American Mensa Academy
SCORE: 82
I was very excited to play and review
American Mensa Academy on the Nintendo 3DS. This little game asks if you
are "Curious about your IQ? Train your brain with hundreds of fun mini
games, puzzles, and American Mensa endorsed question." I took an IQ test
many years ago. I know what it officially is.
I started American Mensa Academy on the 3DS and immediately went into
the test. I was testing the game more than anything else. How close
would it come to my real world actual previously tested IQ? Sadly
American Mensa Academy was nowhere near it. I went into the explanation
to exhibit what I already suspected. I did not understand the formatting
of their questions or what many of the questions were actually asking me
to do.
So I went into the play mode in American Mensa Academy. From here I
found I could train my brain into the exact questions they were
answering. After many hours of preparation I was able to drastically
improve my test score. Which does not really denote a good IQ test. Just
that gamers can be trained to answer questions the way this hand held
game wants them to.
I was a little let down. I decided to approach American Mensa Academy
another way. As a brain game. After all Nintendo has not published
anything worth while in this arena in some time. American Mensa Academy
is a fun little brain game that is teaching the player all kinds of
different things.
The 3D effects in American Mensa Academy look great. The level of detail
in the graphics is okay at best. There are things that look like cut
outs on sticks. I am guessing this was an artistically style choice.
Since there are a variety of different kinds of music that play. I
recognized a few tunes here and there.
My biggest issue with American Mensa Academy are the controls. They are
loose and frustrating. We move the stylus on the bottom screen that
moves a cursor on the top screen. Then when we are over the right spot
we have to press down. I found myself lifting off and pressing down.
Sometimes that cursor would move and I would select something else. This
control scheme does not impress me.
All in all American Mensa Academy is a neat little brain game. Throw out
the whole IQ score aspect, and there are some great brain game
exercises. There are enough brain game exercises in American Mensa
Academy to keep families busy for a few weeks at the very least.
- Paul
Graphics: 80%
Sound: 88%
Replay/Extras: 90%
Gameplay: 70%
Family Friendly Factor: 83%
System: Nintendo 3DS
Publisher: Maximum Games
Rating: ‘E’ - Everyone
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