Gamasutra reports that a hospital in Japan has begun renting out DSes and suggesting the title Brain Training to older patients, in an effort to stave off dementia. From the article: "Sixty-seven year old retiree Isamu Shishido is quoted as saying, 'I don't want to end up some crazy old man. I want to play a little everyday before going to bed.' Neurosurgeon Dr Takeshi Kihara comments that, 'The game won't cure dementia. But it's a good form of stimulation, especially for old people living alone. ...

Gamasutra reports that a hospital in Japan has begun renting out DSes and suggesting the title Brain Training to older patients, in an effort to stave off dementia. From the article: "Sixty-seven year old retiree Isamu Shishido is quoted as saying, 'I don't want to end up some crazy old man. I want to play a little everyday before going to bed.' Neurosurgeon Dr Takeshi Kihara comments that, 'The game won't cure dementia. But it's a good form of stimulation, especially for old people living alone. ...

Gamasutra reports that a hospital in Japan has begun renting out DSes and suggesting the title Brain Training to older patients, in an effort to stave off dementia. From the article: "Sixty-seven year old retiree Isamu Shishido is quoted as saying, 'I don't want to end up some crazy old man. I want to play a little everyday before going to bed.' Neurosurgeon Dr Takeshi Kihara comments that, 'The game won't cure dementia. But it's a good form of stimulation, especially for old people living alone. ...

The japanese love their dating games, heres another new release for the PSP:



A port from the PC romance simulation game in Konami's Tokimeki Memorial franchise. You are a high school student who has just entered a new private academy, and need to find love around many corridor corners.

More info --> http://www.yesasia.com/?/info.php?pro...9&lsaid=219793 ...

New Commercial PSP release out now:



A reworked version of the second action/adventure/RPG entry in the Mega Man series, originally released for the PSone



More info --> http://www.yesasia.com/?/info.php?pro...3&lsaid=219793 ...

Nintendo's Brain Training efforts have sold stupendous amounts in Japan - we all know that - but according to a report sourced by the Associated Press from Mainichi Daily News, it's not just the stupid children and anxious adults who are picking it up to find out whether their noggin's actually firing on all nerve structures: now doctors are recommending elderly folks in their care give it a go to help stimulate the mind.

Kyoto's Uchida Hospital, which runs a memory loss clinic for patients suffering dementia has apparently got hold of a load of DSes and copies of Brain Training - which is made up a lot of simple tests involving anagrams and sums and the like - and according to administrator Atsuko Uchida "they're almost always rented out".

The AP even quoted a 67-year-old patient, Isamu Shishido, who said he hoped the game would help him stop forgetting things like names and phone numbers so his daughter will stop making fun of him about it. "I don't want to end up some crazy old man. I want to play a little everyday before going to bed," he said, which sounds reasonable to us.

Nintendo's obviously using all this as an excuse to point out, again, that people of all ages like its Brain Training software and that its famous new strategy to try and appeal to existing games, disillusioned gamers and non-gamers all at once is working very well thank you very much. Indeed, since Kyoto's where Nintendo lives, you might even argue that it all smells a bit like a publicity stunt.

But hey, we're not going to complain about games that help people stave off the effects of old age. Apart from the serious benefits this sort of thing implies, it's a wonderful excuse to make jokes about certain colleagues who often phone up and say, "I've got to the station, but I can't remember where the office is." Like "Why did the business development director for editorial cross the road? Because he couldn't remember where Capcom is." Another day closer to the grave, readers. ...

Nintendo's Brain Training efforts have sold stupendous amounts in Japan - we all know that - but according to a report sourced by the Associated Press from Mainichi Daily News, it's not just the stupid children and anxious adults who are picking it up to find out whether their noggin's actually firing on all nerve structures: now doctors are recommending elderly folks in their care give it a go to help stimulate the mind.

Kyoto's Uchida Hospital, which runs a memory loss clinic for patients suffering dementia has apparently got hold of a load of DSes and copies of Brain Training - which is made up a lot of simple tests involving anagrams and sums and the like - and according to administrator Atsuko Uchida "they're almost always rented out".

The AP even quoted a 67-year-old patient, Isamu Shishido, who said he hoped the game would help him stop forgetting things like names and phone numbers so his daughter will stop making fun of him about it. "I don't want to end up some crazy old man. I want to play a little everyday before going to bed," he said, which sounds reasonable to us.

Nintendo's obviously using all this as an excuse to point out, again, that people of all ages like its Brain Training software and that its famous new strategy to try and appeal to existing games, disillusioned gamers and non-gamers all at once is working very well thank you very much. Indeed, since Kyoto's where Nintendo lives, you might even argue that it all smells a bit like a publicity stunt.

But hey, we're not going to complain about games that help people stave off the effects of old age. Apart from the serious benefits this sort of thing implies, it's a wonderful excuse to make jokes about certain colleagues who often phone up and say, "I've got to the station, but I can't remember where the office is." Like "Why did the business development director for editorial cross the road? Because he couldn't remember where Capcom is." Another day closer to the grave, readers. ...

Nintendo's Brain Training efforts have sold stupendous amounts in Japan - we all know that - but according to a report sourced by the Associated Press from Mainichi Daily News, it's not just the stupid children and anxious adults who are picking it up to find out whether their noggin's actually firing on all nerve structures: now doctors are recommending elderly folks in their care give it a go to help stimulate the mind.

Kyoto's Uchida Hospital, which runs a memory loss clinic for patients suffering dementia has apparently got hold of a load of DSes and copies of Brain Training - which is made up a lot of simple tests involving anagrams and sums and the like - and according to administrator Atsuko Uchida "they're almost always rented out".

The AP even quoted a 67-year-old patient, Isamu Shishido, who said he hoped the game would help him stop forgetting things like names and phone numbers so his daughter will stop making fun of him about it. "I don't want to end up some crazy old man. I want to play a little everyday before going to bed," he said, which sounds reasonable to us.

Nintendo's obviously using all this as an excuse to point out, again, that people of all ages like its Brain Training software and that its famous new strategy to try and appeal to existing games, disillusioned gamers and non-gamers all at once is working very well thank you very much. Indeed, since Kyoto's where Nintendo lives, you might even argue that it all smells a bit like a publicity stunt.

But hey, we're not going to complain about games that help people stave off the effects of old age. Apart from the serious benefits this sort of thing implies, it's a wonderful excuse to make jokes about certain colleagues who often phone up and say, "I've got to the station, but I can't remember where the office is." Like "Why did the business development director for editorial cross the road? Because he couldn't remember where Capcom is." Another day closer to the grave, readers. ...

Good news for fans of quirky Japanese RPGs - DS title Contact is to get a Western release later this year.

Apparently it's all about "hunting, cooking, fishing, training, collecting and romance," would you believe. Playing as a young lad named Terry, you meet a Professor whose spaceship has crash landed on a strange planet. The ship's power sources - known as Cells - have become scattered about the place, and it's your job to retrieve them all.

Along the way, you'll have to train animals, collect items and play all manner of mini-games. There's also a bit of real time combat to be done, using something called Decal Attacks. You'll be able to take the game online via Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection service, but there's no word of how this'll work just yet.

The game is being produced by Gouichi Suda, director of Killer 7, and the characters have been designed by Atsuko Fukushima of PoPoLoCrois! fame. Take a look at the game's official website to see how it's shaping up.

Contact will be published by Atlus in the US this summer - as yet, there's no confirmation of whether it'll make it over here. However, we do know that the game is being developed by Marvelous Interactive, and UK publisher Rising Star have already brought several of their titles to Europe, so here's hoping. ...