Ten News Deep Dive: Brain Rot or Brain Break? Plus Ryan’s Latest Video Game Picks

Summary

The Ten News Deep Dive: Brain Rot or Brain Break? Plus Ryan’s Latest Video Game Picks
Date: March 13, 2026
Podcast by Small But Mighty Media

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Ten News takes a creative detour from current events in a special "Deep Dive" focused on the concept of "brain rot" versus the value of taking healthy "brain breaks." Co-hosts Pamela Kirkland and Ryan Willard explore what "brain rot" means, discuss digital and analog ways to refresh the mind, review the newest in video games and LEGO tech, and chat with the founder of TAG, an interactive kids’ magazine. The episode is packed with ideas for boosting creativity, staying sharp, and finding balance in the age of endless content.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Opening Banter & Brain Breaks

[00:01–01:16]

• Ryan jokes about wanting banana pancakes, setting a friendly and lighthearted tone.
• Acknowledges the need for a brain break after a cold, busy season.
• Pamela encourages taking breaks for mental health:

  “We gotta give ourselves brain breaks. Which reminds me, a tenor asked us about brain rot. So why don't we break that down...” (Pamela, 00:28)

Creative Brain Break Ideas

[01:16–02:20]

• Pamela’s Brain Breaks: Reading, listening to music, and especially coloring—advocating that coloring is for all ages and helps focus the mind.

  "Of course, you can color at any age. ... it's actually a really great way to relax your mind." (Pamela, 01:33)

• Ryan’s Brain Breaks: Playing games, both digital and analog.

Ryan’s Latest Video Game Picks

[02:20–06:04]

1. LEGO Smart Play System [02:20–03:20]

• New interactive LEGO sets launching with Star Wars partnership.
• Smart bricks with built-in sensors offer lights and sounds; innovative play with "smart tags."
• Example: R2D2 screams when ship flipped; lightsaber sounds with special tags.
• Ryan’s collaboration video is available on First Stop News’s YouTube and Ten News’s social pages.

2. Pokémon 30th Anniversary [03:29–04:49]

• Ryan is juggling three Pokémon games:
  • Pokémon Legends ZA
  • Pokémon FireRed (now on Switch)
  • Pokémon Pocopoea: Described as a cozy life sim, unique for the series.
• Super Mario Wonder Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabelle Park preview:
  • Multiplayer mayhem akin to Mario Party; "Wonder" praised as one of Ryan’s favorites.
  • Drops March 26.

3. Pragmata Sneak Preview [05:01–06:04]

• Sci-fi action game releasing April 17.
• Play as Hugh, exploring a moon base with a robot girl, Diana, who hacks robots.
• "Very original" mechanics; free demo available across platforms.

• "When you play the game, you're not only battling the robots, but you're hacking them at the same time." (Ryan, 05:34)

Brain Rot: What Is It, and Why Do We Care?

[06:19–08:26]

• Listener question leads to a deep dive on “brain rot”

• Defined as overconsumption of trivial, unchallenging online content, leading to a "foggy" or slowed brain.

• Originated in the 19th century (Thoreau's Walden).

• Driven by “doomscrolling” and endless short-form content.

• Research cited showing concern for attention and cognition among young people.

  "Brain rot was the Oxford word of the year in 2024 ... the supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of over consumption of material..." (Pamela, 06:36 & 06:58)

• Balance is key—screen time can be replaced with more creative activities.

Offline Creativity & TAG Magazine

[08:34–12:19]

• Guest Interview with Anthony, founder of TAG Magazine:

  • Interactive, paper magazine for kids—opportunities to draw, write, submit work to be published.
  • Encourages “putting pen to paper” for creativity and brain engagement.
  • TAGins: Pages for user submission.
  • Price: $9.99 per issue (20% off with code TENORS20); $32 for yearly subscription (4 issues).

  “For me, TAG is about giving kids an opportunity to do something with their brains, to be creative, to share with their friends, their awesome imagination.” (Anthony, 09:46)

  “Like being an artist is about not overthinking it and putting the pen to paper, writing that story, writing about things that you know, like who am I? Who are my friends?” (Anthony, 11:15)

• Ryan credits TAG as a “non-digital way” to exercise creativity.

Trivia on the 10: Pokémon’s Origin

[12:31–14:00]

• Trivia Master Owen hosts about Pokémon’s creator, Satoshi Tajiri:

  • Tajiri’s childhood hobby of bug collecting inspired the idea of Pokémon.
  • Fun fact: Pokémon is the highest grossing franchise, debuting as "pocket monsters" in Japan in 1996.

  “Today's trivia... What did Tajiri do as a kid that inspired his idea for Pokémon?... The answer is D. Satoshi Tajiri's childhood hobby was... collecting bugs.” (Owen, 13:20)

Listener Shoutouts & Wrap Up

[14:25–14:48]

• Shoutouts to listeners “Pooky Dancer Face” and “Firestar” for creative LEGO building and podcast love.
• Hosts praise creativity and encourage continued participation.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Of course you can color at any age. ... it's actually a really great way to relax your mind.”
  — Pamela, 01:33
• “If you consume too much low quality content or social media, it'll make your brain slow, foggy or stupid, more or less.”
  — Ryan, 06:58
• “I want kids to really help curate what they like. ... I want you to tell me what you like, and I'll put it in the magazine with the team.”
  — Anthony, 10:09
• “Creativity is my favorite brain exercise.”
  — Ryan, 12:08
• “Today's trivia... What did Tajiri do as a kid that inspired his idea for Pokémon?... The answer is D. Satoshi Tajiri's childhood hobby was... collecting bugs.”
  — Owen, 13:20

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Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |------------|---------------------------------------------------| | 00:01 | Brain breaks intro, need for creative downtime | | 01:16 | Pam & Ryan’s favorite ways to take brain breaks | | 02:20 | LEGO Smart Play System explained | | 03:29 | Pokémon 30th Anniversary gaming roundup | | 05:01 | Preview of Pragmata, game of the year contender | | 06:19 | Deep dive: “What is brain rot?” | | 08:34 | Non-digital creativity & TAG magazine interview | | 12:31 | Owen’s Trivia on the 10 (Pokémon’s roots) | | 14:25 | Listener shoutouts and creative LEGO builds |

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Tone and Style

The episode maintains a cheerful, inquisitive, and encouraging tone, prioritizing audience participation and practical tips for both kids and adults trying to make smart screen time choices and keep their brains creative and active.

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Takeaways

• Brain breaks are essential for everyone—kids and adults alike.
• Digital fun can be enriching, especially with creative games and interactive toys like the LEGO Smart Play System.
• Non-digital activities like coloring, reading, or contributing to interactive magazines like TAG provide vital creative outlets.
• Awareness of “brain rot” and its risks empowers listeners to make well-rounded choices, balancing screen time with offline creativity.

Whether you want Pokémon trivia, new game previews, or analog creativity tips, this episode inspires listeners to care for their brains and harness their creativity both on and off screens.

Transcript

[A]

Good morning, Rye. Well, you look like you're about to say something important.

[B]

I am, Pam. Thank you for noticing. First off, you smell like banana pancakes. Did you bring me any?

[A]

No, I did not. I'm sorry.

[B]

Dang nabbit. Okay, well, that brings me to my second point. We've had very cold weather this year, and we've been working very, very hard. And I think we deserve a brain break.

[A]

Yeah, I'm in.

[B]

Wait, really?

[A]

Of course. We gotta give ourselves brain breaks. Which reminds me, a tenor asked us about brain rot. So why don't we break that down and cover the creative things we love to do instead of brain rotting?

[B]

See, this is why you, Pamela Kirkland, are the absolute best person I hang out with.

[A]

I appreciate that, Ryan Willard. I think you're pretty cool, too. And I'm glad you forgot that I didn't bring you pancakes.

[B]

Wait, What?

[A]

It's Friday, March 13th.

[B]

This is a 10News Deep Dive. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. So wait, we don't have to talk about the news today?

[A]

Nope. We gotta refresh our brains. Do something different than we normally do while we're in the studio.

[B]

What are some creative things you do to have some fun or relax?

[A]

Reading and listening to music will always be my go tos. But if you want to use my hands and my brain, my favorite thing to do at the moment is coloring.

[B]

Wait, coloring? You're still allowed to color when you're grown up?

[A]

Of course, you can color at any age. I know it might sound like something, it's just for little kids, but it's actually a really great way to relax your mind. When you're coloring, you're focusing on something simple like shapes and colors instead of homework or news or whatever else might be stressing you out. And the best part is there's no right or wrong way to do it. I have some extra special colored pencils that I really like to use, but sometimes I go old school. Break out some crayons. I might even start coloring right now. What do you want to do?

[B]

You know, I love to play games, and there's been so many things that I've been playing and want to play. I got a sneak preview of a sci Fi game that's not coming out until April 17th, and I think it could be a game of the Year contender. And, and, and can I just tell you about it while you color?

[A]

Of course you can. Go for it.

[B]

These are four things I've been playing that I'm super into right now. The Lego Smart Play System came out on March 1st and Lego let me play with all the new sets. The Smart Play Systems launch collaboration is with Star wars and the smart brick and tags bring those sets to life. The smart brick is the size of a normal eight sided brick, but has lights, sounds and sensors inside of it. It's like a little computer and when you put a smart tag next to it it has different lights and sounds. So if you have it on the X Wing ship you can hear the flight sounds, it can shoot lasers and take damage, and when you fly it upside down, R2D2 screams. Or if you have a lightsaber smart tag near a brick, it sounds just like a lightsaber. What I'm most curious about is how people will use the smart brick and tags to to do things that not even Lego imagined. If you want to see it in action, I did a collab video with our friends at First Stop News. It's on the First Stop News YouTube page and the 10 new social media pages.

[A]

Yeah, those are definitely not the Lego bricks that I grew up playing with, but those sound really cool. Have you been playing with any Pokemon stuff?

[B]

Thank you for asking. Of course I have. Pokemon just turned 30 years old and I've been playing to celebrate. Which game? Three of them actually. I still haven't beaten Pokemon Legends ZA shout out to IIP45 who said they're playing it too. And then I'm playing the old school Pokemon Firered, which was originally on Game Boy advance and now it's on Switch. But what's pulling me away from those is Pokemon Pocopoea. It's that cozy life sim and just so different from any other Pokemon game I've played. I think I've only scratched the surface of it. Pocopia is exclusively on Switch 2 while FireRed and ZA are on both Switch systems. And since Mario Day was on Tuesday, March 10, I should mention that I got a preview of Super Mario Nintendo Switch 2 Edition plus meetup in Bellabelle Park. Try saying that five times fast. Wonder was one of my favorite games of 2024 and one of the best Mario games I think I've ever played. The Switch 2 update adds some graphical improvements and other bonuses like Rosalina being playable, but Meetup in bellabelle park is what shines. It's multiplayer mayhem that turns Super Mario Wonder into its own version of Mario Party, which is as chaotic and fun as it sounds. Super Mario Wonder Switch 2 Edition plus meetup in Bellabelle park drops on March 26th.

[A]

Okay, I'm definitely down to play Bellabelle Park. As long as you don't get too upset when I beat you. So what's that psy game you were talking about?

[B]

Last but certainly not least is a game called Pragmata. I got a super secret sneak preview of the game and I'm telling you it might be a game of the year contender. You play as Hugh, an astro person with a cool suit of armor that's investigating a moon base. And when it's struck by a lunar quake, he's separated from his team and left with Diana. She appears to be a very young girl, but she's actually a powerful robot. Together, Hugh and Diana have to fight against the moon base's AI defense system, AKA a bunch of crazy robots. But here's the twist. Diana rides on Hugh's back and helps him by hacking the robots. So when you play the game, you're not only battling the robots, but you're hacking them at the same time. Which sounds pretty crazy. But the controls and gameplay mechanics are really fun. Very original and from what I've played, I'm digging the story and the relationship between Hugh and Diana. Pragmata drops on April 17 on PC, Xbox, PS5 and Switch 2, but there is a free demo out right now on all platforms.

[A]

Okay, you've got plenty to play. Is there anything you can do on your brain break that doesn't involve electronics?

[B]

Um, well, I actually am not sure.

[A]

Alright, we'll have a think on that. Alright, one of our tenors wrote in and asked us to cover something called brain rot. First of all, thank you for sending us that idea.

[B]

I think it is the coolest when tenors write in. So Pam, what is your definition of brain rot?

[A]

Well, brain rot was the Oxford word of the year in 2024 and according to them, it's the supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of over consumption of material, particularly online content considered to be trivial or unchallenging.

[B]

So basically, if you consume too much low quality content or social media, it'll make your brain slow, foggy or stupid, more or less.

[A]

The first recorded use of the term was in 1854 in the book Walden by Henry David Thoreau. In the book, Thoreau criticizes people and says they prefer simple ideas instead of complex ideas. He sees it as society's mental decline.

[B]

So if the row we're talking about today would be like how some people used to watch a lot of movies which were 90 plus minutes, but now they watch more short videos that are like one or two minutes.

[A]

Yep. Brainrot is fueled by doom scrolling, zombie scrolling, and social media engagement loops. Apps are designed to keep you on them, lost in content, watching and engaging. Watching and engaging.

[B]

I did see a study that was published last year that said brain rot was a growing concern among adolescents and young adults how it can lower their concentration and overall cognitive functions, AKA thinking, knowing and understanding things. I'll throw a link to the study in the show notes in case you want to take a look. It's still a pretty new concept, but is brain rot always bad?

[A]

Well, we don't want anyone's brain to not work as well. And every brain has an appetite to consume things. Scrolling has become the easiest and most accessible thing for a brain to consume. But if you can replace the screen time with something else.

[B]

Wait, what else?

[A]

I might know someone. But before we get into that, let's take a quick break and touch some grass.

[B]

Okay, I gotta find an activity that isn't scrolling, that replaces screen time and makes my creative brain dance like nobody's watching. Think, think, think. Hi. Who are you and why are you in my office?

[C]

I'm Anthony, founder of Tag magazine. We're interactive kids magazine made out of paper. Magazines have been around since 1731, and so it's a fun activity that you can read, draw all sorts of different types of art, and, you know, you might learn something too.

[B]

Okay, can I. Can I see one?

[C]

Yeah. Here you go.

[A]

Take a look.

[B]

Okay. Wait, what is tag? It's a DIY magazine for kids. What does that even mean?

[C]

Yeah, so the great thing about TAG is there are these TAG ins, which are pages in the magazine that kids can fill out. And once they fill those out, they submit it to the magazine and they get a chance to be published artists and writers in the next issue.

[B]

Wait, wait, wait, wait. So I take this magazine, I fill one of these pages out, and then I get to be in the next issue? Potentially, yes.

[C]

If you do a good job, if you're funny, if you draw something interesting, if you write an amazing story. For me, Tag is about giving kids an opportunity to do something with their brains, to be creative, to share with their friends, their awesome imagination.

[B]

So why would you want to make a magazine like this?

[C]

I want kids to really help curate what they like. Because a lot of magazines that are still out there, that are for kids, I don't think they know what kids like. So I want you to tell me what you like, and I'll put it in the magazine with the team.

[B]

So instead of just commenting on a Video or a picture or something. I can actually write something, make something, and then potentially be seen by other people who read TAG magazine.

[C]

I have some really amazing illustrators in the magazine. Sutton, Theodore, one of our head illustrator, Surya Patel, she did layout for the magazine. Julia, we all made this magazine together. Tricia Ramos was my creative director. And they're all so talented. I had a comic book artist who's done, you know, professional comics.

[B]

Do you have any tips for someone like me or anyone else who wants to be in the magazine? What, what can we do to get into Tag magazine?

[C]

Pick a page, spend some time with it, and make sure you upload it and send. Send it to us. And just use your imagination. Don't overthink it. Like being an artist is about not overthinking it and putting the pen to paper, writing that story, writing about things that you know, like who am I? Who are my friends?

[B]

So if one of our tenants wanted to get their hands on a copy of Tag magazine, how would they do that? And how much does it cost?

[C]

It's 9.99. For a single issue. Your tenors can go to tagthemagazine.com and if they want to get a single issue, they can put in tenors 20. The number tenors 20 to get 20% off a single issue. And if they want to get a subscription, since it's a quarterly magazine, they'll have more chances to get in the future. That's going to be $32 and it's free shipping. Everything's free shipping. We just really believe at Tag. You know, putting pen to paper is going to help your brain.

[B]

Creativity is my favorite brain exercise.

[C]

Thanks for having me on. Thanks for talking about creativity and Tag and how we can get our brains working in a different way.

[B]

You're most welcome. Thanks for stopping by and thanks for this issue of tag. All right, Pam, I got it. This magazine is a non digital way that I can creatively use my brain.

[A]

Great. You know what's another way? A little trivia. Owen,

[C]

what is going on here?

[B]

Trivia on the 10.

[D]

Thanks, Pam. Trivia is and always will be one of the best ways to exercise your brain. Today's trivia is going to cover one of my favorite Pokemon. Pokemon is the highest grossing franchise of all time and was created by Satoshi Tajiri. But what did Tajiri do as a kid that inspired his idea for Pokemon? Was it? A, he set a world record for sleeping and was named Snorlax. B, he ate pokeballs for school lunch. C he accidentally poked a hole in a basketball. Or D he collected bugs. The answer is D. Satoshi Tajiri's childhood hobby was being out in nature and collecting bugs. That hobby inspired the idea of Pocket Monsters she then brought to Nintendo. Tajiri then worked on with the legendary creator of Mario Shigeru miyamoto. And in 1996 pocket monsters red and Green was released in Japan for the Game boy. Then in 1998 it was released in the US and renamed Pokemon Red and Blue.

[A]

Thanks Owen. And that was our March Deep Dive. How are you feeling, Ry?

[B]

I'm feeling great though I think I want to try coloring next.

[A]

Well, I've got the colored pencils and books to make that happen. Can I try out that Lego smart brick? I have some ideas of course, but

[B]

first we should give some 10 new snaps out.

[A]

And before that, here's a quick note for the grownups.

[B]

It's time for 10 new snaps.

[A]

A tenor named Pooky Dancer Face left us another 5 star Apple review and said because of Ryan, I decided to make three spaceships, one horse for Year of the Horse and seven giant pirate ships. I love your pod. Thanks so much. Pooky Dancer Face. That is a lot of Lego building and I am very impressed.

[B]

Yeah, that's more than I built all year, so great job. And a tenor named Firestar said, I love this podcast. My favorite Lego I've ever built was a giant LEGO aircraft carrier. I built it myself. And a Halo, Pelican and Scorpion. That is also very impressive. You built the Halo, Pelican and Scorpion and an aircraft carrier all by yourself? Or were they sets? Either way, I'm very impressed.

[A]

And two extra notes for the grownups. You can now get ad free versions of our episodes when you join the Tenors Club on our website.

[B]

And if you want to Help support the 10News, you can make a tax deductible donation at the link in our show notes. The whole team thanks you for your support.

[A]

The 10News is a co production of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcast and part of the Airwave Podcast Network.

[B]

The ten News creative team is quietly coloring and building Lego inventions. It includes Tracy Nada Crooks, Adam the Great Bambina, Bernard, Brian Not Ryan Douglas, the Duke of Earl, Davis and Carson not so Harry Potter. Big thanks to Owen. Not slowing down for anybody.

[A]

Our production director is Jeremiah Tittle and our executive producers are Donald Albright. Albright Albright. And show creator Tracy takes the leads. Kaplan. I'm Pamela Kirkland.

[B]

And I'm Ryan Willard. Thanks for listening to the 10 news.