Fantastic Tool For Improving Memory and Mental Performance

I’ve been playing Brain Age 2 for the last few months and have really enjoyed the game so far.  Over the last few months I have seen a noticable improvement in my performance in tasks like simple arithmetic, identifying numbers, and especially short term memory.  For those looking to improve their memory, I would definitely suggest trying Brain Age 2.  Some of the games are geared toward memory and I’ve found that they actually do force you to improve your recall of numbers, words, etc.

For those unfamiliar with the first Brain Age or how the game works, the game starts by calculating your “brain age” by conducted a few short 1-minute tests like subtracting numbers, competing in a rock, paper, scissors match, finding the biggest number in a series, concentration, etc.  Once you complete these three assessment tests the game provides you with an age estimate (the lower the better) as a gauge of how effective you are at performing simple mental tasks - or in their language mental agility.

After your initial test, you can play other games as brain training tools.  A sample of the games and their discription is listed below:

Word Blend – Between two and four words are spoken together and you must write them down on the screen

Memory Sprint – There are several runners on the screen and you must keep track of what place you are in the pack

Change Maker – Like a cashier you must make change for a customer

Word Scramble – Unscramble a bunch of letters to make a word

Piano Player – Play a simple song on the piano (my favorite)

Sign Finder – A series of number and an equals sign is put up and you must determine the correct arithmetic sign

As you continue playing these games the Brain Age allows you to unlock new games when you perform well in the “training” sessions.  Brain Age also keeps track of your performance on the games and lets you know if you have regressed since the last time you played the game or if you have set a new personal record.  I think this is a cool feature that keeps you interested and motivates you. 

I really like the way that the programmers have integrated the microphone and speakers with the game.  Some of the games require you to speak into the microphone, which I find is helpful for improving your conversational response time.  One example is the rock, paper, scissors game where you must speak the proper item to win the round.  Also, the audio for word scramble is pretty clear, even with the built in speakers.

In my opinion the most effective game in this is the “concentration” game where you are provided 25 numbers and must memorize as many as you can in one minute.  Then all the numbers disappear and you must write down as many as possible.  On my fist attempt I could only remember about 14, but after playing the game for a week or so I improved my performance to between 20 and 23 consistently.  In addition, when I stop playing it for a few weeks and then resume, I see my performance decline.  This game really forces your brain to develop strategies to remember numbers quickly, which I have found to be valuable in many contexts in my everyday life….from remembering a phone number to a passport expiration date, etc.

I’ve been very happy with Brain Age 2 so far.  The games are both challenging and enjoyable.  The system keeps track of your performance over time which helps you improve and also motivates you to perform better each time.  I feel that if this game only slightly helps you perform simple mental tasks faster and helps improve your short term memory it is well worth the $19.99 you’ll spend on the game.