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There is no machine that can turn back time, but there might be
one to train your brain to stay sharper for years to come.
 Senior citizens are the
NEW growth market being targeted by the
video game industry.
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At SeniorSite, we reviewed Brain Age on both a Nintendo DS and DS
Lite test unit and during our own informal testing among different age groups between the ages of 50 and 75 found the Brain Age
game stimulating and fun.
We can highly recommend it.
Another test focus group conducted by NY Focus company ACBR
Marketing Research, Inc. found that after a five minute
introductory tutorial on how to navigate the game for
individuals who never used a game unit before, the results
were that seniors embraced the technology and enjoyed
testing their knowledge and stimulating their minds, so much
so that most people wanted to continue to play with the game
after their time allowance was over.
Bottom Line: Most people didn't want to give the game up...
Try it, you'll like it. |
"What we're unveiling is the next leap in gaming!" said Reggie
Fils-Aime, Executive Vice President, Nintendo of America, at a
recent unveiling of the company's latest offering, "Brain
Age," aimed at older consumers.
The gamers in the Brain Age ads clearly did not grow up with PCs,
video on demand, and video games. They're all smiling – but
Nintendo's pitch is all about health: "Studies show," says one ad,
"cognitive exercise can help increase blood flow to the brain."
"People are always looking for ways to keep their bodies healthy,"
says Nintendo VP Perrin Kaplan. "This is a way to keep your mind
healthy. It's essentially a treadmill for your brain."
"Brain Age" is already a success for Nintendo, which made $4 million
from the new game within the first month of its release.
In the game, your brain age – that is, your score – improves the
more quickly and accurately you do the tasks laid out in the game.
The game was born in Japan, which has the world's most rapidly aging
population. When a Japanese researcher saw that short, rapid mental
tasks stimulated the brain, Nintendo saw an opportunity.
The game has been a huge success with seniors.
"The game is easy," says one Japanese gamer, Kazuhiko Imai, speaking
through a translator. "Anyone can play it."
It's even popular with some doctors.
"It can motivate older people, draw long dormant abilities out of
them," said Dr. Atsuko Uchida, at Uchida Hospital in Kyoto, Japan.
The jury's out on whether these games actually can boost brain
power. Some studies say yes, others no. But those who think
videogames are just a waste of time might be surprised to learn
research shows they can do some good.
The PC-based video game Re-Mission, developed by HopeLab for teens
and young adults with cancer, helped patients who, learning more
about their situation as they zapped imaginary cancer cells on
screen, got better scores in real life on sticking to their
treatment plan.
Another video game is touted as a help for weight loss.
We heard that
Nintendo sent a ‘baby boomer’ gift to George W. Bush, as the
President is turning 60 and the company thought of helping him “keep
his mind sharp” with a Nintendo DS Lite, a portable gaming console,
and a copy of the famous ‘Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a
Day’.
Just think of Bush and his beloved DS Lite… the tiny stylus, the
great game, and the Oval Office.
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Nintendo Brain Age
