DS Daily: Can Brain Age take over America?

by Alisha Karabinus { Sep 28th 2007 at 9:00AM }

It looks like NoA is taking steps to increase not only the popularity of Brain Age 2, but the DS as a whole. After an aggressive ad campaign, Brain Age 2 is taking Dr. Kawashima's show on the road. But will it work? Brain training is a worldwide phenomenon, but less popular in the U.S. with a nontraditional gaming audience -- and so is the DS, despite dominating sales on a regular basis. We'd still like to see Nintendo expand on this with some of the other "nongames" in the DS lineup, if only to ensure a wider audience and greater interest in the handheld, but hey, everything has to start somewhere. Do you think a mall tour and a salon presence will help shed a little more light on the DS and Brain Age in the U.S.?

Tags: Brain-Age-2, BrainAge2, mall-tour, marketing, Nintendo-of-America

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Sensai @ Sep 28th 2007 10:10AM

This picture makes me laugh everytime I see it.

I think it's the inclusion of the word 'freakin.'

hvnlysoldr @ Sep 28th 2007 10:22AM

I can attest that my hardcore gaming brother who's loving RE4 and Super Robot Taisen is obsessed with Brain Age 2.

unreal mccoy @ Sep 28th 2007 10:37AM

Me no like brain age.

rainking187 @ Sep 28th 2007 1:54PM

I think the problem may be that the first Brain Age was hands down the worst game I've ever played. I had absolutely zero fun while playing it.

wheatshelf @ Sep 28th 2007 2:17PM

brain age is beyond entertainment. it's about self-interest and the bettering of intellect. this game is brilliant and will help people build a foundation for critical thinking. i hope people stop complaining about it not being fun. i know it's a bit idealistic, but everyone should consider improving themselves rewarding and therefore worthwhile.

Orville the Unfathomable Time Walrus @ Sep 28th 2007 2:31PM

I never bought the first, I won't buy the second, nor will I buy any future incarnation or offshoot of this game. It does nothing to help the plight of quality games finding an already-small base on the system and the issue of disappointingly low localization rates, because the majority of those who are buying the system just for Brain Age/Brain Age 2 will NOT eventually branch out to the MP Hunters/FFIIIs/Phoenix Wrights/Trauma Centers/Castlevanias of the system.

If you're a well-rounded DS fan and like Brain Age, more power to you, my friend. My point is not against you but the fact that you are, unfortunately, not the primary demographic who purchases the game. The issue is that these types of games give developers the incentive to divert their resources to the production of cheap novelty games that don't "threaten" those who are put off by games as we know them. Nintendo has made a valiant effort to bring great games to the system, but, in the end, numbers are going to dictate what we get, so we shouldn't expect this golden age of a constant stream of quality releases to last forever.

I know this argument has been run into the ground, but I can't help but share these concerns.

Your Lost Socks @ Sep 28th 2007 4:49PM

@Sensai: Me too... it also has something to do with "REGGIE!!!!" scrawled on the nameplate at the top.

@Orville the U.T.W.: I agree with you in part, but I must point out that it isn't as though they are attempting to reach one or the other - or even both at the same time. There are casual gamers who are going to pick up a DS just for things like Brain Age and little puzzle games, and then there is another separate, equally prevalent group that are after more "hardcore" traditional *actual games*. Personally, I began as one of the latter group and overlap in many aspects; I do own Brain Age, might eventually own Brain Age 2, and as I often reiterate, Picross owns my soul. There are also crossovers in the other direction. But I cannot assume that Nintendo has any delusions of casually-gaming, puzzle-loving folks picking up Brain Age and liking it so much that they then go after MP:H or Castlevania.
I have heard your argument echoed around the internet and can see where it comes from - things like Brain Age would seem to threaten gaming as we know it as more of this software comes to the public eye. When a group of people love something, it breaks them up to see it begin to be whored out to the masses as something any Joe can appreciate. But I cannot see in the long term the DS becoming a merely a PDA or piece of mental exercise equipment. It has the potential for an increasing effect on the public view of gaming as an acceptable activity, but there remains an appreciable and *appreciated* gap between this and "gaming" both in reputation and form.
S'my two cents, anyway.