Smart As

Game Overview

Smart As... functions as Sony's answer to popular portable brain-training phenomena, tasking players with completing daily mental workouts across four core cognitive categories: Observation, Logic, Arithmetic, and Language. Guided by an animated virtual coach, you take on brief, bite-sized mini-games designed to test your memory, spatial reasoning, calculation speed, and linguistic flexibility.

What sets the game apart is its heavy reliance on the PS Vita's specific capabilities. Puzzles require you to tilt the console physically to guide objects, tap and swipe rapidly across the touch screen, manipulate elements on the rear touch pad, or use the outer cameras for AR-based challenges. Your overall performance calculates a dynamic "Brain Power" score, which you can compare against friends and global players using online leaderboards.

Quick Specifications

• Platform: PlayStation Vita (PS Vita)

• Release Date: October 2012 (North America / Europe via Physical Retail & Digital PSN)

• Genre: Brain Training, Puzzle, Educational, Casual

• Developer: XDev / Climax Studios

• Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

• Players: 1 Player (Single-Player with Asynchronous Online Ranking)

• Play Length: Flexible daily sessions (Infinite replayability via daily tests)

• Region Format: Region Free (Physical Cartridge & Digital PSN)

Key Features

• Hardware-Driven Puzzles: Utilize the PS Vita's dual analog sticks, touch screen, rear touch pad, motion gyroscope, and cameras in inventive ways.

• Four Cognitive Pillars: Complete targeted mini-games broken down into Observation, Logic, Arithmetic, and Language challenges.

• Daily Brain Coach: Track your ongoing mental fitness with daily workout regimes that dynamically scale in difficulty based on your performance.

• Global & Local Rankings: Upload your daily scores via online connectivity to compare your brain power against your country, your friends, and the rest of the world.

• Physical & Digital Availability: Released widely as both a standard physical retail cartridge and a digital download on the PlayStation Network store.

Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

Q: How does Smart As... use the PS Vita's hardware features?

A: Different mini-games require distinct inputs. For instance, logic puzzles might use the touch screen for dragging items, while specific observation challenges prompt you to scan your real-world surroundings using the handheld's AR camera.

Q: Can you play the game without internet connectivity?

A: Yes, the core single-player campaign, daily training sessions, and practice mini-games are entirely playable offline. An internet connection is only required to update and view global online leaderboards.

Q: Does the PS Vita version include trophies?

A: Yes, the game features a full trophy set, complete with an attainable Platinum trophy for players who master all categories and achieve top-tier brain scores.

Q: Was the game released physically on cartridge for the PS Vita?

A: Yes, Smart As... received a standard physical retail release across all major regions during the first year of the PS Vita's life cycle, backed by heavy promotion from Sony.