There are all kinds of online games out there and, popular as they are, they’ve been lambasted for decades. How many times have you heard someone blame the troubles of the world on video games? In truth, in moderation, gaming can actually be good for you! Here’s why.
Spatial Skill Improvement
When it comes to traditional video games, such as First Person Shooters and other action-based types, spatial skills naturally develop the more you play. You have to be aware of your character’s position in the landscape they’re in, otherwise, it’s all too easy to fall off a cliff or “die” to enemy fire. Even games like Tetris, or platformers like Mario, can help you get a feel for spatial awareness, learning to time your micro movements just so in order to place a block or leap onto a platform. Navigation and cognitive mapping are useful benefits of spatial capabilities. Surprisingly, aptitude and understanding of the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), are directly linked to spatial skills too. Here’s a great article about spatial abilities and their link to learning.
Memory Improvement
Studies have been done using video games to test memory improvement. It was found that in both young and old age groups, memory typically improved by 12 percent, stimulating the hippocampus and helping to reverse cognitive decline in the elderly. Part of the theory goes that when you are exposed to new activities, places, and even the virtual worlds of video games, it helps stimulate your brain and improve cognition. Besides that, there are some rather complex games that require memorization and coordination of various gamepad combinations. Learning these complicated patterns can also stimulate the memory.
Tactical and Strategy Improvement
There are so many types of online games out there. Some are strategy-based, like chess or poker. These more cognitively demanding genres help to stimulate higher strategic function, tactical decision making, and other such mental exercises. It requires your full attention, helping you tune out distractions to hyper-focus. You generally must study numbers and patterns, continually coming up with ways to react to unexpected outcomes, such as getting a bad card in poker. The tumultuousness and high demand of these types of games can help keep your brain sharp and your reactions fast, both of which can stave off mental decline. In this way, even gambling can be beneficial, when done responsibly. For those looking to mix fun with strategy, some of the best new online casinos can be found at https://www.maplecasino.ca/new-casinos/.
Socialization
When you think of online games, you might think of a lone figure hunched in their dark bedroom as they game through the night and snack on anything in reach. Of course, there’s plenty of times that’s accurate. In moderation, there’s nothing wrong with that. In reality, lots of people game with each other, stimulating social interaction and interpersonal skills. There are many gaming titles that allow two or more people in the same room to play together on one console or screen. There are a few names for this. Couch co-op, local co-op, split screen, etc. There are even more games that offer online multiplayer, meaning you can play from your house while your friend, who lives seven states away, plays with you at the same time from their console. It’s quite normal to utilize gaming headphones for people to interact with each other, helping to form bonds, learn to cooperate (or not, depending on the game), and to communicate. Some games foster this type of interaction between total strangers, with some making lifelong friends in the process. That said, people are people, even in the virtual world. It’s important to be careful who you give information to or talk to if you don’t know them. Socialization is great but should be done with caution.
Learning Tools
Besides traditional video games, there are hundreds of learning games out there, like those teaching foreign languages to adults, for instance. Learning is far more effective when done in a format that involves stimulation and fun, no matter what the gamer’s age.
Want more gaming tips? Here are the best gaming processors for smartphones.
