Metacritic (73)
OpenCritic (73)
3DJuegos (recommended, review in Spanish):
The Verge (no score):
Screen Rant (4.5/5):
TheGamer (8/10):
Nintenderos (8/10, review in Spanish):
Daily Star (4/5):
The Games Machine (8/10, review in Italian):
God is a Geek (8/10):
Comicbook.com (4/5):
Nintendo Life (8/10):
Nintendo World Report (7.5/10):
Everyeye.it (7.5/10, review in Italian):
COGconnected (75/100):
CGMagazine (7.5/10):
Video Chums (7.4/10):
Jeuxvideo.com (14/20, review in French):
Pocket Tactics (7/10):
Hobby Consolas (70/100, review in Spanish):
IGN Italia (7/10, review in Italian):
Vooks (3.5/5):
GameSpot (7/10):
Eurogamer Italy (7/10, review in Italian):
Meristation (7/10, review in Spanish):
WellPlayed (6.5/10):
SpazioGames (6.5/10, review in Italian):
Areajugones (6/10, review in Spanish):
Nintendo Insider (6/10):
TheSixthAxis (6/10):
Digital Trends (3/5):
IGN Spain (5/10, review in Spanish):
OpenCritic (73)
3DJuegos (recommended, review in Spanish):
Big Brain Academy is a simple but funny game to test and improve your mind.
The Verge (no score):
Brain vs. Brain isn’t revolutionary by any stretch, but it does open up the possibilities for who can play together, which is an important change from its contemporaries. It’s also not the kind of game I see myself playing solo all that often. Instead, it’s more like a board game that I’ll stick on the shelf and pull out when everyone gets together.
Screen Rant (4.5/5):
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is a fantastic couch co-op game, even for a system like the Nintendo Switch, which has no shortage of them, and is a great addition to the library of those who love playing games with their friends.
TheGamer (8/10):
Overall, Brain vs Brain is exactly what you’d expect of Big Brain Academy on the Nintendo Switch. It doesn’t feel like it has changed all that much in 14 years, but maybe it didn’t need to. It’s the most gamified title in this genre, and to mess with it too much might have diminished the appeal, but it’s a little disappointing that a decade and a half of studying leads to the same B+ grade.
Nintenderos (8/10, review in Spanish):
This new installment in the Big Brain Academy franchise delivers what it promises: to give fun to all types of players. Although we miss more new content, it is a game worth playing.
Daily Star (4/5):
The gameplay is so simple and effective that you can drop in for short bursts without having to worry about long load times or system updates like you do on bigger console games. Well worth a look if you like to test your mental mettle.
The Games Machine (8/10, review in Italian):
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is a splendid puzzle game that suffers from a certain repetitiveness and finds its reason for existence in the race for the highest score. I'd definitely recommend it to gamers with a family who loves the idea of using video games to spend a few evenings playing together.
God is a Geek (8/10):
It’s a bit of a surprise this late in the year, but what a tremendous time Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is.
Comicbook.com (4/5):
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is the type of game that Nintendo does better than any other developer in the industry. This is a game that has clearly been designed with families in mind, and it's the perfect way to play together, while also taking in something educational.
Nintendo Life (8/10):
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is a fun little romp which doesn’t have ideas above its station and presents its brain-teasers in a more lighthearted, rowdier manner than Dr. Kawashima's friendly but sterile style. This isn’t the kind of marriage between gameplay and (for lack of a better term) ‘work’ that you’ll find in Ring Fit Adventure, but it’s a greatly enjoyable and budget-friendly way to keep up the little pitter-patter of grey matter for all ages.
Nintendo World Report (7.5/10):
On one hand, I wish Big Brain Academy spent the past decade focusing on all of its game design lobes, but on the other, the focused and relatively meager assortment are enjoyable in the proper context. I won’t find the nigh-endless Sudoku comfort of Brain Age games or the nuanced breadth of a full party game here, but the end result is still welcome and enjoyable. Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain might not be the 2021 valedictorian on Switch, but it certainly earns its passing grade.
Everyeye.it (7.5/10, review in Italian):
Many years after the franchise's debut, Big Brain Academy returns to the scene with an episode that has little new.
COGconnected (75/100):
Big Brain Academy games ride the line between entertainment and training. You’ll churn through the content being offered in an hour, but that’s by design. A proper playthrough of this game is stretched over several months, with you improving slightly every day. Although I can’t imagine extensive research would teach you anything really new. Even a couple hours with these challenges would be enough to illuminate your weak points. Such is the central tenet here. If you’re looking for a gaming experience, you’ll be disappointed. But if you want to train that brain of yours, that’s a different story. These tools and tasks take on a whole new purpose then, one with practical ends. I’m not sure you’ll enjoy your time with Big Brain Academy: Brain vs Brain. But I’m certain your time playing the game will be well spent.
CGMagazine (7.5/10):
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain brings a unique solo experience while still remaining fun for the whole family. I found some controls frustrating, but it's a great game to wind down with.
Video Chums (7.4/10):
I'm happy to say that Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is super-fun whether you're playing by yourself or with friends. It may not have much long-lasting appeal but it's certainly worth adding to your multiplayer playlist, especially if you enjoy mini-games.
Jeuxvideo.com (14/20, review in French):
Not to be considered as a party-game but a mental training program in the form of a video game, the Nintendo title does the job well if you take it that way.
Pocket Tactics (7/10):
A lovely learning experience that offers satisfying brain-teasing puzzles, but doesn’t quite have enough to keep players coming back for weeks. Fun multiplayer adds some mileage, though some extra options would really sweeten the deal.
Hobby Consolas (70/100, review in Spanish):
A good collection of mental agility tests, with which to put in shape the different areas of our brain. Regarding the games that came out on Nintendo DS, Wii and Wii U, it incorporates multiplayer modes, both local (4 players in TV mode and 2 in portable mode) and online against "ghosts" of other players.
IGN Italia (7/10, review in Italian):
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is a good workout for the mind, captivating enough to entertain; still, it would have deserved more content.
Vooks (3.5/5):
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is a solid collection of brain-teasing minigames that’s enjoyable enough alone but is unlikely to hold your attention for an extended period unless you’ve got some fellow brainiacs to go up against. That competitive drive to improve and beat your friends and family will keep you coming back once the allure of another cute hat wears off. If you’ve got some people to share the experience with, you’ll have a good time with this one.
GameSpot (7/10):
Big Brain Academy, and the entire brain-training sub-genre of puzzle games, were never as medically precise as they purported to be. But they were always about the fulfillment of self-improvement, not bragging rights. Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain, thanks to its new competition hooks, feels just a little bit coarser. It's still plenty of fun in small doses, and the exercises are well-made and for the most part ramp up nicely. Just don't take it too seriously, and whatever the leaderboards say, remember to run your own race.
Eurogamer Italy (7/10, review in Italian):
Big Brain Academy is back on the Nintendo Switch with a bunch of old and new learning challenges. We're just a little bit disappointed by the multiplayer that lack some options available on the Wii and DS outings.
Meristation (7/10, review in Spanish):
Nintendo Switch welcomes Big Brain Academy: Brain Battle. The hybrid console adds to its catalogue what is, from now on, one of the most recommended logic and puzzle titles to play with the family or for the youngest audience. A proposal as simple as its predecessors in the saga (of which it reuses activities), but also one of those that have made the best use of the technological benefits of the moment. The title asks for just a few minutes a day to exercise your brain in key mathematical skills in the growth stages of any student, so it seems to us an ideal gift for this Christmas. Identity, visualize, memorize, compute, analyze... And have fun, which is the most important thing, both alone and in company. Its only problem is that it is very short on content, although its low price compensates for that. For the rest, it is one of those titles that we celebrate for combining learning with perseverance and the importance of training our minds.
WellPlayed (6.5/10):
A fun pick up and play experience that is unfortunately held back by its inability to truly innovate on its predecessors and take advantage of the Switch's hardware.
SpazioGames (6.5/10, review in Italian):
Despite its smart minigames, Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain offers to the player very little reasons to get back in to the game later. It's a fun experience to play with friends and family, but it lacks replay value and fails in creating something new in the brain games genre.
Areajugones (6/10, review in Spanish):
An okay game full of minigames that help you exercise your brain but that, however, does not have much going for itself in terms of variety of content. Nevertheless, it's possible that in a few days you'll just be completing tests non-stop.
Nintendo Insider (6/10):
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain delivers an enjoyable – if familiar – assortment of challenging games for all ages that shine best when competing with others. Unfortunately, a general lack of content means you’ll see everything it has to offer within a day or two, mode variety stretching your milage maybe a little farther. A fun, if short-lived experience.
TheSixthAxis (6/10):
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is a pleasant little diversion for your grey matter, but it’s one that doesn’t do enough to justify its asking price.
Digital Trends (3/5):
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is a shockingly addictive collection of brain teasers, but a slim package makes it a hard sell.
IGN Spain (5/10, review in Spanish):
Big Brain Academy returns with an installment that emphasizes its multiplayer part, but falls short both in terms of options and content. What is available is good, but it is also insufficient at a time when it is easy to find more interesting proposals, both in terms of mental training and in terms of the party games catalogue. It's not a bad game, but it doesn't go beyond the minimum required.
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