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VIDEO GAMES and wellness The positive effects of video gaming for everyone
M
ario, the protagonist in the Super Mario Bros. video game series, was found to be the most recognizable character to children in a 1990 nationwide poll. As with most polls, the results might not be definitive, but the sheer number of Mario-based video games sold is quite proven. With over 750 million copies of Mario games sold, it’s clear the video game industry has become serious business. Major industry reports show over 65% of adults in the country are playing games, with many of the children polled in 1990 now well into adulthood and carrying on their favorite pastime. The acceptance of video games as a hobby, and it entering the zeitgeist, happened not only because it served as entertaining interaction, but was discovered to promote better mental, cognitive, and physical well being. Even now, you can find Nintendo Wii consoles in senior living homes, used as tools for light exercise, and bringing residents together. With Wii Sports, 26 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING
Story by michael pape
or Wii Fit, in hand, residents had hours of motivation to get their bodies moving. Or, the odd copy of Brain Age, a Nintendo DS game with daily puzzles and brain teasers for keeping their minds sharp. Nintendo’s attempts at a more active, and mentally healthy, gamer opened the doors to legitimizing gaming as a tool for the mind and body. A hippocampal brain and memory study presented in Behavioral Brain Research showed that as little as an hour a day behind a controller improved memory results. Brain scans done by Mind Research Network showed playing the well known game Tetris leads to a thicker cortex, which could potentially increase brain efficiency. Multiple scientific studies have proven that video games not only improve cognitive health in older adults, but the evolution of games allows for motion controls that can improve physical well being. As of now, there’s no replacement for getting out
and actually going bowling or playing a round of golf, but as we approach our golden years, motivation toward movement of any kind is more welcome than the alternative. Dedication to the novel environments a 3D game world provides not only allows for better cognitive health, but general mental wellbeing. With the mental drain caused by the recent pandemic, games saw an uptick in sales, being used as a beacon of happiness in our isolation. A light-hearted island tending and life simulation game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, single handedly increased game sales worldwide, due to its cheery nature and the ability to interact with friends’ islands. Traveling in-game to be close to friends, interact with their colorful worlds, and have lighthearted moments together made Animal Crossing shine. Also, its positive effects on overall mood proved that being able to connect during the pandemic was a necessity, not just for our youth, but for everyone.
