Spb Brain Evolution 1.0 (Review)
Developer -
Spb Software House
Product -
SPB Brain Evolution
Version -
1.0
Cost -
$19.95 (USD)
Trial -
15-Day (Some Limitation) Trial Available
Tested On -
Dell x51v (WM5 / VGA)
Spb Software House, creators of some Windows Mobile favorites such as Spb GPRS Monitor, Spb Pocket Plus, Spb Time & Spb Weather to name but a few, have released a game (10 games in 1, to be exact), that can ultimately "train your brain", make you smarter / sharper, all while having fun!
Game Overview
Spb Brain Evolution game was developed for a wide range of users and helps to keep the brain fit as well as improves all basic mind activities like logic, arithmetic, pattern finding, memory, etc. Playing Spb Brain Evolution just five-ten minutes a day can help you to keep your mind flexible and fresh. Use this game for everyday training and you will find that your thinking processes will become faster and more reliable.
Key Features
1. Two independent game modes: Brain Marking & Brain Training
2. 10 mini-games for training
3. Knowledge base
4. Game statistics
5. User profiles support
6. Support for qVGA and VGA devices (240x240, 240x320, 480x640)
Many thanks to Denis at Spb Software House, for giving 4WM the chance to review this exciting new application for the Windows Mobile Platform. See the
Official Press Release Here, and
Download Here!
Already own other SPB Software House products? Well, get a 20% discount on your next SPB Software purchase! For your discount,
apply here!
Installation & Setup
1.
Installation:
Installation is quick and painless. The program can be installed to the main memory, or to a storage card. I installed to my SD card, and had no issues with function or speed.
2.
Setup:
Not much setup needed with this program. You are prompted to enter your name in the very beginning, to setup a profile for yourself. Other family members / friends can have their own separate profile, so the games can be fun for the whole family, or at a party. You can also choose to have sounds on or off, the brightness of the backlight, or choose always to have on.
3.
Games:
The program consists of 10 games, with each chosen to target different brain functions. With the initial installation of the program, only 4 out of the 10 installed games are immediately available. Through brain training, and upon reaching higher scores, more games are unlocked as a reward for your efforts, and to further advance in your training!
Facts & Statistics
1.
Knowledge Base:
Spb Brain Evolution provides a built-in pool of interesting facts. New facts are added after every completed training program. You can view these facts at any time, by taping on the "My Diary" tab. Some good info, and brain input!
2.
Bonuses and Awards:
Different types of awards are provided to stimulate the player. These are 10 awards for best play for each of the mini-games, the Training Program Completion Certificate, and the Nobel Prize Winner Certificate. Although somewhat difficult to achieve, they do give the player a great sense of accomplishment, and drive to achieve more!
3.
Brain Marking History:
Plotted on a daily calendar, and in a graph type format, players can track the games' usage and their improvements. I found this to be useful to help me keep track of my learning (or not!
).
Also plotted on a graph, the player can see this info quickly and easy.
Brain Training/Brain Marking
There are two independent game modes in the game:
-
to measure your current brain status....
The result of the Brain Marking test is your Overall Progress and Brain Status, which can be one of Child, Schoolboy, Student, Intern, PhD, Professor, and Nobel Prize Winner, depending on your overall score.
You can pass the Brain Mark test anytime you want, but only the first attempt will be added to the game statistic for the current day.
On my first test, I received a "child" score. But quickly improved that when I tried a little harder!
Brain Training mode -
to improve your mind skills.
In Brain Training mode you can improve your mind abilities by playing mini-games. Each mini-game can develop some kind of activity, like logic, memory, pattern-finding and etc.
You can pass through the training program and measure your current brain status anytime you want. I found that doing this often, helped me to advance at a better rate. My brain accepted that it was 'in training', and worked a little harder to achieve!
10 Mini-Games for Training
1.
Arithmetics – a game that trains mental arithmetic, which is very important for increasing overall brain progress and making your mind faster and more flexible.
Now, I consider myself to be very good in the math dept, and did pretty well at this game. The biggest problem that I had, was the loss of points due to the 'time' penalty. So speed is important here also! Just remember, that you will loose points for each incorrect answer also, so you must be careful of your entries.
2.
Balltracker – a game to improve your path-finding and backtracking activities. Both addictive and challenging fun.
This is one of my most favorite games in the bunch. It is very challenging and fun to guide the ball to the exit. You'll need to apply strategy and patience, in order to be successful at this game, but it is very addictive, and was one of my most played!
3.
Encyclopedia – a game that not only trains your memory, but also gives lots of interesting facts.
Encyclopedia is a 100% short memory game. It really will test your ability to remember different facts, on a series of different subjects. You are presented with a number of facts, and their associated answers. Then you are asked some of the same questions again, but now you are given multiple answers to choose from!
Sounds pretty easy, huh? Well, even if you don't score high on the game, you are bound to learn some very interesting facts!
4.
Guess Who – a game with simple rules that is great training for pattern-finding and searching activities. I found this game to be very good for "attention to detail" training. You must look at every little line and detail, in order to match the shapes correctly. A very simple game to play, as long as you pay attention!
I believe that this game will be a very good trainer for the detail part of the brain. The more that I played, the better I was doing. Not a whole lot of fun, but very good for the mind.
5.
Matches – a game for spending hours of free time trying to solve great matches puzzles (logic skills). I used to play this game as a kid, using real match sticks. I'm not sure that I enjoy this as much in it's electronic form, but it is a pretty easy game to play.
Some of the puzzles can be a bit challenging, and really make you think! But I became bored with this game quickly.
6.
Memorica – a game to train your visual memory. Memorica is a 100% short memory game.
I found this to be the most difficult game for me. Although I consider my short term memory to be fairly good, this game was tough!
You are shown a screen with different images. Some spinning or blinking. Then the screen is blanked, and you are asked a question as to which block(s) contained certain objects. I choked on this most of the time!
7.
Minesweeper – a well-known game to train and improve your logic skills. The object is simple. Click on the blocks, and don’t hit a mine. When you click on a block, and it shows a blank spot, you’re fine. There are no mines next to you, and by next to you, that means left, right, up, down, or diagonal of that square.
Never been a big fan of this game myself, but it is good in this case for making the mind think!
8.
Numbers – a kind of an arithmetic game with a very addictive gameplay.
Except the obvious calculation skills this game requires intensive use of short memory. Only by remembering values for already checked cells you can play faster.
I did like this game. The more I played, the better I was able to do. Guess this brain is trainable!
9.
Quadronica – a game that not only trains your pattern-finding activity, but is also humorous.
To play Quadronica you will use your pattern finding and short memory skills. Seems easy you say? Well it is, until you find yourself staring for awhile, and the colors start running into each other. Also, if you tap on a block(s) by accident, and no match is available, you will loose points. All the while, you are working against time!
10.
Sudoku – the famous puzzle game with thousands of levels included.
Probably the most used skill when playing Sudoku is pattern finding. It is especially true when you play on the hard level. I've not played this game much before Brain Evolution, but I can now see why this is so addictive. If you focus on the whole picture, you will do better then if you look block by block! I think this will be a new favorite of mine!
Pro's & Con's
Pro’s
Great exercise for the mind. Really makes you think!
Excellent facts database.
Addictive games / fun to play.
Con’s
No Landscape viewing support. Reverts to Portrait, even if device is in Landscape mode!
Difficult for the average user to progress, and unlock additional games.
Only 4 games initially unlocked. Must earn additional 6, with increasing difficulty!
Conclusions
From a child to a Nobel Prize Winner, I believe that SPB's Brain Evolution is a hit! Our brains are a complex working machine, and with the proper training, we can use them to their fullest capacity. Brain Evolution will target some of the most important parts of this wonderful organ!
For training & knowledge, the program hits its mark, but one feature that may upset the average user, is the fact that only 4 out of the 10 games are initially unlocked! The others need to be 'earned' by achieving higher scores, and progressing through the games. However, if one could beat all of the games too fast, the challenge would be over too soon!
The only other shortcoming, is the missing Landscape support. Not important for me, with an x51v, but for those with devices that have a slide-out keyboard, or other devices that auto-switch to Landscape, this could be an issue.
In conclusion, I believe SPB's Brain Evolution can be a fun and valuable software for the whole family. I really enjoyed playing, and highly recommend it....
4WinMobile Rating : 90%
Linear Mode
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