills and exercises may be
played to improve one's calculation, judgment,
memory, and reflection skills. For example, if your
brain age is 50 but you're only 25 years old, the
testing may drop your brain age to something that's
closer to your chronological age.
Exercises featured in Brain Trainer 2
Portable include
» Perform calculations with three figures. For
example 1 + 2 + 5 = ?
» Determine the sum of colored numbers that are
mixed with other numbers
» Play rocks-scissors-paper by pressing TRIANGLE, O,
or X.
» Arrange jumbled pictures so that they're whole
once again
» Stare at a splayed out die and figure out the
missing face
» Look at shape patterns and fill in the missing
pattern sequence
» A face appears. It appears again. What's missing
in the second showing?
» Four objects are shown in a square. Memorize them
and their positions
» ...and many more
Sale Offering
NCS' remaining inventory of
the
PSP Brain Trainers
for the Playstation Portable is new, factory
sealed, and in excellent condition. Pricing
is set at US$39.90 for both titles which includes "free" shipping by USPS Media Mail within the U.S.
The full
names of the Brain Trainers is:
» Touhokudai Gaku Mirai Kagakugijutsu
Kyoudoukenkyuu Center: Kahashima Ryuuta Kyouju
Kanshuu Nou Chikara Trainer Portable
» Kahashima Ryuuta Kyouju Kanshuu Nou Chikara
Trainer Portable 2
Original Dates of Release in Japan:
October 20, 2005, May 24, 2006
Product
SKU:
ULJM-05050,
ULJM-05126
/ Jan Code: 4974365900045,
4974365900175
/
NCS Sale of the Day Archive
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This document and photos are ©NCSX 2005, 2006, 2008. All rights
reserved. No reproduction in whole or in part of
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