PAX07: Hands on with Flash Focus: Vision Training on DS

Hoping to build on the phenomenal success of the Brain Training series, Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day takes a side-step from the little grey cells to work on your eyes.

The newest addition to Nintendo's Touch! Generations series of titles mixes mini-games and vision tests intending to expand your visual perception and acuity. But while we're not entirely confident that the science behind Flash Focus will actually improve your vision, from what we've seen at the recent Penny Arcade Expo, it definitely has gaming appeal. (And we're not alone: the game was declared Best of GC on DS by the jury at the Games Convention last week.)

You begin Flash Focus by taking a series of simple vision tests to calculate your eye age. The concept of an eye age symbolises your quality of vision as it relates to the game – and will be a familiar process to anyone who's played any of the Brain Training games. Your goal playing Flash Focus is to achieve an eye age that is younger than your physical age. And, in theory, the more frequently you participate in eye exercises, the better your 'sight' will become.

We took one rather tricky vision test requiring observation of symbols flashing upon the screen. In a 3x4 grid, a series of rotated C shapes flashed up in sequence. Passing the test demanded recounting the order in which specific orientation of the Cs had been shown. There were ten examples to deal with, with each proceeding example getting faster and being shown for a shorter period of time. The first few were easy but as the speed ramped up, it became noticeably harder.

But far more entertaining than the vision tests were some mini-games emphasising visual acuity. A baseball batting game had us stepping up to the plate from a first-person perspective. As a pitch came flying at the screen, it was our job to tap a marked box on the screen when the ball was in hitting distance. The closer we got to the 'correct' answer, the more powerful our hit, with a home run being the ultimate result. Overall, it was a surprisingly challenging activity that felt less like a vision exercise and more like a handheld baseball simulation.

Another sports mini-game involved boxing. A boxing coach equipped with punching pads joined us in the ring and we were then tasked with nailing him as he moved about the screen. The pads moved more quickly as the game progressed, making it increasingly difficult to land a punch.

A third mini-game we played placed the numerals one through 20 on a jumbled grid, where completing the game required tapping the numerals in order. Of course, a time limit prevented us from leisurely finishing the task so while visually identifying the numbers proved vital in getting a good time, quick reaction time played a significant role, too.

Much like Brain Training, then, the appeal of Flash Focus seems to lie in the ability of gamers to pick it up for a few moments of casual play. The large number of mini-games will surely keep things fresh, but it isn't meant to be a long, drawn out experience, rather a daily bout of activity to lower your score.

Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day has its sights set for a release before the end of the year, so click 'Track It!' to stay with us for updates.