Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree

""I Am NOT Smarter Than A 5th Grader.""

We've heard that line so many times since that show first took to the air. And that line seems to apply to the latest brain game to hit the market. It's the first such game for Wii: "Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree." True, it's a fun game, a pleasant diversion, and a solid cerebral workout, but given the hardware, it could have been so much more.

The game breaks down almost exactly like its DS predecessor. The single-player mode has Test and Practice. Test mode takes you through the 5 aspects of the mini-games: Memorize, Analyze, Calculate, Compute, and Identify. Dependent on your accuracy and pace, you get a score in terms of brain mass, grade, and profession. A couple slight differences, though; instead of a 60-second time limit on a single mini-game, you do twelve problems from amongst the three mini-games. Just feels different.

Practice mode is almost exactly like the DS. Pick your category, mini-game, and difficulty, then go for a high score by solving 10 problems as fast as possible. Score high enough, and you'll earn a medal. Score really well, and you could earn a platinum! This is where solo players will spend most of their time.

Multiplayer is the biggest change from the DS. You have three modes: Mind Sprint, which is a head-to-head race; Mental Marathon, which challenges you to get as high a perfect streak as possible; and Brain Quiz, which plays sorta like a board game. The latter two allow for up to 8 players.

The game play is very solid. The point-and-click interface integrates well with the individual mini-games. The graphics and sound, on the other hand, is rather basic. The real problem, though, is that there just isn't enough. There are only 20 mini-games, and 5 of them can't even be played in practice mode. While the prospect of a bigger brain may "peek" the interest of some people out there, the game feels like a "copy" of its predecessor on the DS. Add it all up, and fifty bucks may feel like a bit much to "save" for this course. More games and better options could have helped this title make the grade, but as it stands, it's not quite at the head of the class.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/30/07