If you have ever applied for a job that requires you take a career aptitude test, then you have a pretty good idea of what Hot Brain has to offer. Hot Brain, from Midway Home Entertainment, Inc., is a series of puzzle games that test your smarts in five categories: math, logic, language, memory, and concentration. The basic goal of the game is to see how smart you are and overtime to achieve a "hot brain". How do you get a hot brain? Well, each time you play, the game will record your score and graph the results on a chart. The goal is to improve each time you play. As an overall game, Hot Brain is semi-addictive. It has appeal as a brain-teaser and the various puzzles included can be challenging and fun. However, it is fairly limited and will lose its appeal after time.

The game is hosted at the Hot Brains Institute by character Dr. Ed Warmer (actor Fred Willard provides his voice). Prior to each test, he provides instructions and walks you through the process. Beyond, Warmer brings little else to the table. He says a few interesting facts about the brain, but it is repetitive material.

Hot Brains' game play is fairly simplistic. There are single- and multi-player options. The single-player mode consists of two primary modes: practice and test. "Practice" mode allows you to practice challenges from one of the five categories ]. You will get to pick the difficulty level ranging from easy to medium to hard. Next Warmer walks you through the specifics of the practice test and then you practice the challenge.



"Test" mode is where the real action takes place. Warmer will walk you through five different challenges from each category. Each challenge is timed in 30 or 60 second intervals. At the end of each challenge, your scores are recorded. At the end, the overall score is shown and recorded. One interesting aspect of the test mode is its ability to adapt to the user's success. If you do well in a test, then the difficulty level will automatically increase. And sometimes, if you're doing poorly it will downgrade.

Here is an overview of the different challenges in each category:

1. Logic:


• Sequencer: A partial sequence is shown and you must select the next element in the sequence.


• Shape Logic: Several shapes are presented and you must choose the resulting shape from adding or subtracting one or more pieces to an initial shape.


• Back Seat Driver: A city grid is shown and with knowledge of the directions and starting place of a taxi cab, you must pick where the cab will stop to pick up a passenger.


2. Memory:


• Scene of the Crime: After being shown a picture of an object (or objects) for a brief period of time, you must identify the identical image from a group.


• Musical Memory: You will hear a sequence of sounds associated with objects and you will need to repeat the sequence.


• Pinball Wizard: On a pinball table with four bumpers, you must select the bumper that the pinball strikes the most times.


3. Math:


• High and Low: When presented with a series of four math equations, you must order them in ascending or descending order.


• Cruise Ship: A ship at dock has passengers boarding and disembarking and you must keep count of how many passengers are on the ship.


• Equation Sensation: A math equation is shown with the operator shown as a question and you must select the correct operator to make the equation valid.



4. Language:


• Alphabet: After begin shown a sequence of words, place them into alphabetical order.


• Spelling Bee: From a list of words, identify the misspelled or correctly spelled word.


• Picto-Rhymes: A picture is shown and you must select the word that rhymes with the image.


5. Concentration:


• Untangle: You are shown two sets of four colored balls of yarn and must select which sets are connected.


• Shape Up: Multiple shapes are shown and you must pick the complex shape that can be created from these pieces.


• Combine: When shown a part of a shape, select the correct piece to complete the shape.

These challenges can be a fun way to get your mind thinking. However, as previously mentioned, the replay value diminishes. With only three different types of tests for the five categories, after frequent playing they become repetitive and easier because you are doing the same thing over and over again.

The single-player mode also offers another option called "Brain Temperature". This mode is simply a way to monitor your progress. It takes you to a screen that shows your last test results and a graph that shows your progress over time.

For multi-player gaming options, there are two modes. The first is "Think Tank", which offers cooperative gaming. 2 to 4 players work together to collectively try to get a red hot brain. The players will start off with a cold brain. They are given a new category and challenge every sixty seconds until the game is won. With each correct answer, the brain temperature goes up. It decreases with incorrect answers and over time. The second mode is "Brain Race", which allows 2 to 4 players to compete with each other. The players are given the same question. The first player to get a red hot brain wins. New categories/challenges occur every ten questions.

Overall, Hot Brain is a decent game for those who enjoy really thinking. The only problem is that it gets repetitive and has limited replay value. For that reason, I wouldn't recommend purchasing it. If you really want to be challenged (again think of a career aptitude test), then this game should be worth renting. The fact of the matter is that there isn't a whole lot to the game.