Nintendo DS

[bleats]

Originally Posted by BBKing

We got ours from a mate who went to New York a few weeks back - had to buy a new power cord, but IIRC it was still cheaper overall and works fine.

It is like crack, although not for me - either my partner will be doing brain training on it or my son will be bringing it to me and forcing me to do trivial maths problems or drawing a racing car on it. Technologically very impressive.

Do the games still work the same with the imported ones, or is it like the PS2/Xbox regional encoding saga we have all got to know and hate? The reason I ask is that I am off to the States after Xmas, and was thinking about doing the same thing....

[dilli-theclaw]

the games are region free.

[KaySquirrel]

I play Animal Crossing: Wild World a lot, and Mario Kart every once in a while. (In fact, anyone who plays MarioKart on wifi, feel free to PM me for my friend code if you like -- always more fun to wifi with someone you "know" than waiting for random players!)

Hubby likes the Brain Training games, and has been obsessed with Legend of Zelda (Phantom Hourglass I think? I haven't played it) for the past week or so.

[Duke]

Just bought a DS for my sister and got the games worms and sims 2. I had a go, and I am hooked on the thing, might just keep it for myself .

Great piece of kit, might just buy one or two more. Nintendo are really doing well, they are being very innovative. DS is the best selling hand held and the Wii is the best selling console. I am a hardcore gamer but I love this "casual" gaming also.

[greencreeper]

I've now got a case for it. Got it on Fleabay. Supposed to be in the UK is the seller, but the parcel has taken ages to arrive and has come from Hong Kong. I have a feeling that Hong Kong is not a UK island Get the game tomorrow. I very nearly gave up on the case and got an accessories kit - good job I didn't!

[greencreeper]

It's a nifty little thing - much smaller than I imagined. I had to get the "more brain training" because Chavgos didn't have the plain "brain training". I've had a go with it, and it is quite addictive - I was drawn to the suduko. My brain age is supposedly 84, IIRC. I'm not convinced. Let's take a look at FPS games... I've played the original Half-Life many, many times, and can now play it knowing where all the triggers and aliens are, and with a high degree of weapon accuracy. I maybe die two or three times in total, if that (excluding the dodgy Zen bit, which I'm not keen on). It's an FPS game. That should mean I can play any FPS game with the same skill. This is not the case. Why? Because every game is different, and the skills learnt in one game are not always transferrable to another. According to the Brain Training, repeating the same exercises over and over will improve your brain - I think it just improves your skill at the exercises, and doesn't give you anything useful you can transfer elsewhere.

I disagree repetition becomes instinct

In Kung Fu I practiced a lot of techniques over and over again started off struggling as time went by I got more proficient then before you know it its becomes reflex someone throws a punch your block it and think wow how did I block that or something drops off the side and you catch it . So the repeated training makes you sharp. I expect this brain training will do the same in time the exercises will become instinct or a reflex and you will be come sharper.

[greencreeper]

Exactly, zingle - but only at the exercises. Being good at Kung Fu isn't going to help much with, say, kick boxing, is it? Completely different set of moves. With Brain Training, how often in life have you encountered letters moving in a circle, from which you have to determine the correct word? Or have to repeatedly deduct 9 from eighty-something?

well actually it does as its more than just a series of punches and kicks it makes you sharp and a sharp mind can take up more information. I can use boxing kickboxing and kung fu all in one fight depending on the opponent . I think the point is making your brain sharp so it can take in more information more efficiently as an unfit lethargic person will struggle to learn new tasks a fit sharp energetic person with have more vigour in sure the same is so for the mind

[greencreeper]

I think you're generalising, zing - "brain is sharp at one thing, therefore sharp at all things". I'm not convinced. And all the training in the world won't stop you, one day, ending up in a home, sat in a puddle of ****, wearing someone else's teeth, and not knowing what your name is or what day it is

no what im saying is you get the brain sharp so its more efficient. The aging process is something that you can ward off for a while by being fit and I believe the brain is the same. Of course disease of the body or mind can bring it on or destroy us all

[Hom3r]

I've just spent 7 hours going around every shop in my town looking for a Black one for my mum, every place had sold out, The only place that we could find them was Toys R us selling a bundled pink one + 4 games for £180, my mum doesn't want pink.

[greencreeper]

I got my mum a black one from Amazon, homer. I thought I'd got it from Ebay but on checking, it was actually Amazon, though the guy does have an Ebay shop according to his email signature. "Wayne's Movies and Games"

Mum is now hooked on it, and has bought more games. My brain age is 80, which is fine - at that age, dementia will be next and nothing will matter then because I won't be able to remember to worry.

[AndrewJ]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

I've just spent 7 hours going around every shop in my town looking for a Black one for my mum, every place had sold out, The only place that we could find them was Toys R us selling a bundled pink one + 4 games for £180, my mum doesn't want pink.

Comet Oldham £99 without a game black in stock.

[Hom3r]

Rocking Horse Poop is easier to get than a NDL in my town.