Like many gamers, I was extremely skeptical about the Nintendo DS when it originally launched. I thought that the system was ugly and the games were gimmicky. Then, this spring Nintendo showed off the DS Lite and I started to hear a lot about Brain Age, a game in which you do brain exercises and you get smarter. Admittedly, I was intrigued.

I finally picked up a DS and Brain Age and I'm absolutely sold on both. However, not only am I really enjoying Brain Age, my wife loves it even more than I do. In fact, she has been known to steal the DS and play sudoku for hours. She has never been much of a gamer, so this phenomenon is a bit of a shock to me.

So, what exactly is Brain Age? Brain Age is a game in which you solve puzzles and do math problems to develop your brain skills. There are over 10 different types of puzzles (including Sudoku) that help you exercise your frontal lobe. Some of them are fun and some bring flashbacks of elementary school. Yet, each activity is addictive in its own right.

The real standout of Brain Age for me was sudoku. Somehow the craze hit America and I never got exposed to it before this game. Now, I'm hooked. Sudoku is a lot of fun.

What makes it even more fun is Brain Age's great Sudoku interface. On one screen you can see the whole board and on the touchscreen you can  use the stylus to write in the number. It's really easy and intuitive. Also, you can write in small numbers so that you know what numbers could go in each spot.  That really helps.

At $20, Brain Age is an absolute steal of a deal. If you own a Nintendo DS, I highly recommend this game. It's fun, addictive, and even is good for your brain. If you don't own a Nintendo DS, I highly recommend picking up the new DS Lite and this game. You won't regret it.

Brain Age: Train You Brain in Minutes a Day is rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB.