Put your brain to the test once again.

Last year Nintendo introduced gamers and non-gamers to a brand new series of games called "Touch Generations" that had already taken Japan by storm the prior year. The first title in this series was Brain Age for the Nintendo DS, a piece of software that urged people to exercise their brains daily to keep a fit mind. It became a bona fide hit worldwide. A little over a year has passed since then and we finally see the sequel, but how does it stack up to its predecessor?

When Brain Age was released it was something very new and different that hadn't been done before on consoles or handhelds. It used daily training games to stimulate players' brains by utilizing fun and simple mind exercises. There were no flashy graphics, epic soundtrack, or sweeping narrative - main ingredients for many of the successful games of today. Yet, by marketing the game to people who don't normally play games, Nintendo found huge success. The easy accessibility of the software coupled with simple, yet effective, play mechanics meant anyone, regardless of age, could sit down for a few minutes a day and enjoy trying to beat yesterday's results. Since the release of Brain Age, there have been other titles trying to capitalize or emulate its success, but most lacked the addictive daily testing and ease of use. Although Brain Age 2 may feel a little too familiar for some, it stacks up quite nicely to the original.

If you've played the first game you'll know exactly how to play the sequel. The menus are identical and the play mechanics are the same. You'll hold the DS sideways, like a book and use the touch screen to write answers. Some exercises use the built-in microphone for you to speak answers into as well. The game features all new training exercises that are more varied than the original, and potentially more difficult too. Upon first playing the game most gamers will want to take the test to see how old their brains are. This will consist of three games back to back. The first exercise uses the microphone and is a variation of paper, rock, scissors. The game will show one of the three gestures and then ask you to either win or lose the round. You must then talk into the microphone and tell it the correct answer. I found this to be quite difficult at first since my brain was hardwired to always want to win the round. After multiple play sessions this becomes easier, but overall I think it's more difficult than the color test used in the original. After completing all three games you will be assigned an age based on your accuracy and timeliness. You're aiming for the coveted Brain Age score of 20, the best possible score in the game. My first play yielded an ugly truth: my brain was in need of some serious training with an age of 58.

You can only take the Brain Age test once a day, but you can practice as many times as you like with Daily Training. In this mode you'll get to play a host of different mind games. The game has a built-in calendar that keeps track of how many days you've been training and will unlock new games the more you keep playing. There are a variety of new games to play here, including one that has you playing notes on a piano and another that has you carefully watch stick figures run a marathon and write what position he placed. A few of my favorites include Sign Finder and Change Maker. Sign Finder gives you a simple mathematical equation with 2 numbers on one side and the answer on the other. Your job is to write the missing math sign. For example, you might be given 8 _ 8 = 64. You'd draw an "X" since 8 times 8 would equal 64. It sounds easy, but it can be tricky and it's surprisingly fun. Change Maker is for all of you would-be cashiers out there. A price appears at the top of the screen and it then shows what the customer is paying with. You must then give back the correct change. So, it might show someone's total as being 5.90 and paying with a $10 bill. You'd then select 4 dollar bills and a dime to give back to the customer. The faster you correctly give back change the better your score.

Brain Age 2 is a fun experience that offers up new and fun ways to test your brain. It lacks the originality of the first, and it reuses most of the same art assets the first employed, which is both understandable, given its minimalist approach, but also disappointing to see so little effort put forth to set it apart from its predecessor. Nintendo has also put in another 100 Sudoku puzzles into Brain Age 2. The interface is as amazing as ever by using the touch screen to allow you to write the numbers in the grid and still remains the best way to play Sudoku on the DS. Everyone who enjoyed the first game is sure to have fun with the sequel, but I can't say it's more entertaining than the original. If you've played the original so many times that it's no longer a challenge, I highly recommend Brain Age 2. You're sure to get your $20 worth here.