The Brainies is a puzzle game released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System

Super Nintendo Entertainment System

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...

 console and Atari ST

Atari ST

The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...

, Amiga

Amiga

The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...

, and Amstrad CPC

Amstrad CPC

The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...

 computers.

Summary

The gameplay revolves around Mexican jumping bean

Mexican jumping bean

A Mexican jumping bean is an occurrence native to Mexico, where it is known as Frijoles saltarines . Physically, Mexican jumping beans resemble small beans, tan to brown in colour. They are a seed pod through which the larva of a small moth has chewed. The bean "jumps" because when it gets in a...

s as they navigate 101 levels to solve the puzzles that are in their way. A time limit

Time limit (video game terminology)

A time limit is a phrase in video game terminology that is used to make gameplay faster on the threat of losing a life. A typical time limit can range from a single second to multiple amount of minutes. Although it is possible to have a Super Mario World level with zero seconds on the timer A time...

 is in effect; running out of time means losing a life. Players can only control the direction in which a Brainy will walk; taking care not to bump into another Brainy or an obstacle. There are four difficulty levels and the object is to return the Mexican jumping beans safely home. Items can be picked up; they may be beneficial or detrimental to the Brainy depending on certain factors. Arrows can also force a Brainy to change directions; rendering him helpless for a while and possibly messing up a carefully solved puzzle.

The Super NES version of the video game was reviewed in one of the first 50 issues of Nintendo Power

Nintendo Power

Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...

. Even in Europe, the connection to the popular Skweek series was made late. Amiga Power

Amiga Power

Amiga Power was a monthly magazine about Amiga computer games. It was published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and ran for 65 issues, from May 1991 to September 1996....

magazine decided to preview the game under the its North American title 'The Brainies'. Compared to the other versions, the Super NES version is considered to utilize the best use of its processors with an optional 3D view.