The surge in mental improvement games is only just beginning, folks. With the runaway success of Brain Age and Sudoku games, one of the biggest trends in gaming are titles designed to make gamers…(how to word this delicately?)… less stupid. Representing Ubisoft’s first in-house casual game effort, My Word Coach aims to increase vocabulary skills in order to increase communication skills. After playing My Word Coach I still might not be able to solve a Rubik’s Cube, but at least I’ll be able to articulate how much I despise logic puzzles. With the help of a linguistics professor and 16,000 words and definitions from the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, My Word Coach will use six different modes to increase your vocabulary.

The first game we saw was called “Missing Letters” which surprisingly enough, is a spelling game. Words are displayed on the screen with one letter missing, and your job is to fill in the blank. The next game was called “Split Decision” where you’re presented a word and two possible definitions. Your job is to choose which definition is correct, or if neither of the definitions are the right match. You’ll also get the opportunity to play head to head multiplayer on both the Wii and DS versions, as well as use the DS as an input system for the Wii game. The multiplayer mode that we tried out was called “Code Panic” and was a mix between a spelling bee and Tetris. You’re given a list of words to spell, and a game area where letters fall. Your job is to spell all of the words on the list before the game area fills with blocks and before your opponent finishes his list. It sounds strange, but playing it was simple and quite competitive.

My Word Coach is the first title we’ve seen that supports the DS’ Download Play feature from the Wii, allowing you to use your DS as a controller for the Wii version without actually having the DS cartridge. There’s also single-cartridge download play for DS multiplayer. If you’re interested in increasingly your conversation or writing skills and have some spare time during a commute to play with a DS, My Word Coach looks like it will be a great addition to the DS libray. On the other hand, if you’re determined to prove your mental superiority over your buddies or just want to learn a little at home, the Wii version should fit the bill. Look for My Word Coach in late 2007.