Do you think all video games are violent virtual adventures designed to titillate teens? Think again. Better yet, learn to think better by using the Nintendo DS Lite portable electronic game console ($130).
Some of the hottest games for the DS Lite appeal to adults more interested in sharpening their minds than in shooting aliens or stealing cars. The best known are Nintendo’s own Brain Age ($20) and recently released Brain Age 2 ($20). You’re encouraged to conduct daily Brain Age workouts using the reading and mathematics exercises.
As you do, the program calculates changes in your “brain age” (the younger, the better).
Similarly stimulating is Left Brain, Right Brain ($20) from Majesco Games, which promotes development of both cerebral hemispheres. Connect-the-dots games, tracing activities, and other drills push you to use your dominant and nondominant hands, and score your progress toward becoming ambidextrous and ambicerebral.
Software developers and linguists collaborated to create My Word Coach ($30) from Ubisoft. Games are designed to expand your vocabulary, improve your spelling, and enhance other verbal abilities. When you’re ready to apply what you’ve learned to other languages, My Spanish Coach and My French Coach await.
