The latest self-improvement game for the Nintendo DS focuses on vision.
Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day promises to improve your hand-eye coordination, expand your peripheral vision and enhance your "dynamic visual acuity."
But don't throw away those glasses or contacts just yet, because a closer look reveals that your vision won't actually improve.
Instead, you'll learn your "eye age" while playing games in which you track boxes, tap on a boxing opponent or watch flashing numbers, among other challenges.
At first glance, the game looks like about as much fun as a visit to the optometrist, but the real eye-opener is how quickly you'll become addicted to the exercises.
In one test, a player tries to track three boxes as they are shuffled -- as with a carnival-style shell game. In others, letters or numbers flash on the screen as the player tries to recall them. A few sports-themed games test reflexes as well.
Initially, only a few games are available. But as you progress, more challenges are revealed.
Flash Focus tracks a player's progress and issues an eye age depending on the score. You should plan, at first, on having an eye age several decades older than your real age. With daily practice, however, the number will drop.
As many as four players can record their ages, so it's easy to tell whether you are falling behind your friends.
If all this eye-popping exercise sounds like too much work, the game provides a relaxation mode to rest the eyes. Relaxing requires a lot of neck and eye rolls, though, so don't plan on doing this in public.
Flash Focus joins the growing list of Nintendo games designed to train the body and mind. Big Brain Academy, Brain Age and the upcoming Wii Fit all aim to make players smarter and stronger. Self-improvement might not be easy, but at least Nintendo is trying to make it fun.
This latest entry isn't the best in the series, lacking the charm and novelty of Brain Age. It's also difficult to believe that it will actually improve your sight and reflexes better than any other game.
Source: Columbus Dispatch