Each Brain Game show is contested by three teams of three players each. Teams may buzz in and attempt to answer at any time while the question is being read. Team members may confer with one another prior to answering. Academic-based questions in the games come from the standard North Carolina curriculum for ninth and tenth graders.
At the end of the season, the teams with the nine best scores advance to a playoff of three semifinal games, with the winners advancing to a championship game. It should be noted that teams can advance to the semifinals without winning their regular season games - only the score accumulated during the regular season game determines the playoff teams.
Differences from most quizbowl games
Brain Game is significantly different from most quizbowl formats in several ways:
* Brain Game allows three players to compete at a time, whereas most formats permit four players
* Regardless of who buzzes in on a team, anyone on the team may answer the question
* Three teams compete at a time, whereas most formats have two teams compete at a time
* Some questions are accompanied by an audio or visual clue by means of a screen located on the set