At this time of year, most people are running on cerebral fumes and are in dire need of a short break. If you’re worried that you’ll need a tune-up before you head back into work, Nintendo’s latest Big Brain should give your grey matter a solid workout. At least that’s the intention, as the critical consensus on the latest Big Brain Academy appears to be lukewarm.
Reviews paint a picture of a game that has a reliable selection of brainteasers, but the new shift towards competitively comparing your overall intelligence and high scores in these mini-games might be discouraging to people who want a deeper focus on personal improvement.
“Brain vs. Brain is centered around competition, and feels a little less approachable for it,” critic Steve Watts said in his Big Brain Academy: Brain Vs. Brain review. “That’s not to say the game itself shames you. Dr. Lobe is as positive and encouraging as ever, always couching weak spots in gentle terms and nudging you to spend some more time practicing any fields where you didn’t excel. But when you create a puzzle game ostensibly about measuring intelligence, and then pit a player against both friends and a worldwide gaming audience, it’s going to be fertile ground for planting self-doubt.”
- Game: Big Brain Academy: Brain Vs. Brain
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch
- Developer: Nintendo
- Release Date: December 3
- Price: $30
For more, head to GameSpot sister site Metacritic to see what other critics have to say about the latest Big Brain Academy game.
GameSpot — 70/10
“Big Brain Academy, and the entire brain-training sub-genre of puzzle games, were never as medically precise as they purported to be. But they were always about the fulfillment of self-improvement, not bragging rights. Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain, thanks to its new competition hooks, feels just a little bit coarser. It’s still plenty of fun in small doses, and the exercises are well-made and for the most part ramp up nicely. Just don’t take it too seriously, and whatever the leaderboards say, remember to run your own race.” — Steve Watts [Full review]
Polygon — No score
“Brain vs. Brain isn’t revolutionary by any stretch, but it does open up the possibilities for who can play together, which is an important change from its contemporaries. It’s also not the kind of game I see myself playing solo all that often. Instead, it’s more like a board game that I’ll stick on the shelf and pull out when everyone gets together.” — Andrew Webster [Full review]
NintendoLife — 80/100
“Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is a fun little romp which doesn’t have ideas above its station and presents its brain-teasers in a more lighthearted, rowdier manner than Dr. Kawashima’s friendly but sterile style. This isn’t the kind of marriage between gameplay and (for lack of a better term) ‘work’ that you’ll find in Ring Fit Adventure, but it’s a greatly enjoyable and budget-friendly way to keep up the little pitter-patter of grey matter for all ages.” — Alex Olney [Full review]
CogConnected — 75/100
“Big Brain Academy games ride the line between entertainment and training. You’ll churn through the content being offered in an hour, but that’s by design. A proper playthrough of this game is stretched over several months, with you improving slightly every day. Although I can’t imagine extensive research would teach you anything really new.” — James Paley [Full review]
Pocket Tactics — 70/100
“A lovely learning experience that offers satisfying brain-teasing puzzles, but doesn’t quite have enough to keep players coming back for weeks. Fun multiplayer adds some mileage, though some extra options would really sweeten the deal.” — Nathan Ellingsworth [Full review]
Keyword: Review Roundup Of Big Brain Academy: Brain Vs. Brain