I remember when my sister and I used to watch Brain Games on HBO back in the 80s when we were kids. Crashbox (1999-2000) is a more updated version with more advanced games than before. Each half-hour show has seven games of amazing variety, all run together by a bunch of mini robot workers. You just never know which game will come up next.
Some of my favorite segments include “Mug Shots” where Detective Varity hears testimonies from four suspects and only one of them tells the truth, “Haunted House Party” where mystery historical figures have conversations with other ghosts in a haunted house, “Ear We Are” where two ears play a “guess the sound” game, and “10 Seconds” where you guess word puzzles.
Even though this is a kids show, there were some other segments that I would still find difficult. For instance, “Distraction News” has correspondent Dora Smarmy talk about a subject of importance, but it also has a bunch of things popping in and out as a way to keep you from listening. “Lens McCracken” is another tough game. The mystery photos featured are tough to identify because they’re all extreme close ups. Then there’s “Word Shake” where a chef mixes two or three words together to make a whole new word. For example, put “Hand” and “Chin” together and you get “Engine”. I never would’ve thought of that. It must be related to texting, which I’ve never been into. Sometimes even the math puzzles on “Captain Bones” can be tough to figure out. Of course it doesn’t help when Captain Bones keeps insulting the viewers. Does that ever make you wonder, “Am I really smarter than a fifth grader”?
There are also a couple of interesting games about the animal kingdom. “Poop or Scoop” features true or false questions that are hosted by Danny Wells (who I remember best as Luigi from The Super Mario Bros. Super Show) and “Eddie Bull” who is a little guy that all zoo animals love to eat. As he goes through the animal’s digestive system, Eddie describes it and comes back in one piece ready for another animal to eat him up. Now just to set the record straight, Eddie Bull always says that he’s at the Walla Walla, Washington Zoo. Well, I used to live in Walla Walla, Washington and there never was a zoo there. Not even like the one he’s at.
The “Riddle Snake” is a cool character with that turban, playing that flute. Then a guy comes out of the basket under its control. At least the snake doesn’t try to bite him. I must say though, one segment this show could’ve totally done without was “The Revolting Slob”. Who can stand to watch that gross guy? Not me.
This is a very creative educational series. It’s never been available on DVD. In fact, neither has “Brain Games”.
was part of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show. It includes more live action segments of Captain Lou Albano and Danny Wells as the Mario Brothers. Unfortunately, most of them don’t come with the DVD box set. Like the Super Mario Bros., Link has come a long way in the video game world. In a way, this series represents his classic beginnnings.
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After the Mario cartoon, there’s a sneak peek of that week’s episode of The Legend of Zelda. But we’ll get to that show later. At the end credits, the music for the song “Do the Mario” is from the Super Mario Bros. video game. Whenever I play that game on levels with that music, I usually think of the lyrics that go with it. Pretty cool, huh?