| Brain Challenge | |
| Developer: | Gameloft Beijing |
| Publisher: | Gameloft Ubisoft |
| Released: | Mobile, iPod: September 5, 2007 Nintendo DS, PC: January 8, 2008 PlayStation 3: November 27, 2008 PlayStation Portable: December 3, 2008 Xbox 360: March 12, 2008 N-Gage 2.0: April 3, 2008 iOS: July 9, 2008 Wii: Nintendo DS J Mac OS X: January 20, 2011 |
| Genre: | Puzzle |
| Platforms: | Mobile phone, iOS, iPod, Mac OS X, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, N-Gage 2.0, Wii |
| Producer: | Philippe Laurens Tanguy Pallier Fabrice Ottomanelli |
| Artist: | Arthur Hugot Christophe Latour |
| Designer: | Stanislas Dewavrin Wang Zhen Zhong Tan Zhen |
| Composer: | Henri-Pierre Pellegrin |
Brain Challenge is a mental exercise video game, featuring "brain exercise puzzles". The game was developed by Gameloft Beijing for mobile phone and iPod and released on September 5, 2007. In 2008 was followed by a Nintendo DS version on January 8, an Xbox Live Arcade release on March 12, and a PlayStation 3 launch on November 27. The N-Gage 2.0 version was released on the day of the service's launch, April 3, 2008.[1] [2] A version for WiiWare was released in autumn 2008 on all three regions.[3] [4] [5] The Wii version also uses Miis for the players profile. OnLive also had launched their new streaming game platform with Brain Challenge on July 27, 2010.[6] The game was released for Mac OS X in January 2011.
The game is structured like Big Brain Academy in that puzzles are divided into four separate categories: Logic, Math, Visual, and Focus; the Xbox Live Arcade version, PlayStation 3, PSP, Wii, Nintendo DS, and PC add a fifth category, Memory. The puzzles can be played at three difficulty levels and more complex puzzles are unlocked through a player's progression through the game.
Many of the puzzles are similar to those from both Big Brain Academy and Brain Age. For example, Balance shows different objects on scales, and the player must determine from the relationships on the scales which is the heaviest object. In the Trout Route test, the player must follow a path based on the progressive numerical relationship given (i.e. +2, -3, etc.). Travelling requires the player to memorize a route of arrows, while Ascending has the player determining the order of a group of objects from least to most in amount. Bouncing Ball has the player determining as quick as possible which ball bounces highest.
The game features two modes:
The XBLA, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo DS versions also feature additional modes:
The Nintendo DS version supports up to three player multiplayer via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, while the Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and OnLive versions features up to four player offline and online Xbox Live multiplayer, as well as online leaderboards. The mobile phone version also features an online leaderboard.
The mobile phone and iPod versions were very well received, including an 8.3/10 from IGN for the wireless version, which praised "[the] majority of the puzzles are good and the production values are strong". Pocket Gamer raved about the iPod version in its 8 of 10 review: "It's almost a no-brainer to recommend Brain Challenge. It's enjoyable, invigorating and there's a remarkable amount [of gameplay] in it".[7]
IGN's review for the Nintendo DS version was less enthusiastic, but still singled out the Stress Test as an innovative twist to the brain exercise game formula, as was its review of the Xbox Live Arcade version, though it did mention that "there's quite a bit of depth to Brain Challenge... Making your way through Brain Challenge could take a very, very long time". DS Fanboy's review was more generous with an 8/10 review, and while calling it "an odd little game", it praised "lots of replay value, interesting unlockables, and loads of content make up for the title's flaws".[8]
Team Xbox panned the Xbox Live Arcade version in its 4/10 review: "It doesn't take a whole lot of brain power to figure out that this is one title best left on the shelf".[9] GameSpot's negative review (5.5/10) was: "...Only a handful of these stand-alone minigames resemble anything of interest".
A sequel, Brain Challenge Vol. 2: Stress Management, was released by Gameloft for mobile phones in 2007.[10] Another sequel, Brain Challenge 3: Think Again!, was released by Gameloft for mobile, iPod Touch, iPhone in September 2009. In 2012, Brain Challenge 4: Breaking Limits was released for mobile phones.