Within a week after Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo Switch was released outside Japan, the title landed on the 18th spot on UK charts. In a report, it appears that the launch sales of Switch's latest title are 15 times bigger than its predecessor, Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! also known as Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? in PAL regions.
What's New With the New Version?
Like the classic Brain Age, the remastered version has games and challenges that test a player's memory, math abilities, and logic. It also brought back some fan-favorite mini-games, such as the classic Sudoku and the Dr. Mario-like Virus Buster from Brain Age 2.
To keep up with the console's upgraded features, the new Brain Training has tests like the classic Rock, Paper, Scissors that require players to make hand gestures recorded via the right Joy-Con's IR camera. Since Switch lacks a built-in microphone, the new version lacks the old voice recognition elements of the previous titles.
SEE ALSO: You Can Now Pre-Order These New Nintendo Switch Games Coming This 2020
The physical copy comes with a free stylus, which is crucial for the handwriting recognition feature of the game. According to Metro, though, this handwriting recognition function occasionally makes mistakes, which is awful because that's the only way to input numbers in the games.
Meanwhile, players with a competitive spirit will enjoy the multi-player features and World Brain Training Championships, which can be accessed only if you have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
Can It Be Played on Nintendo Switch Lite?
Switch Lite users can still play the non-game, but with a catch. Apparently, the developers were oblivious about the Lite console when they are working on the game. Because the new mini-games require the use of the IR sensor on the right Joy-Con (which the Lite console lacks), Switch Lite players will have to purchase an extra set of Joy-Con to get the full Brain Training experience.
In short, the game can be played on both consoles, but it costs a little extra for Switch Lite users.
Is It Worth the Money?
Considering that it was a remaster of one of the most successful games of the Nintendo DS era, Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training lacks the out-of-ordinary characteristics of a video game that players wouldn't want to miss. It is also worth mentioning that while it was Nintendo Switch's first major release of 2020, there wasn't much hype fostered around the title. Here's probably why:
With major technical issues, boring content, and missing previous games and elements, Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training is not a game you would want to splurge on unless you're a die-hard non-gamer.
If you want your money's worth, interesting pre-order titles instead, such as the Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore and Darksiders Genesis. Both games, among many others, are coming to Nintendo Switch this month.
Other Nintendo Switch Games Coming This January 2020
A plethora of new gaming delights await Nintendo Switch players this 2020. Among the most-anticipated games available for pre-order are Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore, Darksiders Genesis, Super Robot Wars X, Atelier Dusk, and Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha, among others. There are a lot of special and limited editions, too, so visit your favorite online or brick-and-mortar video game store today to make a pre-order.
