Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree

Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree - (Wii)
Developer: Nintendo
Format: Wii
Genre: Edutainment

Stretching the grey matter can be a slightly infuriating experience

On paper this shouldn't work but Nintendo's mission to make us all brainier via console fun is a ridiculous success - the Japanese go mental for it. Over here and the DS has made it's mark on our minds so it was only logical to get some Wii action on board. In training for this particular degree though, you're going to have to think and move fast.

There are a huge variety of fun mini games in single player mode - ranging across five different categories (identify, memorize, analyze, compute and visualize). Three of each in a random order need to be mastered and the combination of brain and hand to eye coordination give all of them a fun edge (bursting numbered balloons in ascending order for example or a variation on Whack-A-Mole with coloured shapes).

It's over on multiplayer that the game stumbles. The Wii is a social unit first and foremost so why on earth does Big Brain Academy sit with the dunces relying on relay race, controller-passing? Most of us have bought a second remote for precisely these sorts of games but here, it'll be redundant. The three multiplayer options (Mind Sprint - a head-to-head, Brain Quiz - board games variants and Mental Marathon - a frantic remote passing set up) all feel half finished.

This is the rub. If you're after a great single player, well executed with a fun and challenging format, this wins. If you're likely to feel cheated by the lack of forethought that limits the multiplayer options, you'll find yourself frustrated.

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