What brain training games for PC can you recommend?

September 6, 2008 4:44 PM

I like Brain Age (aka "Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training") for Nintendo DS. What similar, Windows-compatible game would you recommend my mother?

This has been asked before, but it hasn't received any useful answers beyond "get a DS", IMO.

I'm trying to find a good brain training game for my mother, and I just don't think I could convince her to carry a DS around even if I gave her one.

So, not be rude -- but simply for the sake of clarity: DS recommendations are out of the question.

I've played Kawashima / Brain Age a number of times and I think it would suit her well. She's in her late fifties, of good physical and mental health, and, I should add, fluent in English.

(A Dutch-language version of any game would be a bonus.)

What would you recommend for PC/Windows?

Thanks in advance, you crazy beautiful kids.

posted by goodnewsfortheinsane to computers & internet (5 answers total)

Maybe the software from Posit Science would be what you want. They claim that the software is based on scientific research or maybe there is clinical evidence that it really does produce improvement. Anyway, check it out. I runs on Windows and Macs
posted by metahawk at 5:59 PM on September 6, 2008

FYI Posit has two different products : "InSight improves the quality and quantity of the information your brain absorbs from your eyes just as the Brain Fitness Program does with your ears."
posted by metahawk at 6:20 PM on September 6, 2008

I used Lumosity.com when it was in beta, and it was language-agnostic.
posted by djb at 7:16 PM on September 6, 2008 [1 favorite]

I'm not too familiar with Brain Age for the DS, but i've recently been playing with the demo of a game called "Brain Challenge" on my Xbox 360 -- there's a pc version, and a sequel based on stress reduction (currently mobile-phone only) of this one too.

I've also been playing around with djb's recommendation of Lumosity.com and am slightly addicted. Currently they offer free one week trials.
posted by phylum sinter at 10:35 PM on September 6, 2008

Thanks for the suggestions all! I'm looking into them and will report back with details -- just popping in to say thank you.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 2:55 PM on September 9, 2008