The Asahi Shimbun Launches Brain-Training Puzzle Game Service “Asahi GAMES”

The Asahi Shimbun Company has launched “Asahi GAMES,” a new casual brain-training puzzle game feature. The service includes two original games co-developed with SEGA XD: “Numbers Link,” designed to train calculation skills, and “Memory Shuffle,” which tests memory. It also features “Wordle Nihongo,” Japan’s first official version of Wordle, the globally popular word puzzle from The New York Times. Asahi GAMES is a casual brain-training puzzle service that stimulates thinking in sessions of about one minute. Except for some games and features, basic play is free, and no advertisements are displayed. Users can play easily at any time from a PC or smartphone. As part of its digital business expansion, The Asahi Shimbun aims to offer readers enjoyable moments they will want to visit during breaks from reading the news. The service is designed around quiet moments of focus, small feelings of achievement when solving puzzles, and the daily habit of wanting to return again tomorrow. Rather than encouraging competition with others, Asahi GAMES emphasizes long-term enjoyment at one’s own pace while feeling the satisfaction of making a little progress from yesterday. In “Numbers Link,” players connect colorful numbered pieces displayed on the field to create the target number shown at the top of the screen. Longer chains that are cleared earn higher scores, creating a simple but highly engaging experience. “Memory Shuffle” is a brain-training game in which players memorize randomly placed panels and then restore them to their remembered positions after they are shuffled. Players have 10 seconds to memorize and 10 seconds to rearrange the panels. The difficulty increases with each clear, helping train memory. “Wordle Nihongo” marks the first official arrival of Wordle in Japan. Licensed by The New York Times, the Japanese version challenges players to guess a hidden five-character Japanese word within 10 attempts. One puzzle is available per day, and the game is playable only by paid subscribers to The Asahi Shimbun Digital. Paid subscribers can also log in to participate in daily updated rankings and missions. To commemorate the release of Asahi GAMES, the company is holding a giveaway campaign in which users can enter by sharing their game results on social media. A total of 200 winners will receive original goods such as mugs and tote bags. SEGA XD, which handles gamification business within the SEGA Group, participated in development from the planning stage and supported the project with mechanisms cultivated through game development that encourage daily continued play. For Wordle Nihongo, The Asahi Shimbun worked with The New York Times development team to deliver the Japanese version. By combining its long-standing focus on reader relationships with the expertise of its partners, The Asahi Shimbun aims to create services that fit naturally into everyday life.