Brain Age

Developed to provide stimulation to all parts of the brain at all levels, Brain Age has a wide variety of puzzles and can be played with groups of people. It focuses on making learning easy, fun, and socially interactive, and encouraging competition and group play. It has functions for all kinds of learning, including math, logic, music, memory recall, and writing. Whether or not its effects on the brain can be scientifucally supported, it is definitely a fun way for kids to solve problems from a lot of different disciplines. It has won a few awards connected to its intelligent game play and generally received positive reviews.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGMOeYCa_jw

Sources:

http://www.brainage.com/launch/index.jsp

http://brainage.com/launch/what.jsp

http://www.brainage.com/launch/howto.jsp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_Age:_Train_Your_Brain_in_Minutes_a_Day!

WarioWare: D.I.Y.

WarioWare: D.I.Y. allows players to play and design their own microgames that they can then share with others. Players can also create their own music and comics. Helpful tutorials explain the design process step by step, but if players want to play games right away, they can play one of the 90 preloaded games. The story line is simple; Wario wants to make money by making and distributing games and needs players to help him. Wario himself is not the best role model: he is lazy and greedy; however, as you play more games, you meet a variety of other character common to the WarioWare universe. Each has its own unique personality and back story – although these characters are of minimal importance to the game itself and are primarily there for atmosphere. The games themselves are usually quite simple, with the player simply tapping the touch screen. The challenge is usually in the speed at which players must figure out the object of the game and complete it within the time limit. The short sequences and quirky humour would really appeal to both girls and boys ages 10-12. Check out a demo to see some of the microgames being played or the official website for more information. 

This DS game made the playlist because it was original and very highly rated:

http://www.metacritic.com/game/ds/warioware-diy
http://www.gamespot.com/ds/puzzle/madeinore/review.html
http://www.gamerankings.com/ds/954390-warioware-diy/index.html
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/warioware-diy

This DS game was designed to take advantage of the DS touch screen, relying heavily on the stylus to play and design games, create music, and draw comics, but it also takes advantage of the microphone, allowing players to hum notes that can be recorded when composing music. The amazing aspects of this game, though, are how educational and creative it is. When creating games, players learn how animation works, and have to draw and design backgrounds and objects. They have to learn how to create rules and win conditions using basic programming and an understanding of logical if-then statements to make their games playable. They also have to create music for their games, practicing music composition while learning about different instruments and creating notes and rhythm patterns. All the elements of game design are present, giving players an appreciation for the complexities, but also allowing them to be creative in their approach. The games can be quite simple and short, but that makes it easier for younger children to learn how to play and make games. The tutorials are a bit involved with a lot of reading, but the process is broken down into manageable steps. Players can use their creativity to not just create games, but music and comics as well. Sharing is also encouraged as there are three different ways to share newly created games: between DSs, online, and through the Wii. Libraries could host programs that involve children creating microgames and then sharing them with other DSs or with a Wii console. Players can enter competitions online to create a game based on a specified theme; therefore, this idea could be adapted to work in a library program that hosts theme game design competitions where children would create games on their DSs and then share the games with the group by playing the newly created games on a Wii console. Voting could take place and prizes could be awarded. In addition, the library could link this game to their collection by showcasing books on game design or music, or by featuring comics and graphic novels to accompany the comic making aspect of the game.

Overall, WarioWare: D.I.Y. made the playlist because it is gender neutral; has quirky humour and short games that are appealing to children ages 10-12; is highly rated by reviewers and users; takes advantage of the special DS features, such as the touch screen and microphone; teaches all aspects of game design, including drawing, animation, music composition, and programming; encourages creativity and sharing; can tie in well to library collections and programming; and is fun!

(Game description information was gathered from the review sites listed and the official WarioWare:DIY site: www.wariowarediy.com.)

(Image from: www.metacritic.com/game/ds/warioware-diy)

Elite Beat Agents

Elite Beat Agents is a rhythm game inspired by a similar Japanese DS game called “Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan!” but made to be more appealing to Western audiences. The main characters, Elite Beat Agents, are secret agents who use the power of dance to solve problems. A manga-style comic outlines the situation, and then a song is played and the agents dance to help save the day. Players make the agents dance by using the stylus to tap on numbered circles on the screen, in order and in time with the song, to successfully complete a level. There are also more complex stylus moves required where the player must drag a ball or spin a wheel. There are 19 songs to start, with further songs unlocked as players complete levels.  This game can be played by up to four players, playing either cooperatively (sharing notes to pass the song) or competitively (playing in teams to get more notes). It has a broad appeal because it is gender neutral (although the agents are male), and because there are a variety of new and old popular songs to please a wide range of music listeners of all ages. For some, it may be hard to visualize this game, so watching a demo may be helpful.

This DS game made the playlist because it is very highly rated and considered by many to be the best rhythm DS game out there:

http://www.metacritic.com/game/ds/elite-beat-agents
http://ds.ign.com/articles/743/743324p1.html
http://www.gamerankings.com/ds/933052-elite-beat-agents/index.html
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/Elite-Beat-Agents.html
http://www.gamespot.com/ds/puzzle/elitebeatagents/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary%3Bread-review

Not only do many people enjoy playing it, but it has inspired some fun fan videos:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/95102-Elite-Beat-Ace-Attorneys-Is-the-Best-DS-Fan-Project-Ever
http://kotaku.com/5154943/mega64-takes-elite-beat-agents-to-the-streets

This DS game was designed to take advantage of the DS touch screen, relying heavily on the players’ skill and timing using the stylus to make the agents dance to the song. The game is educational in that it introduces players to the idea of discovering and mastering rhythm patterns and may inspire them to pursue more music and dance activities. The cut scenes, presented as manga-style comics, involve some reading, but may also introduce players to the graphic novel or comic format. This is especially relevant to libraries that could tie in playing this video game in gaming programs with their comic book and graphic novel collections. As the game can be played either cooperatively or competitively, libraries could design programs around this game by hosting competitions or combining this DS game with games for other consoles, such as Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution, to host a themed music video game day. 

Overall, Elite Beat Agents made the playlist because it is gender neutral; appeals to a wide range of ages; is highly rated by reviewers and users; takes advantage of the special DS features, such as the touch screen; can tie in well to library collections and programming; develops a good sense of rhythm and hand-eye coordination; emphasizes helping others, and is fun!

(Game description information was gathered from the review sites listed.)

(Image from: www.metacritic.com/game/ds/elite-beat-agents)

Cooking Mama

Cooking Mama offers an introduction to the world of culinary arts, wherein players will learn to make a variety of dishes, ranging from basic pizza to a complex steak dinner. Players will learn to safely chop fruits and vegetables, cook and prepare meats and seafood, and create new and unusual food combinations. Each minigame offers a new challenge, such as frying, flipping, and arranging food appropriately. A dish may be completed in one minigame, or as many as a dozen, with the player’s performance evaluated upon each dish completion.

Though this game has been criticized for its lack of depth and storyline, its simplistic interface and easy to grasp controls make it ideal for the beginner or casual gamer, which is why it made it onto this list. Video gaming often conjures up images of frenzied game play, which may be intimidating and unwelcomed by beginners. Cooking Mama offers an engaging and fun, yet simple interface, allowing for a wonderful introduction to the world of video gaming. This game utilizes all of the DS features, engaging the player through the use of the stylus and dual screens. Additionally, the visual elements of the game closely approximate anime design, which is quite popular with children within this age group.

Although this game has educational elements, namely it teaches players to prepare food, the primary value in this game lies in its ability to act as a gateway to the gaming world. As aforementioned, it is ideal for beginners or casual gamers, and may facilitate the transition of these children into ‘gamers’.