I am a thief. I stole the think, think, think line from Steve Burns of Blues Clues fame. However, if you are thinking that Nintendo's Big Brain Academy on the same level as Blue and her friends, you are sadly mistaken.

Big Brain Academy is definitely not for the Blues Clues crowd. It makes one’s brain work in atypical ways – for most of us anyway. I am not a game hound, but I find the game addictive. At first, it is easy, but as you work your way up the levels, it gets progressively more difficult. I have yet to discover what the top scores are, although I have well over 300 on most levels. You can get bronze, silver and gold medals at each level. Although you top out at the gold level, you can still get higher point values. Once you think you are proficient, test yourself. Test mode tells you what your level in each category is, and then gives you a letter grade on the standard ABCDF grading scale.

Game Breakdown:

After creating a character name, you can choose one of three modes: practice, test, and versus. Practice and test are single player modes, while versus requires two DSs and two players. The practice mode has three difficulty levels: easy, norm, and hard for each game, as well as three game versions under each major brain activity!

Compute: Ewww – it is math. My least favorite of all categories.

Game 1: Coin-parison: You are given a set of coins on the upper screen. On the bottom touch screen, you are given two sets of coins to choose from. Your goal is to touch the side with the larger amount of coins. You can toggle amounts to overlay coins or just have the coins. For weaker math brained people like me, the toggle to show the coin amount gives me the visual I need to be able to mentally add the numbers rapidly.

Game 2: Add Agency: You are given a random set of objects (like two dogs and 4 dogs) on the top screen. On the bottom screen you are given an assortment of cards (like two dogs, two pigs, three cats, one dog) and you have to touch the two cards that equal the one on the top screen (my least favorite, probably because it is the hardest for me).

Game 3: Written math: Read the equation on the top screen and solve it on the bottom screen. By far the easiest game for me in the computer section.

Identify: My favorite of all the categories, but not the one I am the best at.

Game 1: Shadow Shift: The top screen gives you a shadow, and you must touch the imagaes that match the shadows on the bottom. Sounds easy, but the shadows can overlap, flash and fade. OK, so it is easy, but it does tend to make me headachey, so I never play more than one round at a time.

Game 2: Get in Shape: You are given a shape on the top screen made of shapes – like a truck. You have to tap the pieces on the bottom screen to recreate the shape shown on the upper screen. It is my favorite activity on Big Brain Academy.

Game 3: Matchmaker: You have to find the matches among the cards, which can be numbers, symbols, or letters. This game really doesn’t involve both screens, so it is kind a weak game for Big Brain Academy.

Think: Logic. I don’t like this category as much as some of the others. It is the most challenging category for me.

Game 1: Heavyweight: You are given random objects on the top screen on scales. You have to touch the heaviest item on the bottom screen. On higher levels, you are given a number of scaled items on the top screen. Once in a while, I can’t figure out the logic behind what it the heaviest item. Does this mean I am not a logical person, or does it mean there is fouled logic in the game development? (I know, I am not a logical person, but could we just say it is fouled game development for the sake of argument?)

Game 2: Pathfinder: You must help the animals on the top to turn at corners and draw the lines to help them meet up at the bottom. A cool game because it really involves both screens for one game play.

Game 3: Bone Yard: Look at thet op screen to figure out where the dog is going to end up. Sometimes the blocks move, so you have to drop a block to get the dog in the correct position. Now that I am a gold level, I am finding that I like this game a lot more than I did at the lower levels. Now if I could only find my recharge cord so I can play the DS again.

Memorize: Just what it says. The category that I am by far the best at.

Game 1: Sound Bites: Listen to what noise the objects make as well as the order, then tap the picture on the bottom screen in the correct order. Super easy. You get visual and a verbal cue on this game.

Game 2: Flash Memory: Memorize the numbers and symbols in the correct order. This one is also super easy.

Game 3: Memo-random: Memorize the images on the upper screen. After a few seconds, the game will wipe out some of the images, then you have to touch the answer on the bottom screen.

Game 2: Cube Game: Count the blocks. Sometimes they are hidden. I think my boys had to take a version of this on their IQ tests.

Game 3: Animal Lines: Look at the pattern on the top screen than trace through the same pattern on the bottom screen. The pattern may appear backwards, diagonal, or frontwards.

When you get good enough, take the test to see what letter grade you make. I am not an A student yet, although I do have high hopes. The testing is random, so you can't pick your favorite games in the categories just to test well.

This is a fun game. I have my entire family involved, although I am the one that plays it the most. It is a good game for waiting in line or at the doctor’s office because all levels as well as the test are timed. You can do a practice level in just a few minutes. I often will put my DS in my bag when I know I will be waiting. It is a great time killer.