If you’re anything like me, you play video games for more than an hour once you get started.
Games can get you immersed in their detailed and mystical worlds and pull you in till you feel like you are a part of that world.
Many video games captivate players with their awesome stories, immersive and massive worlds, and detailed visuals.
But that’s not everything that developers use to keep us engaged.
Video games also use timed events and smart puzzle events and missions that can tickle the player’s intellect and keep them immersed in the game for longer.
But, what does this challenge mean for players?
Can video games make you smarter?
The answer to this, according to a recent research is a surprising yes.
There are studies out there that show that some types of video games can actually improve your mental skills like, problem-solving, decision-making, and spatial reasoning.
Some games also need you to make quick split-second decisions.
And games where every second counts like shooters and action adventures, it trains you to process information and make choices under pressure.
So, How Exactly Do Video Games Make You Smarter?
Well, if I speak from my personal experience.
Oftentimes after an intense raid session in my favorite online RPG, I find myself feeling that much more mentally focused.
Boss battles need you to think fast and come up with strategies on the fly to defeat the boss.
And that’s not all, you also need to coordinate with your teammates and their strategies and playstyle to even have a chance at success.
Besides, not all video games are created equally.
While some adventures will need your fast reflexes to make split-second judgments, others might tickle your brain with puzzles and mysteries.
For example, strategy games like Civilization IV will force you to think ahead to plan your moves or you just might lose all your resources.
These can definitely improve your long-term planning and critical thinking skills.
But, How Does It Really Work? What’s the Science Behind It?
Did you know, there is actually some scientific proof that video games can make you smarter?
According to a study that was published in Nature 2022, playing strategy games for just 30 minutes a day over six weeks can help improve your working memory and planning skills.
In another study done by PLOS in 2020 showed that puzzle games can increase your spatial reasoning which can be pretty helpful when you’re out navigating through unfamiliar places or solving geometric problems.
Another study, published in PLOS One in 2020, showed that puzzle games can enhance spatial reasoning abilities, which can be helpful for tasks like navigating unfamiliar environments or solving complex geometric problems.
But of course, playing video games all the time won’t actually bring you any good.
After all too much of anything can be bad for anyone.
You Need to Find the Right Balance
While gaming does have some pretty great advantages from improving your reaction times to affecting your reasoning and problem-solving skills, there are some downsides too.
You need to find a good balance and make sure that it does tie in with other parts of your life.
You need to go out, relax, and hang out with your friends and family while you still have the time.
So the next time you fire up your gaming console, just think about it.
Video games are not just a way for you to pass time, they are potential tools that can help make you smarter.
Just remember to pick your games wisely and play in moderation.
Besides, there is a whole world waiting for you out in the real world too.
