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Brain Age: Concentration Training |OT| More RAM for your brain!

donny2112

Member
BACT_boxart.jpg


Release Date(s):
JP: July 28, 2012
NA: February 10, 2013 ($29.99 retail/download) (download size - 3359 blocks/~400 MBs)
EU: July 28, 2017
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Genre: Education
Multiplayer: Non-simultaneous. Compare results across multiple players on same game.

What is it? Hard.
No, really. What is it? Very hard.

Brain Age: Concentration Training is the third game in the Brain Age series from Nintendo. Whereas the first two games were focused on speeding up your ability to process information, the third game is focused on expanding your capacity to retain information in short-term "working memory." (Link: "'Working memory' refers to the memory process for temporarily holding, manipulating and using information. It is a brain function that checks goal-oriented memorized material against multiple pieces of stored information and responds appropriately.") In computer terms, the first two Brain Age games were focused on increasing your brain's CPU processing ability and the third game is focused on increasing your brain's RAM. The first game created for this Brain Age is N-back. It was originally requested by Dr. Kawashima to help Japanese Olympic athletes before the 2010 Winter Olympics. According to the Iwata Asks columns on BACT, "those athletes actually surprised everyone by achieving new personal bests." This was on an Olympic event called "Skeleton", which is like a one-person bobsled on a boogie board. A key for this sport is remembering the track and finding your ideal lines down the course. Increasing the brain's RAM, in this case, would then potentially allow them to retain more of their last run in working memory to improve their time on the next run. Nintendo then decided to turn it into a full game on DS, which changed to 3DS.

N-back is a series of simple math problems (i.e. addition and subtraction with total between 0 and 9), but instead of answering the question being shown, you answer the question shown "n" times previously. So in 1-back, if the first equation is "2+3" and the second equation is "4+5," you'd write "5" when the second equation is shown. 1-back isn't hard. Some people have trouble with 2-back. 3-back was the initial wall for me. It's in hitting that wall where your brain is forced to adapt, and BACT keeps you near/at the wall with its dynamic difficulty. If you score "well' on the current level, it gets harder. If you tank, the level goes down. If you do "okay," you stay at the current level. In this manner, BACT keeps challenging you to get better and better. Each session is timed for 5 minutes of work (Dr. Kawashima talking in-between doesn't count against the time). In the next day's session, you start off where you would've been if the previous day's session had continued. Meaning that if you scored 85% or higher on 3-back the previous today (i.e. "well"), you go to 3-back Fast today. That's how BACT keeps you constantly pushing your own limits in its predetermined games. In addition to N-back, there's Word-focused concentration training, keeping track of hidden items behind moving blocks, and others.

In addition to the main Brain Age Concentration exercises, there are also some "Supplemental exercises" (repeats from previous Brain Age games, including Calculations x 20), Relaxation Training, and Awards (amongst some other options). Relaxation Training are puzzle/time-waster type games like Dr. Mario-type and other falling item puzzles. Games you can put your mind into cruise control to play. Awards are like an achievement system for the game to give you a little "good job" boost for reaching a higher level or for training for multiple days. The award is in the form of a certificate from Dr. Kawashima.

There is a demo on the eShop showing N-back training, so give it a shot.

Supplemental Information:
* Iwata Asks: Dr. Kawashima
* Iwata Asks: BACT Developers

Early screenshot for tentatively titled "Dr. Kawashima Hellish Training"
(They really wanted to emphasize that it's hard. :p )

BACT_Hellish_Training.jpg
 

n64coder

Member
I enjoyed the game that came with my DSi XL. For me, the gating factor has been my writing speed for some of the exercises like Calculations X 20. It annoys me when the game misinterpret what I write and give me an error. I probably need to learn the tricks to write in "shorthand".

My favorite part of the previous game has been the Dr Mario. I think I got up to level 26 or 27 on hard. I'm amazed at this woman who got to level 40 on hard.

I played the new game demo and like others, I did struggle with 3-back.

So is this game frequently discounted after it's been out for a while?
 

Eusis

Member
I wonder how effective it really is, I may grab it if so but I recall hearing the original games were more placebo than anything.
 

zroid

Banned
3-back will be the end of me

BTW you guys should read the Iwata Asks, it's quite fascinating. More than most, even.
 

Wiz

Member
3-Back is almost scientifically impossible or something, yet they still torture us with it. :(

Anyways, I plan on getting this game digitally so I can have it around when I want to stretch my noggin.
 

NeOak

Member
I wonder how effective it really is, I may grab it if so but I recall hearing the original games were more placebo than anything.

For engineering exams, the math exercises helped with quick thinking while calculating.

For electronics, Sudoku helped.
 

donny2112

Member
BTW you guys should read the Iwata Asks, it's quite fascinating. More than most, even.
Iwata: When people first give Devilish Calculations a go, they will probably be able to get three calculations back and then they'll hit a wall.

Takahashi: Yes, three is about right.

Kawamoto: At that point, players will think, "No one could possibly go any further!" But I imagine that if they then run into someone through StreetPass who has gone four back, they'll think, "If someone else can do it, then so can I!"

Takahashi: The company record is thirteen results back.

Kitamura: That's where it currently stands, anyway.

Iwata: I've heard that someone at Dr. Kawashima's laboratory has gone 20 back.

Kawamoto: I know!

Takahashi: That's superhuman!

Iwata: I think you could say that person has a superpower! (laughs) Part of the fun of this software is wondering how far back human beings are capable of going.

Kitamura: Dr. Kawashima said he wanted to test the boundaries of what human beings are capable of.

Iwata: So how far back does the game allow you to go?

Kitamura: Ninety-nine results back.

O.O

3-Back is almost scientifically impossible or something, yet they still torture us with it. :(

With 3-back, I took to listing out the numbers out loud, and as it shifted to the next problem, the numbers shifted, too.

343
435
359
590
901
etc.

That made it more manageable.
 

Lambtron

Unconfirmed Member
I bought this on the eShop so I had easy access to it for daily training. It's pretty enjoyable so far.
 
I played the demo and watched the official videos that showed the other training games. Just not fun to me. The original games had a nice challenge to them and were also fun at the same time. These just don't do it for me. Nintendo's Big Brain Academy is still my favorite.
 

creid

Member
Worth mentioning in the OP since this would make a good digital download game: it takes up 3359 blocks.
 

MLH

Member
Argh I'm sure this was announced for a March 15th release in Europe on Nintendo Direct. Guess they pushed it back like everything else... I've not bought a 3DS game since December.
Anyway very excited for this, loved the DS games, kept me sharp.
 

KNT-Zero

Member
Really looking forward to this one. My brain needs some sharpening on the memorization area.
And my wallet money to get a 3DSXL :'/

Worth mentioning in the OP since this would make a good digital download game: it takes up 3359 blocks.

How so? Is it below the average block capacity or something?
 
loving the setup.

Finally getting better at 3-Back!

fukc 3-Mice though!

2-back is easy after some practice, 3-back needs lots of practice and concentration


still waiting for this to happen

Iwata: That’s right. Someone who played Devilish Calculations told me that answers just started popping up in their head while they played, even though they hadn’t consciously remembered them.

Kawashima: My own sense is that when I started to be able to handle two to three backs casually and to think I would probably be able to handle four backs soon, something switched…

Iwata: You mean, your conscious working memory reaches its limit in Devilish Calculations at about three problems back, and to answer a four-back problem, you’ve got to be able to make use of your unconscious working memory?

Kawashima: That’s right. You know the answer even though you’re not conscious of it. It just comes out. You have to draw out something that’s buried deeper than the numbers in your head. Something lurking in the shadows behind your conscious memory suddenly comes forth. Even I find that to be incredibly mysterious. I’ve experienced moments when I felt, “Oh, my brain has changed.”.
 
This game is ridiculously addicting, but hard. I try to do at least one every day, plus the piano/music minigame and/or solitare. DD is the way to go with this one, in my opinion (if you can get by that Nintendo system).
 

donny2112

Member
No, just so people know how much room they need in their fridge.

OP updated with the blocks/MBs (in case they know how much room is on their SD card more than how many blocks are available).

Between this and Fire Emblem (replaying Sacred Stones before Awakening's release and Awakening), I think I qualify as a hardcore gamer again. Been doing ~3 hours per day on 3DS (haven't really been playing anything else lately). Can remember putting in < 1 hour per day for DQVI/other DS RPGs/Layton: Spectre for some months last year.

Brain Age: Concentration Training - Become a hardcore gamer again*

* - Valid if bought with Fire Emblem: Awakening
 

Tyeforce

Member
I tried the demo.

3-Back killed me :(

Is the game only about that?
No, there's more to the game than just Devilish Training (though that is the main focus of this one), and there are more Devilish Training exercises than just Devilish Calculations. The official website has a lot of information about the game: http://brainage.nintendo.com


I'm absolutely loving this game so far! It's only been three days, but I feel like I'm making a little progress already. The game is incredibly polished and very addicting. I actually look forward to playing it every day!
 

Mendoza

Member
I'm on the fence about this one strictly on the price. The last two titles in the series were $20. Now they are expecting me to pay $30? Is it worth it? I played the demo, but it doesn't give me much of an idea on how robust this game is compaired to Brain Age 1-2 (which I only played for a every day for like 2 to 3 weeks.)
Can anyone recommend?
 

Boss Doggie

all my loli wolf companions are so moe
Ah whoops, meant to say 2-Back.

No, there's more to the game than just Devilish Training (though that is the main focus of this one), and there are more Devilish Training exercises than just Devilish Calculations. The official website has a lot of information about the game: http://brainage.nintendo.com


I'm absolutely loving this game so far! It's only been three days, but I feel like I'm making a little progress already. The game is incredibly polished and very addicting. I actually look forward to playing it every day!

Ahh interesting. I wonder if it's cheap locally here.
 

trinest

Member
Wish it was out here, or at least a demo (PAL).

Super excited for it, and it been hard is a good thing. I need to train my brain.
 

donny2112

Member
I'm on the fence about this one strictly on the price. The last two titles in the series were $20. Now they are expecting me to pay $30? Is it worth it?

Base price for 3DS games went from $30 to $40 (+$10), so it makes sense that the entry budget new releases would tend to go up from $20 to $30 (e.g. Tetris Axis, Crosswords Plus, New Art Academy, Brain Age 3D). If price is an issue, wait and pick it up on sale eventually. For me, that was not a viable option, since it makes way more sense to keep this on the 3DS all the time to play each day. Think of it like a $10 convenience tax for download version?
 

Roto13

Member
I didn't realize there was an OT for this game. I've been using it every day. I can see myself sticking with this one a lot longer than I stuck with the other games, since it's in my 3DS forever.

Why does this game seem to recognize my numbers better in Brain Training than in Devilish Training?

I like that Blob Blast uses the music from Wario's Woods. :p
I'm on the fence about this one strictly on the price. The last two titles in the series were $20. Now they are expecting me to pay $30? Is it worth it?

I was concerned about this, too (especially after Crosswords Plus) but Concentration Training has a lot of content.
still waiting for this to happen

That happened to me yesterday with Devilish Shapes. It felt almost like I was guessing, but I was getting them right. :p
 

donny2112

Member
Why does this game seem to recognize my numbers better in Brain Training than in Devilish Training?

I think the Supplemental Training uses the Brain Age character recognition and the Devilish Training uses the updated version. It'll recognize my lower-case 'i' in Supplemental, but only seems to take a straight line for the 'i' in Devilish Training, for example. Have had to change how '5's are written, too. In Brain Age, making an S (which is faster) worked. In Devilish Training, it misinterprets that too often.

That happened to me yesterday with Devilish Shapes. It felt almost like I was guessing, but I was getting them right. :p

It being a 1 out of 3 chance even if you never saw the shapes flash by on the top screen probably helps. :)
 

Roto13

Member
I think the Supplemental Training uses the Brain Age character recognition and the Devilish Training uses the updated version. It'll recognize my lower-case 'i' in Supplemental, but only seems to take a straight line for the 'i' in Devilish Training, for example. Have had to change how '5's are written, too. In Brain Age, making an S (which is faster) worked. In Devilish Training, it misinterprets that too often.



It being a 1 out of 3 chance even if you never saw the shapes flash by on the top screen probably helps. :)

Being a 1 out or 3 chance wouldn't lead to me getting 90% right.
 

Chairhome

Member
Are there multiple profiles supported in this? I want this but I'm not sure if I want a physical or digital copy. Leaning towards physical so my wife can play also on her 3DS.
 

Roto13

Member
Blob Blast was designed by someone who has no idea that falling block puzzle games have algorithms to keep them from being a matter of luck.
Are there multiple profiles supported in this? I want this but I'm not sure if I want a physical or digital copy. Leaning towards physical so my wife can play also on her 3DS.

It saves up to four profiles.
 

JordanN

Banned
I wonder why this game costs $30? Did creating the shaders for Mr. Kawashima skyrocket development costs?

Also, it's interesting to note this game runs at 60fps in both 2D and 3D. I think the first game was 30fps and that was just a floating head.
 

Eusis

Member
Well, this IS fully voiced (for however much that really matters), and I figure a 99 cent app is only going to cover one part of this, though adding up probably makes it $10-20 at most.

But I kinda suspect the iOS model is suicide for all but a few anyway, so I'm not holding them as a benchmark. I did take issue with Crosswords though, because that doesn't sound meaty enough to justify the price, and forget mobile, you can get crossword books for less if that's all you wanted.
 
I bit the bullet and got it.

My girlfriend and I played through the first 5-minute training, and she outperformed me on the 2-back exercises, but I largely attribute that to additional motivation on her part to surpass me.
 
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