Brain Age (universe)
| Brain Age (universe) Brain Training (universe) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Nintendo |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Genre(s) | Educational |
| Console/platform of origin | Nintendo DS |
| First installment | Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! (2005) |
| Latest installment | Dr Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo Switch (2019) |
TheBrain Age universe (脳を鍛える,Brain Training) is a series of educational puzzle games for theNintendo DS,3DS, andSwitch.
Franchise description[edit]
Ryuta Kawashima is a real-world neuroscientist who teaches different exercises for training and maintaining one's brain (or improving one's "Brain Age", as the series is named for). He is best known for being the author of the 2003 bookTrain Your Brain: 60 Days to a Better Brain. Dr. Kawashima partnered withNintendo to adapt this book into a video game format, which eventually resulted in May of 2005 withBrain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!. In December of that year, a sequel titledBrain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!. Both titles became massively successful due to attracting an older demographic that never considered video games can be so beneficial to their health.
Another sequel, titledBrain Age: Concentration Training released in 2012 for 3DS. After a minor hiatus, the series returned in 2019 on Nintendo Switch withDr Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo Switch.
Dr. Kawashima has also been featured in games without the involvement of Nintendo that are not officially part of theBrain Age franchise, such asBrain Exercise with Dr. Kawashima for iOS in 2009,Train your Brain with Dr. Kawashima for PC also in 2009, andBody and Brain Connection for Kinect on Xbox 360.
InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]
Music[edit]
- "Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day": A medley including the title screen themes sourced fromBrain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! andBrain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!, as well as the menu theme sourced from the first game. It appears as aMy Music track forPictoChat.
InSuper Smash Bros. 4[edit]
Assist Trophy[edit]
- Dr. Kawashima: The doctor appears inSuper Smash Bros. 4 as anAssist Trophy. When summoned in battle, Dr. Kawashima fires various numbers throughout the battlefield. When these numbers collide, they are added together. If the sum equals ten or above, they will explode, with the explosion being larger should the number equal ten exactly.
Music[edit]
Source tracks[edit]
- "Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!": The medley returns fromBrawl, plays on theWii Fit Studio stage.
- "Menu (Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!)": Directly sourced fromBrain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!, it's this game's main menu theme, also plays on Wii Fit Studio.
InSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
Assist Trophy[edit]
- Dr. Kawashima: The doctor reprises his role as an Assist Trophy inUltimate, though the background changes to a white graph-like texture when summoned.
Music[edit]
Source tracks[edit]
- "Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!": The medley returns fromBrawl.
- "Menu - Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!": The theme returns fromSmash 4.
Spirits[edit]
The following characters from the series are spirits.
| No. | Image | Name | Type | Class | Slots | Base | Max | Base | Max | Base | Max | Ability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,214 |  | Dr. Kawashima |  | ★★ | 2 | 1784 | 7163 | 874 | 3510 | 910 | 3653 | Can Be Enhanced at Lv. 99 |
| 1,215 | .png) | Dr. Kawashima (Concentration Training) Dr. Kawashima (Devilish Brain Training)  | | ★★★★ | 2 | 4633 | 11582 | 2050 | 5125 | 2050 | 5125 | Unflinching Charged Smashes |
Games with elements appearing in theSuper Smash Bros. series[edit]
TheBrain Age universe has games represented throughout theSuper Smash Bros. series with a total of 3 games. The latest game represented in this universe isBrain Age: Concentration Training, released on July 28, 2012.
Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! / Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain?[edit]
- Assist Trophy:
Dr. Kawashima appears as an Assist Trophy.
- Spirits:
Dr. Kawashima appears as a spirit.
- Music:
"Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!": Medley of tracks featured in this game and its sequel.
"Menu - Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!": The menu theme, sourced fromBrain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!.
Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day! / More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima: How Old Is Your Brain?[edit]
- Music:
- "Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!": Medley of tracks featured in this game andBrain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!.
- "Menu - Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!": This game's main menu theme, sourced directly from this game.
Brain Age: Concentration Training / Dr Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training: Can you stay focused?[edit]
- Spirits:
- Dr. Kawashima in his devil form from this game appears as a spirit.
Trivia[edit]
- Brain Age is the only universe in the entireSuper Smash Bros. series to have a real life person directly make an appearance in the series.
