Cubed3 Nintendo Special: More Brain Training 2 Diary Pt.2

For Word Scramble I seem to be getting worse each day.  I missed three words this time, meaning I am now down to 4 minutes 15 seconds and Cycling Speed.  I used to be good at these, so it is very annoying to do so average now.  On Correct Change my mind kept freezing as well; clearly I am more tired today…yet somehow I hit 45 seconds, a new record (Train Speed).  Word Blend really gives me a headache, but at least I did not have to pass on any today, meaning I hit a new high score of 72 Points (Flying Speed).  For some reason I froze again during Memory Addition…thankfully I was still quick enough to hit a top score of 52 seconds (Train Speed).  Clearly my number skills far out-weigh my word ones…Time for the Brain Age Check!

Rock-Paper-Scissors: after a slow start I picked up the pace and came in at a new high of 1 minute 19 seconds.  Continuous Countdown (the subtraction one where numbers are rubbed out as your write): annoyingly the stupid hand-writing recognition still has trouble with the number '5', but I still ended up with a time of 32 seconds.  Highest Number: again I beat my previous time, hitting 48 seconds today, but messed up a couple of times in my rush.  Crazily, despite getting high scores, the game has put me back to age 30…Hmm.  Guess I will just have to work even harder tomorrow.

Day Five: Well, after quickly wrapping up the actual review of this game and having my dinner, it is that time again.  But my eyes are so worn out today…Enough excuses, though; onwards and upwards we go!  Missing Symbols - new record, 21 seconds, Train Speed.  Knitting also activates the prefrontal cortex.  Hmm, I must remember that!  Five stamps now means I can see all the 'wonderful' tips the doc has given me so far in 'Other Options' - wow!  The Water is Wide is the Masterpiece Recital of the day and I almost perfected it.  No errors, hardly any pauses and a new score of 96 points, Flying Speed.  I was also zooming through Word Scramble, but stumbled on the last word, adding a 20 second penalty.  But I still got a new record of 2 minutes 23 seconds, Train Speed.  Hurrah!  Correct Change = 37 seconds, another new record, smashing the previous one by eight seconds and getting Flying Speed.  Word Blend I fell down on because I had too much background noise from my wife…dropping to 64 points, Train Speed.  Finally, again I was distracted in Memory Addition, but this one is getting easier, so I still beat my time - now on 51 seconds, Train Speed.  I can feel my brain getting younger!  But does the programme agree?  Let us see:

Highest Number - new record, 44 seconds.  Speedy Symbols - I blazed this, but the final symbol was the percentage sign and would it recognise it?  Would it hell…VERY annoying.  45 seconds on the clock.  Time for Continuous Countdown - totally thrown off kilter, I stuttered through this, with numbers '5' and '7' not being properly recognised.  Anyway, after lots of messing around it gave me an overall age of 27; but it should have been much younger than that considering how fast I was going…*Grumble grumble*

Day Six: After being treated to a nice meal by my wife, it is time to settle down and to start things off Kawashima-san asks me to connect the dots to make a picture and then think of a title for it.  I made a crab-like creature and called it 'Crazy Crab'…the doc's example was a DS!  Hmm, but in his he did not join all the dots, instead making separate shapes that did not interlink…the cheater!  Anyway, Missing Symbols: 21.71 seconds.  Completing this gives me the six stamp and opens 'Days & Dates'.  Masterpiece Recital: I Saw Three Ships; 95 points again, which makes me think the highest you can get is 100, as I got nothing wrong and my fluidity it getting better.  Word Scramble: a new record of 1 minute 38 seconds, a major jump and Rocket Speed!!!  Correct Change: another new record of 32 seconds, Rocket Speed again!  Word Blend; seven 'Got it in One's, 91 points (new record by nineteen points) and…you guessed it, Rocket Speed.  Apparently because my results are so amazing (his words!) I have now opened up Word Blend 'Hard Mode'.  I really do not like the sound of that.  I am also told of a secret game at the bottom of the training list…which upon searching for turns out to be 'Germ Buster', which will relax my frontal lobes.  It is basically Dr. Mario, but with Dr. Kawashima's face.  In fact, it is the best version of that game I have ever played!  It even comes with the traditional theme music, but slowed down to make things more peaceful.

Wrapping things up on the training front is Memory Addition: 46 seconds, Train Speed.  As for Days & Dates, this requires you to write the day or date according to the on-screen questions.  This relies on you knowing what day and date it is when you take the test…something I never do because of work messing my head up.  Anyway, 1 minute 50 seconds was my first score, Driving Speed.  Time to check my Brain Age.  Continuous Countdown: 25 seconds, new record.  Highest Number: 43 seconds, new record.  Memory Addition: 44 seconds, new record…Brain Age?  25, my real age!  Wow, it certainly is harder to reach that magic '20' this time.  Hopefully Day Seven will be the lucky one as no doubt you are all bored by now!

Day Seven: 21st June and it is time to wrap up this diary (yes, not only are you bored reading it, I am bored writing it!).  I will keep this short - after going through the tests, equalling most of yesterday's score, I moved onto the Brain Age check and achieved a very pleasing age of 21.  Just one away from the youngest age you can reach.  I will definitely keep plugging away to open up more of the training tasks and grab that elusive 20 score, but this diary is now at a close.  Hopefully the fact that in just seven days I have managed to get myself down to 21 will spur you readers to go flex your brainpower and beat some of the records I set above over the past week.  Please be sure to share your thoughts, opinions and best times in the forum below…

Do not forget to check out the Cubed³ review of More Brain Training here.