pamphlet for brain age (above)
“virus buster” on nintendo DS’s brain age 2 (right)
(that’s the creator of the program, dr. kawashima, with the glasses on the screen. he hates cilantro but i still like him anyway.)
if you haven’t figured it out by now, i am a game geek. i got a nintendo DS for christmas along with the brain age program after dropping a big hint to my significant other that i wanted one by forwarding him this article and talking about how awful it would be to develop alzheimer’s. i quickly became addicted to brain age and trained religiously. i eventually reduced my brain age to 20 years old –the best you can get!– then i moved on to brain age 2.
brain age 2 has more complicated training programs than 1, like solving anagrams and playing the piano. when you complete a few days worth of training, brain age 2 unlocks a video game for you called, “virus buster.” it’s essentially dr. mario but you manipulate the capsules with your stylus on the screen and can move the fall-off bits as well. (if you’re not familiar with dr. mario, think of it as a variation of tetris. if you’re not familiar with tetris, stop reading immediately and crawl back under your rock.)
anyway, i am completely addicted to this game. dr. kawashima says that it’s meant to be relaxing and that i should play it before going to bed but he lied. it’s anything but relaxing. i bust those viruses and want to bust some more. it really gets my adrenaline going. i want to see my score go up and up. i moved on to the hard level of “virus buster” and have reached a high score of 984 which is puny. people have exceeded 4000 points on this game. there’s probably some kid in korea who’s reached 10,000 points.
i’ve played “virus buster” so much the DS screen has more scratches on it than a hip-hop DJ’s vinyl. i play it on planes, trains and buses. at the airport and on the toilet. i know, i know. i need help.
you can watch another addict reach his personal best on “virus buster” here:
someone playing virus buster
UPDATE: i reached a high score of 1067 today!
28 responses so far ↓
Jae Young // April 29, 2008 at 3:27 am |
OMG ARE YOU SERIOUS? I <3 Dr. Mario. I admit, my Brain Age is sort of collecting dust and I probably have the brain age of a 70 year old but DR. MARIO <3333 I thot Brain Age 2 was a waste of time and money but CLEARLY NOT. Damnit, there are too many video games I need to buy. Need ;_;
Anonymous // April 29, 2008 at 4:01 am |
hate to break your bubble susan but it’s all for not…read the latest article in Wired mag. those brain games are just a myth. they don’t work. i used to be sooooo addicted to tetris. i like that feeling when you’re in a zone and zipping through blocks at frantic speeds. and the myth about doing ny crossword puzzles is also a myth according to a study because it’s not a causal relationship. only way to increase or maintain ‘brain power’ is to be born with it. but there was an article in todays nytimes about a study where the game concentration (how mundane) played each day increases your ‘intellegence’. hey but you’re already smart susan…are you trying to solve the unifying theory or something? if anything it’s joe six packs like me that need brain boosting and maintaining.
Anonymous // April 29, 2008 at 4:04 am |
i’m still waiting for a study that shows watching tv and sex increases brainpower.
suddenly susan // April 29, 2008 at 11:07 am |
JY~i think brain age 2 is totally worth the money. whoever designed it was clever because you have to complete at least one training program each day to access “virus buster.” after that, you can as many times as you want for that day.
suddenly susan // April 29, 2008 at 11:12 am |
joe six packs,
lol. even if the brain age training and “virus buster” don’t improve my brain power, i’d still enjoy them. and you prolly don’t need a study as incentive to watch tv and have sex.
Jae Young // April 29, 2008 at 10:10 pm |
BASTICHES~ *shakes fist* Making me work my brain, whyy? I should go into a shop and just buy all the video games I want now. It always cracks me up going into video game stores being all girly. And comic book stores as well. I’m dressed for work in my fitted pencil skirt and 4 inch stiletto boots. I’ll tell you what my score is and we’ll see who is the l33t3st Korean g33k on the bl0ck ^_^
Anonymous // April 30, 2008 at 6:38 am |
susan,
it would be nice if the scientific community affirmed all the wasted hours as having a hidden benefit is all i’m saying. physical and metaphorical boobies….”why can’t i quit you?!”
suddenly susan // April 30, 2008 at 8:16 am |
JY~lol. you must have those comic book store clerks drooling! i’m still working on increasing my high score.
Jae Young // April 30, 2008 at 6:56 pm |
What you neglected to mention, two playing days after I have purchased Brain Age 2, is the NUMBER of days I must wait for easy access to Dr. Mario. Why, no why? I must have instant gratification!!
If you don’t post up more Spain pictures soon, I’m totally going to become a scary couch potato. Let it be known that blame has been documented on this date at the feet of the evildoer ^_^
suddenly susan // April 30, 2008 at 7:37 pm |
JY~
buried in the fine print, i wrote:
when you complete a few days worth of training, brain age 2 unlocks a video game for you called, “virus buster.”
all good things to those who wait. don’t forget that once you unlock “virus buster” you have to complete at least one training program each day to access the game. this is their sneaky way of getting you hooked on VB then forcing you to train every day.
i’m about to post more on spain but i’ve exceeded by monthly max for flickr uploads. have to wait till may day!
luv,
the evildoer
Kirsty // July 8, 2008 at 8:38 am |
Heloo! i totally agree with you, virus buster is the best game ever my high score is 1020! lol. i love it so much and what you say made me laugh because im the same as you. haha
they should bring out a game exactly like virus buster with different games on it too that would be good.
Melanie // July 16, 2008 at 4:00 am |
Hello:
I can’t believe I’m NOT the only one addicted to Virus! I found this blog because I was Googling to see if I could find the game on-line lol. I love this game and I sometimes stay awake so the clock will switch over to the next day so I can start a new game and pray I do well because it will only record the first game of everyday! I hate that so much I have made up 3 other pretend profiles!!! So I now have 4 chances a day to record a high score. I think I’m going to need to enter a 12 step program if I keep going this way!
suddenly susan // July 20, 2008 at 8:32 pm |
i already spend so much time playing VB. if i set up other profiles, i’d never see the light of day.
Don // December 3, 2008 at 6:46 pm |
I have played busters every day (more than once) for over a year. Already wore out my screen on my DS, so had to buy another. My reaction times in the hard mode don’t work. I have scored 2500 in easy mode. Don’t know if that is good, or just average. I’m 72 years old.
suddenly susan // December 3, 2008 at 6:59 pm |
don,
your score is AWEsome! it may be time for another DS for me too. the screen is all scratched up from my stylus. keep on bustin’!
Jamie // March 3, 2009 at 2:37 pm |
Virus Buster might just be the best video game ever. I’m giving away my copy of Tetris because Virus Buster is so much better.
suddenly susan // March 3, 2009 at 4:32 pm |
i just cracked 4000 points on the hard level the other day. VB is def way better than tetris!
Laura // March 21, 2009 at 11:00 am |
I can’t even believe I’m going to write this but we got my mom a DS for Christmas along with the Brain Age games and have both become addicted to Virus Buster. What I loved is that we both started out on easy, moved on to normal fairly quickly but in the beginning had tried Hard and though they were MAD! After about a month or so I tried hard again and they seemed to be coming so much slower than when I had 1st tried. It’s amazing what a “little” practice will do
My high score is 974…I can’t belive people are getting 4000+…I wish I hadn’t seen that!!! btw…Part of the reason I decided to write this is that when yes, I googled “Virus Buster” too and found this blog-it cracked me up that this convo has been going on for over a year!
Bust On!
Laura
suddenly susan // March 22, 2009 at 12:55 pm |
over a year later and i’m still addicted to virus buster. i don’t mind waiting for flights anymore as long as i can keep on bustin’. thanks for sharing
sara // July 8, 2009 at 4:02 am |
someone out there please help got hooked on virus buster. a few days ago Dr. K tells me I’ve used the game for 365 days and locked me out can’t get to play again What’s this all about.
some answers please !!!!!
Casey McKinnon // August 6, 2009 at 10:47 am |
Lol! I just got a new high score (around 2900) and did a Google search to compare mine with others… wish I hadn’t of done that! Someone got 4567!!! Can you believe that?!! Wow… you and I have a lot of work to do!
suddenly susan // August 8, 2009 at 4:31 pm |
i almost hate to tell you this but i’ve reached 4164, level 27 and the S.O.’s high score is 4600-something. it just takes a lot of practice.
Stephen // August 11, 2009 at 8:21 pm |
I’m totally addicted as well. I think I have a compulsion to order things. A few months ago I played two rounds starting from easy level on a cross country flight from DC to LA. My best first screen of Virus Buster high score of 202. Can’t seem to get past 2500 for a high score. If I mess up and don’t get a high score for the first play of the day I press “start” and restart the game rather than entering a score that won’t be a new high score. Have you tried the tedious starting easy level yet?
suddenly susan // August 11, 2009 at 8:33 pm |
stephen,
i totally know what you mean. something about stacking the pills really appeals to the “must be efficient in all things” virgo in me.
it’s extremely satisfying when i bust a virus and hear that swoosh sound. i ALWAYS have to have the sound on. if i’m on a plane or public area, i plug in my earphones.
i haven’t played the easy level since the first few tries. it’s too slow for me. i need the fast-paced action of the hard level.
tessa // August 23, 2009 at 2:46 am |
i’ve become obsessed with my six yr old daughter’s NDS VB. i play on it more than she does.
i googled virus buster and i came to your site (it’s an amazing adventure you’re on–post divorce– i’m almost in post-divorce but i’m in an intricate Hague battle for custody so no adventures for me, perhaps afterwards)
i think the high scores are possible on easy mode where you could easily get over the 4,000 level points bc of the slowness of the falling capsules.
i pretend the blue viruses are my soon to be ex and the red ones his mistress, and the yellow ones represent attys from his four legal firms. hehehe.
it’s like the universe works when you’re busting viruses and everything fits neatly and precisely.
momof5sons // September 21, 2009 at 4:18 am |
I LOVE virus buster. I am not a game geek, but I love this game. My high score is just under 2000, but what I often do is just play level one over and over again to see how many points I can score in just the first level. My record- 198!!
xxCxx // September 26, 2009 at 7:01 pm |
Have just scored 4613 on Virus Buster (Hard level) reaching level 26!
Tip – increase your score on the early levels by getting lots of viruses in a single hit (my personal best at end of level one 383)
suddenly susan // October 22, 2009 at 1:33 am |
@xxCxx: that is most impressive. way to go, tiger!