Fans of the hit Nintendo DS Touch Generations entry Big Brain Academy should be grateful for the release of a sequel on the Nintendo Wii. Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree uses the same brain-testing tools as the previous release, with players going through numerous minigames to improve their mental skills. However, rather than using a touch-screen, players maneuver the Wii remote in different ways to complete each minigame.

Wii Degree includes fifteen minigames. While that may seem low, most of the games end up being winners when strung together successively. One favorite involves different sized balloons with numbers on them. Players must pop them in numerical order in the quickest time possible. Another good one offers a variation on the old Whack-a-Mole game. Critters pop out of the ground, holding particular shapes and objects. The player matches up particular items and clonks the creature in the head before it sinks back into the ground. Only a couple of these games drag down the momentum, like viewing a rotating shape -- it just takes too long to see all four sides of the block in question.

Wii Degree's controls serve a very useful purpose. The player uses the Wii remote to get things done, such as shining a spotlight on a darkened field of animals (to see which species has the most dominance) or selecting track pieces to maneuver a train to its appointed destination. The Wii remote's built-in speaker also finds use, particularly with one minigame involving food items. Other than that, the game's on-screen teacher lets the player know how many rounds remain to be played or other little factoids. Still, it makes for a pretty cool addition.

The visuals have their moments with the weird, Mr. Peanut-ish professor, an easy to read activity grid and simply designed stages. Sound works pretty much the same way, with routine effects, fun music and the teacher's audible cues.

With only fifteen minigames and a couple of small modes, the single player portion of Wii Degree may get stale rather quickly. Players can complete daily challenges and keep an eye on their brain's growth in five categories (Identify, Computer, Visualize, Analyze and Memorize), all in sync with a pre-selected Mii character.

In addition, Wii Degree offers something in the way of multiplayer. Two players can compete in a series of randomly mixed minigames. The game also includes an eight-player mode, where teams of four pass off the Wii remotes throughout various activities. Wii Degree also features the ability to connect with the WiiConnect24 service in which players exchange friend codes and pose mental threats to one another.

Despite the fun, we question the $50 price tag. This may seem like the Nintendo standard for first-party Wii games, but Brain Age and Big Brain Academy each sell for $20 on the DS. Even $30 would have been somewhat reasonable. At $50, though, it cuts down on its potential audience.

Those who don't mind forking over a little extra cash for cerebral celebration won't mind enrolling in Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree. It needed more minigames and a livelier presentation, but gamers will enjoy the multiplayer options and gameplay innovations.

Final Score: 7 (out of 10)

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Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree Game Guide

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