This video game had a minor role in the Devolver Digital Cinematic Universe. It was an edutainment video game developed by GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE until its cancelation by publisher Devolver Digital, citing concerns that it made players too smart. After Devolver announced the return of its mascot Volvy in 2023, SUDA51 reflected on the canceled game, calling it an intense yet memorable project.
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Notes
- Dr. Volvy’s MIND WORKOUT is purely fictional. That being said, the tweet describing it comes with a few extra details about the game. It was a Nintendo DS title using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and was rated E by the ESRB. In reality, Devolver was founded in 2009 and never published a game for Nintendo DS. Furthermore, the game appears to be a parody of Dr Kawashima’s BRAIN TRAINING, which was ironically published in ESRB regions under the name Brain Age instead.
- Dr. Volvy’s MIND WORKOUT was certified with one of the laxest ESRB ratings seen even in GRASSHOPPER‘s real-life work. The only GRASSHOPPER titles ever rated E were SHINING SOUL, SHINING SOUL II, and FROG MINUTES.
- SUDA51 taking credit for Devolver’s tweet about Dr. Volvy’s MIND WORKOUT created an inconsistency in the Devolver Digital Cinematic Universe. In the Big Fancy Press Conference 2017 video, SUDA51 did not recognize Devolver, however, he chose to mention them by name in his real-life retweet, showing that his character would have known about them since the Nintendo DS era.