| Brain Age (universe) Brain Training (universe) | |
|---|---|
 
| |
| Developer(s) | Nintendo |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Genre(s) | Educational |
| Console/platform of origin | Nintendo DS |
| First installment | Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! (2005) |
| Latest installment | Dr Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo Switch (2019) |
The Brain Age universe (脳を鍛える, Brain Training) is a series of educational puzzle games for the Nintendo DS, 3DS, and Switch.
Franchise description
Ryuta Kawashima is a real-world neuroscientist who teaches different exercises for training and maintaining one's brain (or improving one's "Brain Age", as the series is named for). He is best known for being the author of the 2003 book Train Your Brain: 60 Days to a Better Brain. Dr. Kawashima partnered with Nintendo to adapt this book into a video game format, which eventually resulted in May of 2005 with Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!. In December of that year, a sequel titled Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!. Both titles became massively successful due to attracting an older demographic that never considered video games can be so beneficial to their health.
Another sequel, titled Brain Age: Concentration Training released in 2012 for 3DS. After a minor hiatus, the series returned in 2019 on Nintendo Switch with Dr Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo Switch.
Dr. Kawashima has also been featured in games without the involvement of Nintendo that are not officially part of the Brain Age franchise, such as Brain Exercise with Dr. Kawashima for iOS in 2009, Train your Brain with Dr. Kawashima for PC also in 2009, and Body and Brain Connection for Kinect on Xbox 360.
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Music
- "Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day": A medley including the title screen themes sourced from Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! and Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!, as well as the menu theme sourced from the first game. It appears as a My Music track for PictoChat.
In Super Smash Bros. 4
Assist Trophy
- Dr. Kawashima: The doctor appears in Super Smash Bros. 4 as an Assist Trophy. When summoned in battle, Dr. Kawashima fires various numbers throughout the battlefield. When these numbers collide, they are added together. If the sum equals ten or above, they will explode, with the explosion being larger should the number equal ten exactly.
Music
Source tracks
- "Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!": The medley returns from Brawl, plays on the Wii Fit Studio stage.
- "Menu (Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!)": Directly sourced from Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!, it's this game's main menu theme, also plays on Wii Fit Studio.
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Assist Trophy
- Dr. Kawashima: The doctor reprises his role as an Assist Trophy in Ultimate, though the background changes to a white graph-like texture when summoned.
Music
Source tracks
- "Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!": The medley returns from Brawl.
- "Menu - Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!": The theme returns from Smash 4.
Spirits
The following characters from the series are spirits.
| No. | Image | Name | Type | Class | Slots | Base 
|
Max
|
Base 
|
Max
|
Base 
|
Max
|
Ability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,214 |  |
Dr. Kawashima |  |
★★ | 2 | 1784 | 7163 | 874 | 3510 | 910 | 3653 | Can Be Enhanced at Lv. 99 |
| 1,215 | .png) |
Dr. Kawashima (Concentration Training)  Dr. Kawashima (Devilish Brain Training)  |
|
★★★★ | 2 | 4633 | 11582 | 2050 | 5125 | 2050 | 5125 | Unflinching Charged Smashes |
Games with elements appearing in the Super Smash Bros. series
Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! / Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain?
- Assist Trophy:
Dr. Kawashima appears as an Assist Trophy.
- Spirits:
Dr. Kawashima appears as a spirit.
- Music:
"Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!": Medley of tracks featured in this game and its sequel.
"Menu - Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!": The menu theme, sourced from Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!.
Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day! / More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima: How Old Is Your Brain?
- Music:
- "Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!": Medley of tracks featured in this game and Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!.
- "Menu - Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!": This game's main menu theme, sourced directly from this game.
Brain Age: Concentration Training / Dr Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training: Can you stay focused?
- Spirits:
- Dr. Kawashima in his devil form from this game appears as a spirit.
Trivia
- Brain Age is the only universe in the entire Super Smash Bros. series to have a real life person directly make an appearance in the series.