video game problem solving skills

Playing these 6 video games could help improve your problem-solving skills

Jane McGonigal , a world-renowned designer of alternate-reality games who has a Ph.D. in performance studies, wants to change people's conception of video games as " just escapist, guilty pleasures."

" My number one goal in life is to see a game designer nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize," McGonigal writes on her website . 

She tells Business Insider she wants people to realize that games can be "powerful tools to improve our attention, our mood, our cognitive strengths, and our relationships."

And research is on her side. 

Studies suggest that mainstream games like "Call of Duty" may improve our cognitive abilities significantly more than games specifically designed to do so by designers like Luminosity.

To help spread the truth about common misconceptions, seven neuroscientists from around the world signed the document "A Consensus on the Brain Training Industry from the Scientific Community" in 2014 to say they "object to the claim" that brainteaser games can improve cognitive abilities, as no scientific evidence has been able to confirm such a claim. 

Even better for gamers, research from North Carolina State University and Florida State University suggests that mainstream games geared toward entertainment can help improve attention, spatial orientation, and problem-solving abilities.

In her book, " Super Better ," McGonigal writes that the researchers she talked to about this seeming contradiction offered a simple explanation: "Traditional video games are more complex and harder to master, and they require that the player learn a wider and more challenging range of skills and abilities."

If you want to have fun and stimulate your mind, McGonigal recommends playing one of these six games three times a week for about 20 minutes.

McGonigal says playing fast-paced games like "Call of Duty," a first-person shooter game, can help improve visual attention and spatial-intelligence skills, which can lead to better performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Another fast-paced game, "Forza," a car-racing game, may help improve your ability to make accurate decisions under pressure.

Taking on the role of a criminal in a big city in "Grand Theft Auto" may help train you to process information faster and keep track of more information — up to three times the amount as nongamers, some studies suggest — in high-stress situations.

Strategic games like "StarCraft," a military-science-fiction game, can also improve the ability to solve imaginary and real-life problems, possibly because they teach users to both formulate and execute strategic plans.

Games that require strategic thinking, like science-fiction third-person-shooter game "Mass Effect," also test and refine your information-gathering skills.

Lastly, "thinking games" like "Final Fantasy," a fantasy-role-playing game, can help train you to evaluate your options faster and more accurately.

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Can Video Gameplay Improve Undergraduates’ Problem-Solving Skills?

Benjamin emihovich.

University of Michigan - Flint, Flint, USA

Nelson Roque

Pennsylvania State University, State College, USA

Justin Mason

University of Florida, Gainesville, USA

In this study, the authors investigated if two distinct types of video gameplay improved undergraduates’ problem-solving skills. Two groups of student participants were recruited to play either a roleplaying video game (World of Warcraft; experimental group) or a brain-training video game (CogniFit; control group). Participants were measured on their problem-solving skills before and after 20 hours of video gameplay. Two measures were used to assess problem-solving skills for this study, the Tower of Hanoi and The PISA Problem Solving Test. The Tower of Hanoi measured the rule application component of problem-solving skills and the PISA Problem Solving test measured transfer of problem-solving skills from video gameplay to novel scenarios on the test. No significant differences were found between the two groups on either problem-solving measure. Implications for future studies on game- based learning are discussed.

Introduction

Video games are played by more than half of the U.S population and the video game industry generated $36 billion in 2018 ( ESA, 2018 ). Given the popularity and success of the video game industry, game- based scholars are exploring how well-designed video games can be used to improve a wide range of knowledge, skills, and abilities referred to as game-based learning (GBL). Proponents of GBL argue that well-designed video games are grounded by active participation and interaction as the focal point of the learner experience and can lead to changes in behavior and cognition ( Ifenthaler, Eseryel, & Ge, 2012 ; Shute et al., 2019 ). Moreover, well-designed video games immerse players in environments that can provide a framework for learning experiences by promoting engagement and transfer from simulated worlds to the natural world ( Dede, 2009 ).

Current American students are not receiving adequate exposure to authentic ill-structured problem-solving scenarios in their classrooms, and schools need to address the acquisition of problem-solving skills for students in the 21st century ( Shute & Wang, 2016 ). American students trail their international counterparts in problem-solving skills on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) Problem Solving Test. Furthermore, American business leaders complain about recent college graduates’ lack of problem-solving skills. Two surveys conducted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities of business leaders and students indicated that problem-solving skills are increasingly desirable for American employers, but only 38% of employers reported that recently hired American college graduates could analyze and solve complex problems while working ( Hart Associates, 2018 ).

Researchers of video game studies find that gameplay can be positively associated with the improvement of problem-solving skills ( Shute, Ventura, & Ke, 2015 ; Spires et al., 2011 ). However, current discourse in the field of gameplay and problem-solving skills centers primarily on descriptive research ( Eseryel et al., 2014 ) which can be summarized based on the following premise: video games require players to solve problems, and over time, playing video games will lead to improved problem- solving skills ( Hung & Van Eck, 2010 ). Descriptive research is important to argue that video games support problem-solving skills, but further empirical research is needed to demonstrate whether problem-solving skills are acquired through video gameplay. This research study addressed whether two distinct types of video gameplay empirically affects undergraduates’ problem-solving skills.

Video Games and Problem-Solving Skills

According to Mayer and Wittrock’s (2006) definition, problem solving includes four central characteristics: (1) occurs internally to the problem solver’s cognitive system; (2) is a process that involves conceptualizing and manipulating knowledge; (3) is goal directed; and (4) is dependent on the knowledge and skills of the problem solver to establish the difficulty in which obstacles must be overcome to reach a solution. Unlike the well-structured problems that students face in formal learning settings, well-designed games provide students with challenging scenarios that promote problem-solving skills by requiring players to generate new knowledge from challenging scenarios within interactive environments, while also providing immersive gameplay that includes ongoing feedback for the players to hone their problem-solving skills over time ( Van Eck, Shute, & Rieber, 2017 ). Rules govern video gameplay mechanics and one component of problem solving is the ability to apply existing rules in the problem space known as rule application ( Shute et al., 2015 ). One example of a rule application is found in the well-researched problem-solving puzzle the Tower of Hanoi ( Huyck & Kreivenas, 2018 ; Schiff & Vakil, 2015 ; TOH, 2019 ). The rule application component of problem-solving skill is one of the dependent variables in this study. Rule application refers to the problem-solver’s representation of the problem space through direct action, which is critical to problem solving ( Van Eck et al., 2017 ).

Literature Review

Video gameplay and transfer.

Researchers contend that the hidden power of well-designed video games is their potential to address higher-level learning, like retention, transfer, and problem-solving skills ( Gee, 2008 ; Shute & Wang, 2015 ). Retention is the ability to remember the presented information and correctly recall it when needed, while transfer is the ability to apply previously learned information in a novel situation ( Stiller & Schworm, 2019 ). Possible outcomes of playing video games may include the improvement of collaborative problem-solving skills, confidence, and leadership skills that are transferable to the workforce environment. Recent research on video game training studies and transfer of cognitive and noncognitive skills indicates that gameplay is positively associated with the improvement of attention, problem-solving skills, persistence ( Green & Bavelier, 2012 ; Rowe et al., 2011 ; Shute et al., 2015 ; Ventura et al., 2013 ), executive functions ( Oei & Patterson, 2014 ), and hypothesis testing strategies ( Spires et al., 2011 ). However, other researchers have found null effects of video gameplay and transfer of cognitive skills ( Ackerman, et al., 2010 ; Baniqued, Kranz, et al., 2013 ; Boot et al., 2008 ).

A recent meta-analysis of brain-training interventions found that brain-training interventions can improve performance on trained tasks but there were fewer examples of interventions indicating improved performance on closely related tasks, and minimal evidence that training enhances performance on daily cognitive abilities ( Simons et al., 2016 ). Among those finding null effects, questions were raised about the methodological shortcomings of video game training and transfer studies that are common pitfalls in experimental trials. Some of the pitfalls included failing to report full methods used in a study and lack of an effective active control condition that can expect to see similar improvement in competencies as the experimental group ( Baniqued et al., 2013 ; Boot, 2015 ; Boot, Blakely & Simons, 2011 ). Unless researchers define recruitment methods for participants and their gaming expertise (novice vs. expert), as well as compare active control groups with experimental groups receiving equal training games, then differential improvement is indeterminable ( Boot et al., 2013 ; Shute et al., 2015 ). The recruitment approach is outlined in the Method section.

Motivation for Selection of Games

The video games selected for this research study were based on the problem-solving skills players exercise and acquire through gameplay that were aligned with the problem-solving skills assessed on the external measures, the PISA Problem Solving Test and the Tower of Hanoi (TOH). Well-designed video games include sound learning principles embedded within gameplay such as requiring players to solve complex problems which can then be applied to other learning contexts ( Lieberman et al., 2014 ). In this study, the authors examined the effects of playing World of Warcraft ( Activision Blizzard, 2019 ) and CogniFit ( CogniFit, 2019 ) for twenty hours on undergraduates’ problem-solving skills (rule application and problem-solving transfer). The inclusion of CogniFit addresses a main concern of game-based research which is the lack of an active control condition to determine differential improvement ( Boot et al., 2013 ).

Problem-Solving and Video Gameplay Model

The authors have identified observable in-game behaviors (i.e., indicators) during gameplay that provide evidence for each of the problem-solving processes on the PISA Problem Solving Test. The process included playing each video game extensively, checking community forums for solutions to the most challenging problems for each game, and viewing experts’ gameplay video channel streams on YouTube. After generating a list of credible indicators, those selected were based on the following criteria: (a) relevance to the PISA problem solving levels of proficiency and (b) verifiable through gameplay mechanics. Examples of indicators for the PISA problem-solving processes for each game are listed in Tables 1 and ​ and2. 2 . The purpose of developing the problem-solving behavior model is to operationalize the indicators of gameplay that align with the cognitive processes being assessed on the PISA test (i.e., Exploring and Understanding, Representing and Formulating). The PISA Problem Solving Test contains questions representing six levels of proficiency: Level 1 is the most limited form of problem-solving ability such as rule application (solving problems with simple rules or constraints) and Level 6 is the complex form of problem-solving ability (executing strategies and developing mental models to solve problems). The PISA test will determine whether there is transfer of problem-solving skills from video gameplay to novel scenarios.

Examples of indicators for each PISA problem-solving process in Warcraft

Examples of indicators for each PISA problem-solving process in CogniFit

World of warcraft

Massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) require players to manage resources, adapt playstyle to the environment, test new skills and abilities, identify and apply rules to solve problems as well as explore the story of the game through questing. MMORPGs like Warcraft provide gameplay experiences that are analogous to meaningful instruction by offering complex multifaceted problems that require model-based reasoning—understanding interrelated components of a system, and feedback mechanisms among the components to find the best solutions to problems that arise using available tools and resources in a given environment ( Chinn & Malhotra, 2002 ; Steinkuehler & Chmiel, 2006 ). Therefore, if MMORPGs provide an authentic sense of inquiry into solving problems through gameplay, then it is worth testing whether these gameplay experiences transfer to novel problem-solving scenarios.

One specific example of transfer from gameplay in the MMORPG Warcraft to a natural context concerns the problem of reducing travel time. When players enter the game environment, they must account for extended travel time between different activities such as exploration, questing, and combat. To solve this problem, players are given a tool that can be accessed on their user interface by pressing (M) on their keyboard, which opens the map. Listed on the map are designated flight paths (FPs) that act as a taxi service for players. The image in Figure 1 indicates the various FPs a player has unlocked on their world map as well as those that have yet to be discovered ( Activision Blizzard, 2019 ). The flight path is a handy tool because it connects the goal of completing quests as soon as possible to earn rewards with the knowledge that using flight paths greatly reduces travel time between quests. Greatly reducing travel time results in a more efficient way to complete many of the sub goals in the game, and as noted by Shute and Wang (2016) the use of tools and resources efficiently is an important part of problem solving during gameplay.

Player map listing flight path locations in World of Warcraft (2019)

Now, consider one of the questions being assessed on an external measure in the study, the PISA Problem Solving Test. Individuals are given a map that shows the roads between each city, a partially filled-in key that shows distances between cities in kilometers, and the overall layout of the area. The purpose of this question is to assess how individuals calculate the shortest distance from one city to another. To solve the problem, individuals are required to calculate the distance between the two cities of Nuben and Kado using the resources available. This is the same kind of problem that Warcraft players experience during gameplay when travelling between locations to complete quests. Both problem scenarios share the same overlapping components, the ability of the problem solver to use given tools and resources efficiently to find the most direct route that reduces travel time between two separate locations. Figure 2 illustrates this problem scenario on the PISA test ( OECD, 2003 ).

Problem scenario for planning the best route for a trip from PISA (2003)

The brain training game CogniFit claims to have developed a patented system that measures, trains, and monitors cognitive skills like rule application, attention, memory, and visual perception and their relation to neurological pathologies. According to the CogniFit (2019) website the company states there are transfer effects from their mini games to problem solving in the natural world. The brain training game is selected as an active control condition based on this claim as well as repeated practice of rule application embedded into the gameplay experience.

One example of rule application in the brain training game CogniFit occurs in the mini-game Gem Breaker 3D. This mini-game requires players to direct a paddle back and forth across the screen to bounce a ball off the paddle that breaks the gem blocks without letting the ball touch the bottom of the screen. The initial tutorial informs players that improvement of their hand-eye coordination and processing speed skills are emphasized through gameplay with over 100 levels available to master. Feedback is provided to players with a score for each level showing where they can improve. Once all gem blocks are broken the level is completed and a new level begins. However, each player only has access to 4 balls for each level, and if they lose, the game reverts to the beginning. The tutorial shows players how to use the mouse to control the paddle back and forth across the screen while the spacebar launches the ball. Once a gem is broken there is a chance for a power-up to be gained such as shooting multiple balls, explosives, missiles, side quests or power-ups. Figure 3 illustrates the rules of the mini-game in Gem Breaker 3D ( CogniFit, 2019 ).

Rules for the mini-game Gem Breaker 3D listed in the initial tutorial (2019)

Rule application occurs when playing the TOH and requires one to move an entire stack of disks (i.e., a number between 3 and 8) of varied sizes from one of three rods to another. While playing, players are constrained by the following rules: (1) only one disk can be moved at a time; (2) no disk can be placed on a smaller one; (3) only the uppermost disk can be moved on a stack. Rule application is demonstrated by the problem solver in the TOH by configuring the disks and the rods to reach a solution in the problem space. By configuring the disks onto the rods, each move of a disk indicates the problem solver attempting to creatively apply the rules, which is vital to problem solving ( Shute et al., 2019 ). Figure 4 illustrates the problem space in an online version of the TOH (2019) .

Problem space in an online version of the Tower of Hanoi puzzle with 5 disks (2019)

Both video games require players to apply rules to solve problems and rule application is a component of problem solving ( Van Eck et al., 2017 ). As an example, Warcraft players learn that they can only cast certain spells in combat while standing still or that eating and drinking food while sitting down hastens the regeneration of health. Similarly, when playing the mini-game Gem Breaker 3D in CogniFit players use a paddle and a ball to break bricks. One of the first rules players encounter in the game is that they can only move the paddle left or right across the screen or that bonus bricks have special effects like increasing ball speed. The rules are more explicit in CogniFit than Warcraft so brain-training gameplay may promote better performance on solving the TOH. Each move with the paddle and ball is an example of applying the rules, and this is frequently done during gameplay in CogniFit .

However, CogniFit mini-games lack some of the salient gameplay features in Warcraft such as roleplaying gameplay, meaningful interactions with other players, and richly designed problem spaces that GBL scholars suggest are important to the transfer of problem-solving skills from video gameplay to novel contexts measured on the PISA Problem Solving Test. Warcraft gameplay provides players with repeated practice to solve authentic ill-structured problems in rich detailed problem-solving scenarios that may be better suited for transfer to novel scenarios on the test.

Research Questions

After describing the video gameplay conditions of Warcraft and CogniFit as well as reviewing the literature on problem-solving skills, the authors seek to answer the following research questions:

• Is there a change, from pretest to posttest, on the rule-application component of problem solving, after 20 hours of video gameplay, on either a role playing or brain-training video game?
• Does an immersive, collaborative role-playing video game promote transfer of problem-solving skills to novel scenarios better than a brain-training video game for undergraduates after 20 hours of video gameplay?

Setting and Participants

For this study, 91 undergraduate student participants (M Age = 19.32; SD Age = 1.43) were recruited to participate in this study and completed the initial questionnaire for the study, assessing: age, gender, ethnicity, major, and video games played daily. Participants were not invited to participate if they were not students at the data-collecting institution, were not 18–23 years old, or if they reported playing 30 or more minutes of Warcraft or CogniFit . 56 participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group Warcraft or the control group CogniFit , yet only 34 completed the study ( n = 17 per group). Participant attrition for both groups were attributed to lack of time to complete the study or being too busy with schoolwork. Given the nature of our research questions assessing change as a function of training, subsequently presented analyses only include data from the 34 participants (17 males and 17 females) who completed the study (M Age = 19.44; SD Age = 1.41).

The independent variable in this research study is the video game with two levels: a roleplaying video game ( Warcraft ) and a brain-training video game ( CogniFit ). The video games provide players with repeated problem-solving scenarios requiring players to engage in problem-solving processes. The dependent variable measured for this study is problem-solving skill. One measure assessed the component of rule application of problem solving to solve a puzzle which is the TOH. The second measure assessed problem-solving in novel scenarios which is the PISA Problem Solving Test. Both groups were assessed on the TOH and the PISA Problem Solving Test. The TOH was used to assess research question 1 and the PISA Problem Solving Test was used to assess research question 2.

The Tower of Hanoi

Recall, the TOH is a valid and reliable experimental paradigm that can be used to assess rule application, problem solving and transfer ( Huyck & Kreivenas, 2018 ; Schiff & Vakil, 2015 ). Rule application is demonstrated by the problem solver in the TOH by configuring the disks and the rods to reach a solution in the problem space. By configuring the disks on to the rods, each move of a disk indicates the problem solver attempting to creatively apply the rules. Participants played the TOH on a computer from a free website online. The test score (i.e., lower scores are better) for completing the TOH can range anywhere from 31 (which is the minimal number of moves to execute) until it is solved.

PISA Problem Solving Test

The second external problem-solving measure in this study is the (2003) version of the PISA Problem Solving Test. The PISA Problem Solving Test ( OECD, 2003 ) contains 10 novel problem-solving scenarios, and within each scenario there is a range of one to three different questions that must be solved. There are 19 total questions on the test across all scenarios that required students to solve problems. For this study, participants completed five novel problem-solving scenarios for the pretest and the remaining five novel problem-solving scenarios for the posttest. The levels of proficiency for each question are randomized across all problem-solving scenarios. Each problem-solving scenario is independent from one another and each of the 19 questions across all scenarios being assessed in this study are isomorphic from the questions that were implemented in 2003. The scoring for most questions was either correct or incorrect, with some questions allowing for partially correct answers. Participants that answered each question correctly were awarded one point, while partially correct answers awarded participants a half-point.

Participants for this study were recruited via flyers posted publicly on campus and dormitory bulletin boards. Over the course of eight weeks, participants engaged in 10 gameplay sessions that lasted two hours each. Participants had the opportunity to complete these 10 sessions in two-hour time-blocks that were made available Monday through Friday for eight consecutive weeks. Participants completed the experiment in a classroom lab on campus at the university. In this experiment, student participants were randomly assigned to play one of two video games.

Participants in the experimental condition played the popular roleplaying video game Warcraft that promotes learning new terminologies, mastering interrelated skills and abilities, applying rules to solve problems, goal setting, and reflecting on progress. In addition, participants in the active control condition played the brain-training video game CogniFit (2019) . The video game allows players to select various mini-games including Gem Breaker 3D that may enhance cognitive abilities including rule application, memory, and focus. Student participants in this study were guided by discovery learning and provided with in-game tutorials for each condition while learning to solve problems through active exploration, interacting with the game environment and self-direction ( Westera, 2019 ). At pre-test and post-test participants had 20 minutes to complete isomorphic versions of the TOH as many times as possible. All participants successfully completed the TOH once during the pretest and once during the posttest. At pre-test and post-test, participants also had 20 minutes to complete as many questions as possible on The PISA Problem Solving Test. The pretest required participants to answer nine questions and the posttest required participants to answer 10 questions from multiple problem-based scenarios. Each problem-based scenario was unique, and some examples included the following: (1) calculating the distance between two points given a map; (2) developing a decision tree diagram of a library loan system; and (3) calculating daily energy needs for an individual given a set menu.

Data Structure and Analyses

The full dataset used for all analyses to be presented, contained data from 34 participants. All participants attempted three parallel, computerized forms of the TOH at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Due to the nature of the task’s programming, if participants did not complete a TOH task, the total number of moves attempted was not output to the data file. This will be expanded upon in the results section by utilizing three analyses which included an independent t-test comparing the mean number of incomplete TOH games between the groups, an independent t-test comparing the mean gain score of TOH between the groups, and a multiple linear regression predicting max gain score of TOH by group, by gain score count, and by group, gain score count, and PISA gain. All analyses in sections below were completed in R, version 3.4.3. Packages used for data analysis include: dplyr , for data wrangling ( Wickham et al., 2019 ), and ggplot2 for visualizations ( Wickham, 2016 ), and MASS for stepwise regression analyses ( Venables & Ripley, 2002 ).

Assessing Group differences in Completion

Although groups differed on the overall number of incomplete TOH sessions at pre-testing (N COGNITIVE = 13; N GAMING = 8), an independent t-test of the average number of incomplete games by group, was not significant (p > .05). Furthermore, an independent t-test revealed no group differences for the overall number of incomplete TOH sessions at post-testing (N COGNITIVE = 3; N GAMING = 2; p > .05). A repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant time effect, F(1,32) = 13.386, p<.001. However, group, F(1,32) = 1.609, p=.214, nor group by time interaction were significant, F(1,32)=.837, p=.367. On average, participants completed an additional half TOH session (i.e., .47, SD = .53) after receiving either training package (M Pre = .62, SD = .70; M Post = .15, SD = .36). Table 3 shows the means and standard deviations for the pretest and posttest scores participants completed in the experimental ( Warcraft ) and control ( CogniFit ) groups. The mean scores in the table indicate how many moves on average each participant could successfully solve the puzzle per group. For this study, participants had 20 minutes to complete as many questions as possible for the pretest and 20 minutes to do the same for an isomorphic version of the posttest. Table 4 shows the means and standard deviations for the PISA pretest and posttest scores of participants in the experimental ( Warcraft ) and control ( CogniFit ) groups.

Pretest and posttest scores by group on the Tower of Hanoi

Pretest and posttest scores by group on the PISA Problem Solving Test

Quantifying Improvement in Performance

In order to quantify improvement after the intervention, gain scores were calculated by the following formula, for each instance of the TOH task encountered (i.e. three sessions):

Gain scores produced from this calculation can be interpreted as follows: negative gain scores indicating improvement (fewer total moves at post-testing), and positive gain scores indicating a decrement in performance (more total moves at post-testing). As a result of incomplete games not producing the number of moves, for some participants, no gain score calculation was possible. At pretesting, the cognitive training group had three missing gain scores for the second TOH and 10 for the third TOH whereas the game training group had one missing gain score for the second TOH and seven for the third TOH. To account for this, when calculating average gain scores for each participant, averages were weighted by the number of completed games (i.e. averaging by the number of incomplete sessions would result in an undefined calculation, as some participants completed all sessions). Table 5 shows the results of an unpaired t-test on the average weighted gain scores found no group differences in TOH gain scores ( p > .05). Additionally, an unpaired t-test on the average PISA gain scores found no group differences gain scores ( p > .05).

Problem solving performance compared across training groups

Sensitivity Analysis

Due to missing data issues discussed above, the final analysis involves a stepwise multiple linear regression (forward and backward; AIC used for final model variable selection conducted using R package MASS, function stepAIC; Venables & Ripley, 2002 ), predicting max gain score (max of all three potential gain scores) by group membership (WoW or Cognitive Training), total gain score count, and a gain score derived from pre and post measurements on the PISA task (2003). Based on the stepwise regression procedure analysis results in Table 6 , the best fitting, significant, multiple regression model was found to be a model predicting max gain score from gain score count (no predictor for group membership or PISA gain score; F(1,32) = 14.41; p < .001; R 2 = .3104; adjusted R 2 = 0.2889). Participants predicted max gain score is equal to −111.70 + 48.87 (Gain Count), where gain score is in the unit of number of moves. Max gain score increased by 48.87 for every one unit increase in gain score count (more gain scores, closer to 0; less improvement after the intervention). Gain score count was a significant predictor of max gain score (t=3.796; p < 0.001), indicating potential practice effects from repeated exposure to the task. Practice effects will be discussed in subsequent sections.

Stepwise regression model path, analysis of deviance table and the row with the best fitting model, using AIC as criterion, is highlighted in gray

Evidence for Research Question 1

The initial hypothesis regarding the first question was that a brain-training game would help participants improve their rule application component of problem-solving skill better than a roleplaying game after 20 hours of gameplay for several reasons. One reason is that the rules are more explicit during brain-training gameplay and because of claims made by CogniFit that brain-training gameplay will improve its users’ brain fitness or ability to rely on more than one problem-solving strategy. While both games require players to apply rules to solve problems, only CogniFit markets its product as a tool that can help users to solve problems in their daily lives ( CogniFit, 2019 ). This claim also suggests that brain-training gameplay can help users transfer skills learned in-game to novel problem-solving scenarios in the natural world. However, the results indicated that there was no significant difference in gain scores (i.e., in Post - Pre Gain scores) in terms of TOH performance (t-test comparing gain scores: p = .746) between the two gaming conditions (i.e., Warcraft and CogniFit ), though both groups improved from baseline to post-testing assessment, likely attributable to practice effects (see Figure 5 ). Overall, the results contradicted our initial hypothesis for Research Question 1; implications are discussed next.

Average number of moves in the Tower of Hanoi task across (up to 3) sessions per person, per timepoint. The left panel represents scores for the CogniFit (COG) group, and the right panel represents scores for the Warcraft (WOW) group.

Implications of Results for Research Question 1

Solving problems in an immersive game like Warcraft provided players with repeated practice of applying rules and using tools to find creative solutions to similar but varied problems. As players reflected on their choices, they learned how to use the tools by analyzing givens and constraints in unison to achieve maximum character performance and develop optimal solutions to general problems. CogniFit players did not experience immersive gameplay, but instead repeated problem-solving scenarios that were varied but required fewer tools and resources to be solved. Once CogniFit players knew how to use the paddle and the ball in unison, the only additional resources to use during gameplay were power-ups, bonus bricks, and traps. Roleplaying gameplay required players to solve problems using additional tools and resources efficiently which was a more complex task than using the ball and paddle during brain-training gameplay. Strategizing when and how to apply rules through varied but different problem scenarios with multiple tools and resources through immersive gameplay was beneficial for Warcraft participants. Moreover, players in Warcraft could receive feedback with help from other players learning when and how to apply tools and resources to solve problems. CogniFit players received feedback at the end of each level with an overall score and corrected mistakes through trial and error without additional support.

evidence for Research Question 2

The initial hypothesis regarding the second question was that training on an immersive, collaborative roleplaying video game for 20 hours would engender transfer of problem-solving skills to novel problem-solving scenarios on the PISA Problem Solving Test better than a brain-training video game. One reason is that research on MMORPGs including Warcraft indicates that players co-constructed knowledge by challenging and supporting novel ideas to in-game problem-solving scenarios through online discussion forums as well as discovering optimal solutions to in-game problems by combining multiple abilities and resources available to players ( Chinn & Malhotra, 2002 ; Steinkuehler & Chmiel, 2006 ). Efficiently using tools and resources is a component of problem solving and is central to the roleplaying gameplay experience ( Shute & Wang, 2016 ).

However, the results indicated that after 20 hours of gameplay of Warcraft or CogniFit there was no improved performance on the PISA (i.e., comparing PISA Gain Scores; p = .748). Overall, the mean scores for Warcraft participants were slightly better than CogniFit participants on the isomorphic versions of the PISA Problem Solving pretest and posttest - indicating baseline differences between the two groups in terms of performance. Overall, there were no significant differences found between roleplaying and brain-training gameplay on transfer of problem-solving skills (see Figure 6 ). The implications for the results from research question 2 are discussed next.

PISA Scores before and after the intervention. The left panel represents scores for the COG group, and the right panel represents scores for the WOW group.

Implications of Results for Research Question 2

Given that both video game training and “brain-training” did not significantly improve problem-solving skills has several implications. The gameplay behaviors exhibited by players in each condition were aligned with the problem-solving processes on the PISA Problem Solving Test. However, possible reasons for lack of transfer in this study in addition to small sample size include (a) collaborative, immersive roleplaying gameplay may help promote problem-solving skills related to in-game problem solving scenarios but not necessarily to improved performance on external problem-solving assessments, and (b) problem-solving during Warcraft gameplay may be too domain specific to transfer to novel problem-solving scenarios on the PISA Problem Solving Test.

The misalignment between the problem-solving domains of Warcraft and the PISA Problem Solving Test could have hindered the possibility of finding a transfer effect. As an example, Warcraft players must learn how to navigate an immersive environment, use complex tools efficiently and effectively to solve problems during gameplay and interact with both the environment and other characters to solve problems. However, solving problems on the PISA Problem Solving Test is not an immersive experience. It was also a solitary activity; participants did not collaborate or interact with each other while taking the test. The OECD designed the PISA Problem Solving Test to cover more general problem-solving skills to complement domain-specific skills ( Greiff et al., 2014 ). Selecting a problem-solving assessment which is embedded within an immersive environment that requires players to engage in collaborative problem-solving processes (i.e. experienced in video gameplay) using tools and resources efficiently could have been a more viable assessment to measure transfer of problem-solving skills in this study. Further research is still warranted to determine if video gameplay can promote transfer of problem-solving skills to novel scenarios. The limitations of this research study are addressed in the next section.

Limitations

Given time and resource constraints, the sample size of this study is small and lacks statistical significance to make claims regarding the general population. With more available resources, recruitment would have likely continued for an additional semester to raise the sample size for the study. Students that did not complete the study cited time constraints as the main reason they were unable to fulfill the 20 hours of video gameplay requirement. The optimal time to run the study would have been during Fall and Spring semesters instead of Spring and Summer. In Fall and Spring, more students would have been available for recruitment as well as increased scheduling flexibility and time to complete the intervention during the academic year for the participants. Given that the authors monitored participants during video gameplay in case any problems arose, there may have been expectancy effects that impacted participants. For example, participants’ gameplay experiences may have been negatively or positively affected when being monitored. The potential for participants to alter their behavior simply because they are being studied is known as the Hawthorne Effect ( Benedetti, Carlino & Piedimonte, 2016 ). In addition, the inclusion of a more immersive assessment that measures problem-solving skill transfer could have led to improved outcomes when compared to a more traditional assessment like the PISA Problem-Solving Test (2003).

Future Implications

The main goal of this study was to examine the impact of two distinct types of video gameplay; role playing ( Warcraft ) and brain-training ( CogniFit ) on problem-solving skills for undergraduates. Specifically, if video gameplay can improve the rule application component of problem solving and whether problem solving during gameplay transferred to novel problem-solving scenarios. This study addressed some of the methodological shortcomings found in previous video game training and transfer studies that failed to report recruitment methods, define study variables, and provide an active control group in which participants could expect receive equal improvement from competencies ( Baniqued et al., 2013 ; Boot et al., 2013 ). As a result, possible placebo effects are likely mitigated in this experiment improving upon methodological pitfalls affecting other video game training studies ( Anderson et al., 2010 ; Ferguson & Kilburn, 2009 ).

The results from this study suggest that neither a commercially available video game ( Warcraft ) or a commercially available “brain-training” package ( CogniFit ) resulted in improvements in the rule-based component of problem solving (as assessed by the TOH puzzle). Moreover, aside from a lack of improvement in the rule-based component, 20-hours of training did not promote transfer of problem-solving skills to novel scenarios (as assessed by the PISA Problem Solving Task), which is consistent with similar research findings on cognitive training and transfer ( Souders et al., 2017 ). Sensitivity analyses conducted found evidence for practice effects in gain scores, illustrating that rather than improvement due to the training packages, improvement seems related to multiple, closely spaced assessments. Future research can complement this study by increasing the sample size and testing similar immersive well-designed video games on participant knowledge, skills, and abilities, in addition to directly cuing participants to be aware of the strategies (i.e., perceptual and cognitive strategies) they might carry with them from the digital world to the real-world.

Acknowledgment

Nelson Roque was supported by National Institute on Aging Grant T32 AG049676 to The Pennsylvania State University.

Benjamin Emihovich is an Assistant Professor of Educational Technology in the Education Department at the University of Michigan-Flint and is the program faculty coordinator for the online Educational Technology (M.A.) program. He currently teaches undergraduate and graduate students in the areas of Instructional Design and Technology as well as curriculum and instruction. His research area focuses on the following; game-based learning, assessments for learning in immersive environments, and emerging learning technologies.

Nelson A. Roque is a NIA T32 Postdoctoral Fellow, at Penn State’s Center for Healthy Aging. Nelson earned his Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from Florida State University in 2018. Nelson has a strong background in visual attention, focusing on how to reliably measure it, how it relates to individual difference factors (e.g., age, sleep) and translating insights from theoretical work in visual attention to applied contexts (e.g. medication errors).

Justin Mason is a Postdoctoral Associate in Rehabilitation Science at the University of Florida. His research interests include interventions suitable for mitigating age-related cognitive and physical decline in older adults. Additionally, he’s interested in factors that influence older adults’ adoption and acceptance of emerging technologies.

Contributor Information

Benjamin Emihovich, University of Michigan - Flint, Flint, USA.

Nelson Roque, Pennsylvania State University, State College, USA.

Justin Mason, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.

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14 Video Games That Will Improve Your Problem-Solving and Strategy Skills

Table of Contents Show

Planet coaster, red alert remastered, call of duty series, forza horizon 4, mass effect, final fantasy, starcraft series, grand theft auto v, civilization series, titanfall 2 series, bejeweled 3.

Video games train your problem-solving skills by getting you to find solutions to complicated problems. They allow players to try out different things to figure out which one works best. Keeping this in mind, here are a variety of our favorite video games that will improve your problem-solving skills.

Running your own themepark isn’t that straight forward. You will be presented with numerous problems from which you’ll need to solve. From unhappy guests to budget problems, your moves will result in you winning or losing the various scenarios on offer. This great game will also allow you to explore your creative palate as you design the themepark of you dreams.

If you’ve never played the Red Alert series from EA (originally Westwood), then you’re in for a treat. It’s a fine series that truly marked the RTS genre. However, the remaster brings fresh attention to the series and it will also enable you to master your problem solving and strategy making skills. You’ll need to bankroll your army by collecting ore, purchase units and buildings, and then decide if and when to attack your opponent(s). Exciting? Absolutely. You’ll be smarter too from playing this game.

Feeling as though you’d love to delve into real-estate? Perhaps you could test-out your skills with the old-school board game, Monopoly. This game is all about decisions and, well, luck. There are numerous editions of this video game, launched on various platforms. Interestingly, this game first appeared as a video game back in 1985.

Another board-game that can be best played on a tablet. Chess is a game of problem solving and strategy. You’ll need to make the right moves, learning the power of each piece. With the Queen the most important and powerful unit, you’ll want to protect and utilize

How does a first-person-shooter make this list? Well, unless you decide to aimlessly run around firing, it’s your strategy that will make the difference, and that, of course, involves problem solving, too. Call of Duty is an FPS video game franchise developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. The game originally focused on games set in the Second World War. Over time, the developers have set the games in this series in futuristic worlds, the Cold War, and outer space. As part of a trained squad, you will play through the chaos of war. In addition to authentic squad tactics and movements, each soldier’s unique personality and training will come out on the battlefield. Call of Duty helps players to improve their spatial intelligence and visual attention skills.

Set in an open-world based in a fictionalized Kingdom of Great Britain, this racing video game was developed by Playground Games. The publisher of Forza Horizon 4 is Microsoft Studios, and it features a route creator that allows you to create races using customized routes. The game also features a dynamic weather system depicting the change of seasons. In the game, the environment changes depending on the season; for instance, Derwentwater freezes in winter, allowing the player to drive on the ice and reach areas that are inaccessible during other seasons. This fast-paced video game can improve your ability to make correct decisions when you are under pressure.

Set in the year 2183 within the Milky Way galaxy, Mass Effect is an ARPG (action role-playing game) that was developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. It’s the first installment in the Mass Effect game series. In the game, a highly advanced machine race called Reapers has threatened the existence of civilization. The player takes on the role of Commander Shepard and you have to stop a rogue agent who’s planning to carry out the Reapers’ galactic invasion. You need to complete multiple quests that involve squad and vehicular combat, space exploration, and interaction with NPCs (non-player characters). This game can help you learn how to evaluate your options quickly and correctly.

Final Fantasy, an anthology science fantasy media franchise, was created by a Japanese video game company called Hironobu Sakaguchi. It was developed and published by a Japanese video game holding company called Square Enix. The franchise centers on fantasy and science RPG games. Each game has different plots, settings, and characters. Character names are often derived from pop culture, languages, history, and mythologies of cultures from different parts of the world. Fantasy role-playing games can help to train players how to evaluate their options faster and accurately.

Set in a science-fiction universe, this military science fiction RTG requires strategic thinking. It tests and refines the player’s information-gathering skills. You’ll assume the role of three characters throughout the game. The game story is presented in several ways, including an instruction manual, conversations within the missions themselves, and briefings to each mission. StarCraft can improve your ability to solve real-life and imaginary problems.

Grand Theft Auto V was developed by a New York City-based company known as Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It’s the fifth game in the Grand Theft Auto series. The game offers you the option to explore Los Santos and Blaine County world in 4K resolution and beyond. You’ll also get the chance of experiencing the game running at 60 FPS (frames per second). Because players assume the role of a criminal, this may help to train them how to quickly process and keep track of information in high-stress situations.

Civilization, a turn-based strategy 4X game, was developed and published by an American company known as MicroProse. Players are tasked with leading the human civilization throughout several millennia. They can do this by controlling different areas, including military, research, trade, government, urban development, and exploration. The player can also control individual units in the game and advance the conquest, exploration, and settlement of the world. The game teaches you how to work as a team to solve problems and become productive at work.

Titanfall 2 is a multiplayer first-person shooter game that was developed by Respawn Entertainment. The publisher of Titanfall 2 is an American video game company called Electronic Arts. The player controls mecha-style exoskeletons, their pilots, and Titans. The game is set in science-fiction war-torn outer space colonies and features fast-paced future warfare. Players have the tactical ability to regenerate speed boosts, invisibility cloaking, and x-ray vision. The game can help you learn how to formulate and execute strategic plans to solve problems.

This hack-and-slash ARPG was developed by Blizzard Entertainment. It’s the third installment in the Diablo series. The gameplay revolves around the player defeating increasingly difficult enemies to obtain stronger equipment. You’ll fight enemies using various character class skills that you can customize by talent trees and equipment. Enemies are divided into monster families defined by their location, combat style, and theme. Diablo IV can improve your cognitive abilities and allow you to find solutions to problems faster when you are in a difficult situation.

This tile-matching puzzle game was published and developed by PopCap Games. It’s the fifth installment in the Bejeweled series. In the game, the player has to swap one of the on-screen gems with an adjacent one and form chains of at least three gems of the same color. This game can teach you how to relax and reduce stress, which is important when you want to solve a problem.

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Your Gaming Skills Can Help You Shape Your Career

• Igor Tulchinsky

Video games are fast-moving, dynamic, and anything but static. Your career can be too.

Studies have shown the benefits of gaming — whether it’s better spatial awareness, faster cognitive processing, or improved mental health, social skills, and decision-making capabilities. Here are some ways you can harness the unique skills and lessons gaming has taught you to shape your future working life.

• Don’t settle. Video games are fast-moving, dynamic, and anything but static. Your career should be too. Every job requires some combination of problem-solving, strategy, and teamwork — just like every video game. But not every company you encounter will be as solutions-oriented, innovative, or collaborative as you might desire. Aim to find an organization that will value you and your skills.
• Challenge your beliefs. How often have you written off a video game before even playing it? We all have internal biases that can alter our perception of the world. The same is true for our careers — you likely have personal beliefs about certain companies, industries, and job titles. Just like you shouldn’t judge a game by its popular presentation, you shouldn’t with jobs either. Instead, take the time to speak to people on the inside.
• Try again. Fail again. Fail better. We’re often too afraid to fail in real life because we believe we won’t get a second chance. In some ways, that’s true — there are no extra lives here. But just like in video games, we can test hypotheses, experiment, process variables, and establish new ways of understanding our world.
• Have patience. Video games can be repetitive. The same can be said for work, and our lives in general. But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. The patience and hard work are what make the glorious cut scenes, rare achievements, and final fights worth it. In your career, the work you put in now will pay off long-term, too.
• Think like a creator. Game developers often employ transformational creativity. This is when designers, often drawing on leaps forward in technology, drive revolutionary changes in the entire video game ecosystem. One way to cultivate transformational creativity in your work life is to embrace adjacency. If you’re struggling to come up with new ideas or find yourself making the same errors when addressing a task, try thinking about how other, adjacent disciplines might approach a similar problem.

Growing up in the golden age of video games, it was hard not to feel like you were living two lives at once.

• IT Igor Tulchinsky is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of WorldQuant, LLC, a global quantitative asset management firm. He was previously a portfolio manager at Millennium.

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Video games can change your brain for the better

"Video games are played by the overwhelming majority of our youth more than three hours every week, but the beneficial effects on decision-making abilities and the brain are not exactly known," says Mukesh Dhamala. "Our work provides some answers on that." (Credit: Getty Images )

You are free to share this article under the Attribution 4.0 International license.

Frequent players of video games show superior sensorimotor decision-making skills and enhanced activity in key regions of the brain as compared to non-players, according to a recent study.

The authors, who used functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) in the study, say the findings suggest that video games could be a useful tool for training in perceptual decision-making.

“Video games are played by the overwhelming majority of our youth more than three hours every week, but the beneficial effects on decision-making abilities and the brain are not exactly known,” says lead researcher Mukesh Dhamala, associate professor in Georgia State University’s physics and astronomy department and the university’s Neuroscience Institute.

“Our work provides some answers on that,” Dhamala says. “Video game playing can effectively be used for training—for example, decision-making efficiency training and therapeutic interventions —once the relevant brain networks are identified.”

Dhamala was the adviser for Tim Jordan, the lead author of the paper, who offered a personal example of how such research could inform the use of video games for training the brain.

Jordan, who received a PhD in physics and astronomy from Georgia State in 2021, had weak vision in one eye as a child. As part of a research study when he was about 5, he was asked to cover his good eye and play video games as a way to strengthen the vision in the weak one. Jordan credits video game training with helping him go from legally blind in one eye to building strong capacity for visual processing, allowing him to eventually play lacrosse and paintball. He is now a postdoctoral researcher at UCLA.

The new research project involved 47 college-age participants, with 28 categorized as regular video game players and 19 as non-players.

The subjects laid inside an FMRI machine with a mirror that allowed them to see a cue immediately followed by a display of moving dots. Participants were asked to press a button in their right or left hand to indicate the direction the dots were moving, or resist pressing either button if there was no directional movement.

The researchers found that video game players were faster and more accurate with their responses.

Analysis of the resulting brain scans found that the differences were correlated with enhanced activity in certain parts of the brain.

“These results indicate that video game playing potentially enhances several of the subprocesses for sensation, perception, and mapping to action to improve decision-making skills,” the authors write. “These findings begin to illuminate how video game playing alters the brain in order to improve task performance and their potential implications for increasing task-specific activity.”

The study also notes there was no trade-off between speed and accuracy of response—the video game players were better on both measures.

“This lack of speed-accuracy trade-off would indicate video game playing as a good candidate for cognitive training as it pertains to decision-making,” the authors write.

The paper appears in the journal Neuroimage: Reports .

Source: Georgia State University

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10 Ways Video Games Help Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills

If you thought video games were just a way to pass the time or a fun distraction, think again! In fact, video games can be an incredibly effective tool for improving your problem-solving skills, and we’ve got the top 10 ways mapped out for you right here.

From improving your strategic thinking and memory to boosting creativity and decision-making abilities, we’ll explore how gaming can sharpen your mind in ways you never thought possible. Whether you’re a die-hard gamer or a casual player, our list of games and techniques will help you acquire the skills and mindset to tackle real-world challenges with greater ease and confidence. So, get ready to level up your brainpower as we delve into the fascinating world of how video games can enhance your problem-solving abilities. Let’s do this!

Teaching Resource Management

Many games require players to manage resources, such as time, equipment, or virtual currency. This can help players develop skills in strategic planning and decision making, which are key aspects of problem-solving.

Improving Adaptability

Video games often introduce new challenges and change the rules as the game progresses. This can help players improve their adaptability, an important skill for problem-solving, as it requires being able to adjust one's approach based on new information or changing circumstances.

Improving Multitasking Skills

Fast-paced video games often require players to track and respond to several events at once. This helps players improve their multitasking abilities, which are a key aspect of problem-solving in many real-world situations.

Developing Spatial Reasoning

Many games involve navigating through complex environments, which can help improve spatial reasoning. This ability to understand and reason about spatial relationships is crucial in problem-solving and can be particularly useful in fields like engineering, architecture, and mathematics.

Building Persistence

Video games often involve challenging problems that cannot be solved on the first attempt. This helps players build persistence and resilience, as they must keep trying different approaches until they find a solution.

Enhancing Logical Thinking

Many video games, such as strategy and puzzle games, require players to think logically and make strategic decisions to solve problems. These games can strengthen logical thinking skills, as players often have to analyze situations, experiment with potential solutions, and observe the consequences of their actions.

Training in Strategy and Forward Planning

Strategy games require players to plan several moves ahead, taking into account possible outcomes and responses from opponents. This kind of forward planning and strategic thinking is crucial in problem-solving, and practicing it in game scenarios can help improve these skills.

Promoting Teamwork and Collaboration

Multiplayer games encourage players to work together to solve complex challenges. This can help improve collaborative problem-solving skills, as players must communicate effectively, coordinate their efforts, and negotiate roles and responsibilities.

Promoting Creativity

Games, especially open-ended ones, often allow for multiple paths to success. This promotes creativity, encouraging players to think outside the box and come up with novel solutions to problems.

Enhancing Pattern Recognition

Video games often involve identifying patterns and using that knowledge to solve problems. By playing these games, individuals can enhance their pattern recognition skills, which are crucial for problem-solving in many scientific and mathematical contexts.

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Best Video Games About Problem Solving | TheReviewGeek Recommends

There are a lot of video games out there and in this age of mobile and home-based gaming, the choices have never been greater.

So how do you cut through the noise and find the “Best of” for any chosen topic? Well, we’re here to help celebrate and shine a spotlight on some of the latest, greatest and unforgettable games through the years.

For our ongoing series of articles depicting the best video games, our attention this time turns to games with a focus on problem-solving. From thought-provoking adventures to lighthearted action-puzzle games, there’s a good choice to whet your appetite.

Of course, if we’ve missed any of your favorites, feel free to comment below and we’ll get them added on!

Professor Layton

While many puzzle games aim for a simple formula like Tetris and Puyo Puyo, others lean toward telling a constructive narrative. The Professor Layton franchise does that with its take on the point-and-click adventure genre through its well-written story beats, characters, and glorious setting.

Professor Layton follows the adventures of Professor Hershel Layton and his partner Luke as they help solve many mysteries regarding missing family heirlooms, murder, and time travel. It’s safe to say that these two are always on their toes regarding case requests. Considering Professor Layton’s excellent detective skills, they have nothing to fear.

Phoenix Wright of the Ace Attorney franchise inspired the idea and concept behind Professor Layton’s gameplay and character. The gameplay utilizes the Nintendo DS’s touch screen to a tea, as players must interact with Professor Layton’s setting, characters, and puzzles.

Some puzzles players encounter are logic, math problems, and maze-based. However, the game offers a memo pad that allows players to work out issues that may be too bothersome to complete in one’s head. Puzzles grant players points that help them progress through the story.

The Professor Layton franchise is remarkable for people looking for a brain-teasing challenge and a good time.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a visual novel adventure game held in high regard by many fans. While some may not agree that it fully replicates the life of a real-life lawyer, the trials, interrogation, and puzzle components are what makes this franchise a grand one.

There have been many games in the Ace Attorney franchise, some with new protagonists. However, the protagonist many people attach this franchise to is Phoenix Wright. Starting as novice defense attorneys, players must help Phoenix thoroughly investigate surroundings for clues. Then they find themselves in the courtroom where it’s their job to either defend or go against the person being held accountable for the crime.

This is where the game’s incredible puzzle-solving mechanics come into play. Essentially, players interrogate witnesses and their attorneys for fallacies and contradictions by picking apart their claims in court. They also have to answer specific questions the judge may have about one of the five particular cases.

The gameplay is simple but requires the player to think carefully before making their argument. Thankfully, the game includes ways to scroll through previous statements to help them identify the fallacy in their opponents’ claims. The characters also have great enthusiasm in their reactions to trials, especially the convicted individual in the said case.

If you’re looking for a visual novel experience that’ll make you use your max brainpower, be sure to purchase any of the Ace Attorney games.

Despite creating violent-oriented franchises like Left 4 Dead and Half-Life, Valve aren’t afraid to tackle new territory. Portal and its sequel Portal 2 have a limited campaign which bothered most at first. However, others have looked past its short story duration and uncovered a game filled with originality, distinct gameplay, and a dark plot.

The Portal franchise follows Chell, who must create portals to solve an AI named GLaDOS’s many puzzles. Mastering the game’s physics is important as players must create portals in a specific way to progress through the game. Momentum, preservation, and redirection are the three elements players must know before diving into this game.

Chell’s vulnerability is at an all-time high, making matters difficult. If she lands on a surface from a high enough distance, she’ll receive damage upon impact. The game also includes various machinery to amp up the challenge via turrets, bouncing energy balls and toxic substances. Players don’t have access to a visible health bar either.

Lastly, the game features well-written characters, and slowly drip feeds hints toward its inevitable conclusion as the player progresses. Valve made GLaDOS’ personality shine in the game, even though it’s a robot that taunts players constantly. It surprisingly never gets stale as the jokes only get funnier.

If you’re looking for a puzzle game with enthusiasm, originality, and mystery, Portal is the one for you.

Baba Is You

While some puzzle games have precise and easy-to-follow gameplay, there are rarely any that allow you to bend the rules. Baba is You is an indie puzzle game that wants its players to break the rules of puzzle-solving.

Baba Is You entails players controlling the animal-like being, Baba, who must solve several word puzzles to reach specified checkpoints. Each level presents players with word blocks they can interact with and manipulate to their heart’s content. While some will leave players with fewer roadblocks in their path, others may give them an experience they hadn’t expected.

Some of these experiences include transforming Baba and her world’s organisms into different objects. You can also change your end goal into something completely different. The game spans 200 uniquely designed levels that encourage players to devise critical ways to manipulate the game’s roadblocks to their liking.

While the title doesn’t offer the most jaw-dropping graphics, it does deliver outstanding puzzles designed to help boost your critical thinking skills.

Famicom Detective Club

The old Famicom Detective Club games have been resurrected on Nintendo Switch as a mystery visual novel. While it didn’t sell as well as Nintendo’s blockbuster franchises, it offers worthwhile cases and interactivity.

The Famicom Detective Club games play like every ordinary visual, but the fascinating aspect of the game is that it used to be a Super Nintendo exclusive in Japan. A component that makes the Famicom Detective Club remakes better than the original is the astonishing voice acting, clever overarching mysteries, and beautiful character sprites and CGs.

Only the first two entries were remade and finally brought to the west. Both games center around a young detective protagonist who must solve two cases involving death. The Missing Heir delves into Kiku Ayashiro’s death, a woman who had inherited her family’s plot. The second game, The Girl Who Stands Behind, discusses the demise of a high school student named Yoko Kojima.

While the gameplay isn’t as interactive as Ace Attorney and others that came out after it, the remakes helped revitalize the world for a newer audience. Unlike most visual novels, the Famicom Detective Club remake contains cinematic cutscenes and superb voice acting. There’s also a subtle yet unique dungeon crawling minigame near the end that helps it stand out from others, including Ace Attorney.

Despite Famicom Detective Club being a niche gem, it’s a puzzle-solving adventur1e game that players shouldn’t skip out on.

Unfortunately, some indie games don’t reach mainstream levels of success. When they do, the reception is either overwhelmingly positive or negative, with many praising it or declaring the game is overhyped. While it spawned millions of “suspicious memes,” Among Us delivers in its addictive gameplay and player interactivity.

While it doesn’t have a deep narrative to accompany its world, Among Us’s simply-designed characters and world serve their purpose well. How players participate and interact with Among Us is where its fun aspect kicks into overdrive since the game requires you to think and manipulate your way to victory.

Among Us allows the player to control one of many crewmates who must complete simple tasks while onboard a ship. However, one or two players take on the role of imposters, deadly hybrid beasts that aim to annihilate every crewmate onboard without being ratted out.

To call out these phonies, players must signal a meeting, where all the players unite to discuss discovered dead bodies or to declare who they believe is an imposter. Often, people make statements that are difficult to confirm or deny, which is where the puzzle-solving comes into play.

While it may not sound like it, the game will make players stress over wrong decisions, further encouraging them to keep their eyes peeled. If you’re a fan of the old murder mystery tropes often depicted in a train-ride setting, then Among Us has you covered.

Human Fall Flat

Portal was a platform puzzle game with a dark storyline and intriguing mechanics, but many may prefer something more lighthearted. Human Fall Flat is a puzzle platformer indie game whose goal is to make your whole friend group or family giggle and smile.

Players can take control of this world’s interpretation of humans and must solve quirky and fun-filled puzzles. While the puzzles start simple, the difficulty rises as you progress further into the game. These difficult puzzles will require some brainpower despite appearing heartwarming and cute.

Players manipulate their human arms to carry and place crates in specific locations to solve these puzzles. Other puzzles include pressing switches or needing to walk backward while onboard a fast-moving vehicle. Therefore, it’s best to expect many failures along the way, but at least you’ll end up with a good chuckle out of it.

As for the characters themselves, players can customize them to their heart’s content. You can make your character look like a dog or one of those driving test dummies. The game also allows you to build puzzles yourself to play alongside friends on a comfortable couch and online co-op play.

While the game doesn’t have a highly sophisticated narrative, the gameplay and wacky shenanigans you’ll end up in make Human Fall Flat a worthwhile purchase.

Catherine: Full Body

The multiple branch trope often finds a home in many story-centric video games like visual novels. These branching paths help players immerse themselves in the world and its characters. While it isn’t a visual novel, Catherine: Full Body contains 13 different endings in a game where problem-solving is your goal.

Catherine: Full Body is a re-release of the original PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 Catherine game. Players take on the role of Vincent, a doubtful protagonist who must overcome his romantic struggles. This concerns two females named Catherine, yet one starts with a K. To do so, players must help Vincent settle his quarrels by completing the game’s dating sim and action-platforming elements.

There’s no definitive answer to the dating sim components since it’s up to the player’s decision regarding Vincent’s choices. The players’ choices in the game will lock them into specific endings, including Vincent’s reactions to said scenarios. This allows the game’s storyline to thrive with different outcomes, thus giving players a reason to revisit the title to witness Vincent’s other chosen fates.

As for its action-platforming components, which play out like Tetris to a degree. These puzzles occur in Vincent’s nightmares he’ll endure after each day. Players must help Vincent swiftly climb a tall tower whose goal is to have him crumble. These towers start slow but get inherently fast in time, and several hazards come into play only to make matters worse.

While the game sounds like a breeze, it’ll have your brain wearing with its incredibly fast puzzles and difficult life-oriented choices.

Puzzle-platformers can come in many shapes, but Braid aimed to change things with its time manipulation game mechanic. A premise similar to Super Mario Bros. Braid requires players to rescue a princess while traversing many worlds, each with its puzzles.

Braid allows players to enact different actions regarding time manipulation, involving rewinding events to move immovable objects and discovering parallel realities. Every time players complete a puzzle, they’ll receive something new and intriguing about Braid’s world.

Braid’s other fascinating aspect is that players cannot die or technically lose. As a result, Braid’s puzzles challenged gamers to use every ounce of their wit to progress. Some worlds will have players searching for puzzle pieces while others require them to manipulate time or create entrances to different realities.

Moreover, the game delivers a unique experience with its fresh gameplay and mechanics that could ultimately improve a gamer’s thinking capabilities. Therefore, Braid wishes to encourage and increase anyone’s thinking capabilities under the presentation of a time manipulating puzzle game.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Although it took many years for the mushroom-headed toddler to get a game series, the wait was well worth it. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is an action platformer that started as a minigame for the Wii U’s Super Mario 3D World game. It later received an enhanced port via the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS.

This game’s story contains three chapters. The first chapter has players controlling Toad to save Toadette from Wingo, a villainous bird. The next chapter goes in the opposite direction while the endgame features a boss fight with Wingo and later Draggadon, a royal dragon. While the story is a bit convoluted, the gameplay and puzzles are imaginative and fun.

You guide Toad or Toadette through various distinct platform puzzles. Some feature conveyor belts, stairs, and the Mario Bros. franchise’s iconic enemies. Players have no access to jumping and will lose if Toad or Toadette receive damage at any point.

Fear not, as Toad regains health by finding mushrooms. Also, he can defend himself with his trusty Super Pickax and turnip pulling abilities from Super Mario Bros. 2. As for level design, each puzzle feels uniquely designed for each world. The extra content in the Nintendo Switch and 3DS versions also make it more worth the money.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a great game to kickstart younger fans’ dive into the puzzle genre of video games.

So, there we have it, our pick for the best games through the years about problem-solving!

What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!

Feel Free To Check Out More Video Game Recommendations Here!

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The Impact of Video Games on Problem-Solving Skills

Simmons Victoria

In recent years, video games have become a prevalent form of entertainment and a popular pastime for people of all ages. While they are often criticized for promoting violence or encouraging sedentary behavior, video games can also have positive effects on cognitive functions, including problem-solving skills. This article explores the impact of video games on problem-solving skills and how they can be a beneficial tool for cognitive development.

Understanding Problem-Solving Skills

Problem-solving skills are essential abilities that allow individuals to identify, analyze, and solve problems effectively. These skills involve critical thinking, creativity, logic, and reasoning. Problem-solving skills are crucial for success in various aspects of life, including academics, work, and daily challenges.

Video Games and Problem-Solving Skills

Video games offer a unique platform for individuals to engage in complex problem-solving tasks in a fun and interactive way. Many video games require players to navigate through challenging levels, overcome obstacles, and strategize to achieve specific goals. As players progress through the game, they encounter increasingly difficult challenges that require them to think critically and adapt their strategies.

Types of Video Games That Enhance Problem-Solving Skills

• Puzzle Games: Puzzle games, such as Tetris, Portal, or Sudoku, require players to solve complex puzzles and challenges by using logic and reasoning skills. These games can improve spatial awareness, pattern recognition, and cognitive flexibility.
• Strategy Games: Strategy games, like Civilization, Age of Empires, or chess, involve planning, decision-making, and resource management. Players must strategize, anticipate their opponents’ moves, and adapt to changing game conditions, enhancing their problem-solving abilities.
• Adventure Games: Adventure games, such as The Legend of Zelda, Uncharted, or Tomb Raider, often involve exploration, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Players must solve puzzles, decipher clues, and make strategic decisions to progress through the game.
• Role-Playing Games (RPGs): RPGs, like Final Fantasy, Skyrim, or World of Warcraft, require players to make choices, solve quests, and engage in strategic combat. These games promote problem-solving skills, decision-making, and critical thinking.

Benefits of Video Games for Problem-Solving Skills

• Critical Thinking: Video games encourage players to think critically, analyze information, and make informed decisions. Players must evaluate different options, consider consequences, and strategize to overcome challenges.
• Creativity: Video games stimulate creativity by allowing players to explore new worlds, experiment with different strategies, and solve problems in innovative ways. Players can think outside the box and come up with creative solutions to complex problems.
• Persistence: Video games teach players the value of persistence and resilience in the face of failure. Players often face setbacks, obstacles, and failures in games, but they learn to persevere, try again, and learn from their mistakes.
• Collaboration: Many video games involve multiplayer modes or cooperative gameplay, where players must work together to achieve common goals. Collaboration in video games promotes teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills.

The Role of Educational Video Games

Educational video games are designed specifically to enhance problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and cognitive abilities in players. These games combine educational content with interactive gameplay to engage players in learning activities while improving their problem-solving skills.

Examples of Educational Video Games

• Math Blaster: Math Blaster is a math-focused educational game that challenges players to solve math problems, puzzles, and equations to progress through the game. It helps improve mathematical skills, problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking.
• Oregon Trail: Oregon Trail is a historical simulation game that teaches players about the challenges faced by pioneers traveling westward in the 19th century. Players must make strategic decisions, solve problems, and manage resources to survive the journey.
• CodeCombat: CodeCombat is a programming game that teaches players how to code by solving coding challenges and puzzles. Players learn programming concepts, problem-solving skills, and logical thinking while playing the game.

Video games have the potential to enhance problem-solving skills, critical thinking, creativity, and cognitive abilities in players of all ages. By engaging in challenging gameplay, navigating complex puzzles, and making strategic decisions, players can improve their problem-solving skills in a fun and interactive way. Educational video games further promote cognitive development and provide a valuable tool for learning through play.

As an inclusive consultant and advocate for children of all abilities, I believe that video games can be a valuable resource for promoting cognitive development and enhancing problem-solving skills in children with special needs. By incorporating video games that cater to diverse learning styles and abilities, we can create an inclusive and engaging learning environment for all children.

For more interactive and educational toys, be sure to check out Toysocity’s Summer Shop . Additionally, if you’re interested in exploring the world of remote-controlled toys, be sure to read this fascinating article on remote-controlled toys, hobby, and technology .

Remember, play is a powerful tool for learning, and video games can play a significant role in enhancing problem-solving skills and cognitive development in children. Let’s embrace the positive impact of video games and leverage their potential to promote critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration in players of all ages.

For more insights into educational toys and learning through play, check out this article on educational toys for toddlers . And if you’re interested in immersive experiences and virtual reality gaming, be sure to explore this article on exploring the world of virtual reality gaming .

References:

• The rise of collectible card games
• The impact of video games on mental health

Disclaimer: Affiliate links may appear in this post. However, the blog’s commitment to unbiased content remains strong.

Written by Simmons Victoria

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The Power of Play: How Video Games Enhance Problem-Solving Skills in Students

Photo by Gustavo Fring

In today’s digital age , video games have become a popular form of entertainment for people of all ages. However, some parents have expressed concerns regarding the potential negative effects that gaming may have on their children. While excessive gaming can indeed lead to problems like addiction and social isolation, research indicates that video games can also have beneficial impacts, particularly in improving problem-solving skills among students.

Today, we’ll delve into the often-overlooked advantages of gaming and explore how it can be utilized as an educational tool to promote cognitive growth.

Video Games Enhance Problem-Solving Skills

Video games have been the subject of extensive research , and numerous studies have shown that they can enhance problem-solving skills in individuals. One way video games achieve this is through the complex and challenging gameplay mechanics they offer. Many games require players to solve intricate puzzles, overcome obstacles, and strategize their moves. This constant engagement with problem-solving scenarios develops cognitive skills such as critical thinking, logical reasoning, and analytical abilities. 

Photo by Kowalievska

Moreover, video games often present players with open-ended scenarios that allow for multiple solutions. This encourages players to think creatively and develop alternative strategies to overcome challenges. As players explore different approaches and adapt to changing circumstances within the game, they learn to think outside the box and develop problem-solving skills that can be applied to real-life situations.

Another aspect of video games that contributes to problem-solving skills enhancement is the immediate feedback they provide. Games often give players immediate feedback on their actions, allowing them to assess the consequences of their decisions quickly. This feedback loop helps players understand cause-and-effect relationships, learn from their mistakes, and adjust their problem-solving strategies accordingly. 

Furthermore, multiplayer and cooperative games promote teamwork and collaboration, fostering problem-solving skills in a social context. Players must communicate, coordinate their actions, and solve problems together, which enhances their ability to work effectively as part of a team and find innovative solutions collectively.

Overall, studies have consistently shown that video games can enhance problem-solving skills. Through their challenging gameplay mechanics, open-ended scenarios, immediate feedback, and opportunities for teamwork, video games provide a stimulating and interactive environment that promotes the development of critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.

To learn more about STEAM Ahead visit us at https://www.westeamahead.org/

Not Just Fun: New Study Indicates Video Games Can Improve Career Prospects

In an effort to understand the relationship between online gaming behavior and career interests, researchers from Surrey collaborated with Game Academy Ltd. to study the gaming habits of 16,033 participants. The research aimed to explore how the hobby could aid in future career planning and professional training for video game players. Prior to this study, little was known about how people’s gaming choices related to their career aspirations.

The study participants utilized Steam, a digital distribution service and storefront for video games, and played various games on the platform. Researchers examined the 800 games that were played the most and only included participants for whom they had information on gender and occupation.

Researchers discovered that IT professionals and engineers played puzzle-platform games, which possibly enhance their spatial skills. People in managerial roles showed an interest in action roleplay games where organizational and planning skills are involved and engineering professionals were associated with strategy games which often require problem-solving and spatial skills. There were apparent gender differences too – females preferred playing single-player games, whereas males preferred playing shooting games.

Dr. Anna-Stiina Wallinheimo, lead author of the study, Cognitive Psychologist, and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Surrey’s Centre for Translation Studies (CTS) said: “In recruitment processes, the best candidates may be missed because organizations do not consider the soft skills that have been gained through non-work activities (for example, online gaming). As a result of our research, we believe applicants’ online gaming experiences should be highlighted because these acquired soft skills can really help to develop their all-around strengths for the job at hand.”

Dr. Anesa Hosein, co-author of the study and Associate Professor in Higher Education at the University of Surrey said: “By understanding to what extent career interests are reflected in game playing, we may be able to demonstrate more clearly how these align with career interests and encourage employers to understand the value of the soft skills associated with gaming. Our research could also inspire game developers to work on honing these soft skills more closely in their design. Furthermore, places of learning, such as universities, could allow students to reflect and incorporate gaming as part of their career development and consider how gaming can be included in the curriculum to enhance alignment between students’ learning, career aspirations, and extra-curricular gaming interests.”

Reference: “How Online Gaming Could Enhance Your Career Prospects” by Anna-Stiina Wallinheimo, Anesa Hosein, David Barrie, Andrey Chernyavskiy, Irina Agafonova and Peter Williams, 11 November 2022, SIMULATION . DOI: 10.1177/10468781221137361

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As a Software Engineer I prefer playing action rpgs and shooters.

Games are my relaxation time and doing hardcore strategy and rpg games require too many of the same skills I use all day. Games like these feel more like “work” than fun to me.

Have there been games developed for helping addicts achieve an interest as they are entering treatment?

Everyone can not only play games but also earn money. At the heart of casino gaming lies the promise of lucrative rewards. Whether it’s the spin of a roulette wheel, the draw of a poker hand, or the roll of the dice, skilled players can harness strategy and knowledge to tip the odds in their favor. With careful planning and a bit of luck, substantial winnings await those who dare to play. Moreover, the advent of online casinos satta matka has revolutionized the landscape, opening up even more avenues for earning. From the comfort of one’s own home, players can access a plethora of games, each offering its own unique opportunities for profit. Whether it’s slots, blackjack, or baccarat, the online realm is ripe with possibilities for those with the skill and determination to succeed.

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How video games help solve real-world problems faster

How video games help solve real-world problems faster.

Updated July 4, 2024 by David Brooke

You might be an occasional gamer, breaking out the PlayStation, Xbox, or PC when you need to give your brain a break. But did you know that video games help solve real-world problems faster?

As the famous game developer and researcher Jane McGonigal noted in her TED Talk, gamers are out-of-the-box problem solvers. Gamers spend roughly 80% of their time failing while playing video games, and this constant failure fosters resilience and innovative problem-solving skills. The more they fail, the harder they try to correct their failures and complete the task (or mission).

The Potential of Gamers

Game developers such as McGonigal see amazing potential in gamers. With their improved skills and desire to think and solve serious problems, gamers could be a significant asset to humanity.

Benefits of Video Games

Cognitive and social skills.

Video games, including violent shooter games, can boost learning, health, and social skills. According to the American Psychological Association, playing video games can enhance cognitive functions such as spatial navigation, reasoning, memory, and perception.

Improving Quality of Life

Research from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development found that playing video games can increase grey matter in the brain, which is associated with muscle control, sensory perception, memory, and decision-making. This improvement in brain structure can enhance the quality of life for individuals with disabilities or mental illnesses.

Problem-Solving Skills

Learning from mistakes.

In video games, mistakes are immediately evident, allowing players to quickly learn and adapt. This skill translates well to real-world scenarios where learning from errors is crucial.

Deep Practice

Gamers often engage in “deep practice,” repeatedly performing tasks until they succeed. This perseverance and practice are essential for mastering complex real-world problems.

Creative Solutions

Video games encourage players to try different strategies to solve problems, fostering creativity and flexibility. This trial-and-error approach is beneficial in real-world problem-solving where multiple solutions might need to be tested. What also is needing creative solutions is hacking, feel free to read more about that in our article about that as well.

Recognizing When to Pivot

Gamers learn to recognize when a particular strategy isn’t working and when it’s time to try something new. This adaptability is invaluable in dynamic and unpredictable real-world situations.

Enhancing Hand-Eye Coordination

Studies, such as those conducted by the University of Toronto, have shown that gamers perform better in sensorimotor tasks, which involve hand-eye coordination. Games like “Call of Duty” or “Assassin's Creed” can enhance these skills, making video games a potential treatment for improving hand-eye coordination in various populations.

Increased Focus and Cognitive Function

A study in 2014 indicated that playing video games can increase the cortical thickness in the brain, particularly in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for higher-order thinking, such as decision-making and problem-solving.

Benefits for Children

Contrary to the belief that gaming is purely addictive, it has numerous benefits for children, including improved coordination, problem-solving skills, attention and concentration, brain speed, and multitasking abilities. Games require players to make split-second decisions, enhancing their ability to think quickly and efficiently.

Real-World Applications

Educational and training tools.

Games are being used to solve real-world problems, such as in educational settings where they enhance learning and engagement. The InGAME project in Dundee, for example, uses video game design to address issues ranging from obesity to animal health on dairy farms.

Collaborative Problem-Solving

Games like Foldit have shown that collaborative gaming can lead to significant scientific discoveries. Players solved the structure of an enzyme involved in an AIDS-like disease in just three weeks, demonstrating the power of collective problem-solving through gaming.

Video games are more than just entertainment; they are powerful tools for developing skills that can solve real-world problems. From enhancing cognitive and social abilities to improving quality of life and facilitating innovative solutions, gaming holds vast potential for contributing to society in meaningful ways.

For further reading, explore these sources:

• Northrop Grumman's article on gaming technology solving real-world problems
• UKRI's insights on videogame design innovations
• Tap-Repeatedly's discussion on meaningful play

David Brooke has been working with writing challenged clients for over four years. He provides ghost writing, coaching and ghost editing services. His educational background in family science and journalism has given him a broad base from which to approach many topics.

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Well-designed video games can enhance problem-solving skills and make learning more effective.

• May 29, 2013
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The tragic December deaths of 20 first-graders and six school staff members in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, along with the Boston Marathon tragedy and other recent attacks, have brought the decades-old debate over the behavioral effects of video games back onto legislative floors throughout the nation. Citing the fact that gunman Adam Lanza, 20, played violent video games, members of the U.S. Congressional Gun Violence Prevention Task Force detailed their plans to address “our culture’s glorification of violence” through media, and commentary stemming from reports like Katie Couric’s May 2013 video game violence exposé has highlighted the need for greater clarification of how we should read and interpret video game research.

Clearly, it’s a complex and emotional issue further complicated by discussions that focus almost exclusively on the negative effects of gaming. The reality, however, is that there’s little research outlining whether or not violent video games beget actual violence: many existing studies, like one described in a recent edition of the UConn Today , focus on aggression without explicitly acknowledging the complex relationship between cognition, transfer, and real world behavior. This has led to two major problems, the combination of which throws a wrench in the socially and politically-charged rhetoric surrounding violence: 1) the dismissal of other, more influential factors common to violent criminals—biological predisposition to mental health issues, instability at home and/or work, lack of positive role models, having no one to confide in, access to weapons, and in-the-moment opportunity versus need; and 2) neglect for how learning in all types of games—violent or not—actually happens.

While the first problem may better fit sociologists and psychologists who have direct experience with individuals who commit violent crimes, the second is something that we as teachers, administrators, and researchers can tackle head on. There’s general consensus in the educational psychology community that the nature of environment-learner-content interactions is vital to our understanding of how people perceive and act. As a result, we can’t make broad assumptions about games as a vehicle for violent behavior without attending to how environment-learner-content interactions influence transfer—the way learning and action in one context affects learning and action in a related context.

It might help to think of transfer in terms of what we hope students will do with the information they learn in our classes. For example, you might teach geometric principles in your math class thinking that those techniques will help your students craft a birdhouse in shop. However, one of the most well-cited studies of the subject (Gick & Holyoak, 1980) showed that only one-fifth of college students were able to apply a particular problem solving strategy—using ‘divide-and-conquer’ to capture a castle—in another, almost identical context less than 24 hours after exposure to the first. Even with explicit direct instruction explaining how the same strategy could be used to solve both problems, fewer than 50% of students were able to make the connection. Though links between situations might seem self-evident to us as teachers, they usually aren’t as obvious to our students as we think they should be.

This gives us reason to believe that, regardless of subject, students—or in the case of video games, players—are rarely able to take something they’ve used in one context and independently apply it in a totally different one. Put another way, even if violent gaming raises general aggression, increased aggression doesn’t automatically translate to real world violent behavior . Gamers might use more curse words while playing Call of Duty , but they won’t learn to steal a car solely by playing Grand Theft Auto —there needs to be a mediating instructor who can provide well-guided bridging between the game and reality, especially for in-game activities that aren’t isomorphic with real world action (i.e., firing a gun).

This relationship between environment-learner-content interaction and transfer puts teachers in the unique position to capitalize on game engagement to promote reflection that positively shapes how students tackle real-world challenges. To some, this may seem like a shocking concept, but it’s definitely not a new one—roleplay as instruction, for example, was very popular among the ancient Greeks and, in many ways, served as the backbone for Plato’s renowned Allegory of the Cave . The same is true of Shakespeare’s works, 18th and 19th century opera, and many of the novels, movies, and other media that define our culture. More recently, NASA has applied game-like simulations to teach astronauts how to maneuver through space, medical schools have used them to teach robotic surgery, and the Federal Aviation Administration has employed them to test pilots.

To be clear, this is not a call for K12 educators to drop everything and immediately incorporate violent games like Doom or Mortal Kombat into their classrooms. Instead, it’s a call to consider how we can take advantage of game affordances (including those of violent games) to extend beyond predictable multiple-choice materials that leave students wishing they could pull out their smartphones. It’s a call for legislators to give greater consideration to the role of transfer before passing sweeping bans on violent video game play. It’s a call for all of us to use games as a vehicle to talk about racial, social, gender, and other inequities that are very much a part of the world we live in.

It’s a bold idea that can feel scary, but the potential benefits are beyond exciting. Research generated by people like Kurt Squire, Sasha Barab, and James Paul Gee suggests that interactive games can be used to teach children about history, increase vocabulary, challenge them to set and achieve goals, and enhance their ability to work in teams. They expose students to culturally diverse casts of characters in addition to providing instant feedback about goal-oriented progress. Most importantly, perhaps, they can be powerfully engaging, giving students a reason to pursue learning beyond the classroom.

To maintain a positive trajectory, teachers looking to make the most of the instructional affordances of video games should keep an eye out for games they feel comfortable playing alongside and discussing with their students, take advantage of opportunities to participate in university game-based learning research studies, and remain open to modifying their instructional approaches. Parents should connect with teachers for up-to-date research coming from organizations like Games+Learning+Society and have their children reflect on material they’ve been exposed to during play—for example, social and cultural stereotypes, gender roles, and ways of thinking presented in each game. Legislators should consult university researchers in both communications and educational psychology to get a wider perspective on how play and learning merge to generate behavior in the real world.

Our collective understanding of game-based learning is evolving at lightning speed, and we need to dispel false information that ignores how games actually affect player thinking and action. More work, involving teachers, administrators, researchers, designers, parents, and politicians, is needed. The next step is to enhance our collaboration by working to create multi-disciplinary games that incorporate not just academic content but educational practices that lead to broader critical thinking and problem solving. Though far from complete, our combined effort has the potential to move beyond the swamp of video game violence and excite kids about school before they say “game over.”

Stephen Slota is doctoral candidate in educational psychology at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education as well as an unashamed gamer. An educational technology specialist and  former urban high school teacher, he has a bachelor’s in molecular and cellular biology and Master’s in curriculum and instruction. His research interests include the situated cognition underlying play, the effects of gaming on student achievement, and prosocial learning through massively multiplayer online role-playing games ( MMORPGs).

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accredits the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. Read more about CAEP Accreditation, including the programs covered and the accountability measures .

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Video game play may provide learning, health, social benefits, review finds

February 2014, Vol 45, No. 2

Print version: page 10

• Learning and Memory
• Physical Abuse and Violence

Playing video games, including violent shooter games, may boost children's learning, health and social skills, according to a review of research in American Psychologist .

The study comes out as debate continues among psychologists and other health professionals regarding the effects of violent media on youth. An APA task force is conducting a comprehensive review of research on violence in video games and interactive media and will release its findings later this year.

"Important research has already been conducted for decades on the negative effects of gaming, including addiction, depression and aggression, and we are certainly not suggesting that this should be ignored," says Isabela Granic, PhD, of Radboud University Nijmegen in The Netherlands, lead author of the article. "However, to understand the impact of video games on children's and adolescents' development, a more balanced perspective is needed."

While one widely held view maintains that playing video games is intellectually lazy, such play actually may strengthen a range of cognitive skills such as spatial navigation, reasoning, memory and perception, according to several studies reviewed in the article. This is particularly true for shooter video games, which are often violent, the authors found. A 2013 meta-analysis found that playing shooter video games improved a player's capacity to think about objects in three dimensions just as well as academic courses designed to enhance these same skills, according to the study.

"This has critical implications for education and career development, as previous research has established the power of spatial skills for achievement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics," Granic says.

This enhanced thinking was not found when playing other types of video games, such as puzzles or role-playing games.

Playing video games may also help children develop problem-solving skills, the authors said. The more adolescents reported playing strategic video games, such as role-playing games, the more they improved in problem solving and school grades the following year, according to a long-term study published in 2013. Children's creativity was also enhanced by playing any kind of video game, including violent games, but not when the children used other forms of technology, such as a computer or cell phone, other research revealed.

Simple games that are easy to access and can be played quickly, such as "Angry Birds," can improve players' moods, promote relaxation and ward off anxiety, the study said. "If playing video games simply makes people happier, this seems to be a fundamental emotional benefit to consider," said Granic. The authors also highlighted the possibility that video games are effective tools for learning resilience in the face of failure. By learning to cope with ongoing failures in games, the authors suggest that children build emotional resilience they can rely upon in their everyday lives.

Another stereotype the research challenges is the socially isolated gamer. More than 70 percent of gamers play with a friend, and millions of people worldwide participate in massive virtual worlds through video games such as "Farmville" and "World of Warcraft," the article noted. Multiplayer games become virtual social communities, where decisions need to be made quickly about whom to trust or reject and how to lead a group, the authors said. People who play video games, even if they are violent, that encourage cooperation are more likely to be helpful to others while gaming than those who play the same games competitively, a 2011 study found.

— Lisa Bowen

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Video games encourage the development of problem-solving skills

Video games today have ceased to be simple hobbies and have become powerful tools that can help people develop cognitive skills and solve problems effectively. This evolution is due to the complexity and diversity of the challenges presented in modern video games.

First, video games encourage problem solving by requiring players to find creative solutions to overcome obstacles within the game. Whether facing puzzles, combat strategies, or logic challenges, players must think quickly and make informed decisions to advance through the game.

Additionally, many video games foster strategic thinking and long-term planning, as players must consider the consequences of their actions and make decisions that will affect the outcome of the game. These skills transfer effectively to real-life situations, where effective decision making is crucial.

Video games encourage the development of problem-solving skills. We’ll explore how video games can be a valuable tool in improving our problem-solving skills, how this translates into tangible benefits in everyday life, and what video games Kidmons offers to foster these skills.

The importance of encouraging problem solving

Problem-solving skills are essential in childhood, and playing has an important role in their development. Through games, such as puzzles, construction games, and role-playing, children learn to identify challenges, analyze options, and find solutions. These experiences not only foster creativity and decision making, but also promote persistence and self-confidence in problem solving. These skills are essential for meeting academic and social challenges as children grow. In addition, playing games creates a safe environment to make mistakes and learn from them, which contributes to comprehensive development and greater adaptability in adult life.

Video games encourage the development of problem-solving skills in children in several ways:

They stimulate critical thinking: Many video games require children to analyze complex situations and make informed decisions to advance in the game. This promotes the ability to evaluate different options and their consequences.

Develop creativity: When faced with in-game challenges, children often must come up with creative solutions. This stimulates their creativity and teaches them to expand their perspectives.

Develop planning skills: Strategy, construction and simulation games require children to plan their actions in the short and long term. This helps them understand the importance of planning in problem solving.

Encourage persistence: In video games, children often face difficult obstacles. Persistence is key to overcoming these challenges, which teaches them not to give up in the face of real problems.

Improve decision making: Games often p resent ethical and moral dilemmas that require children to make difficult decisions . This helps them develop ethical and rational decision-making skills.

In summary, well-selected and supervised video games can be effective tools for improving problem-solving skills in children, as long as they are used in moderation and in conjunction with other educational and social activities.

Types of video games that encourage problem-solving skills

There are several types of video games that can be especially effective in improving children’s problem-solving skills. These include:

Puzzles and logic games: Games like chess, Sudoku, Tetris or puzzle games in general require children to analyze patterns, find solutions and plan strategies . At Kidmons we offer games like Puzzle for Kids: Safari or Simon Memorize that are, in addition to being fun, educational.

Adventure and exploration games: Titles like “The Legend of Zelda” or “Minecraft” encourage problem solving as children must discover routes, invent solutions to survive, and complete missions. Try Labyrinth Adventures at Kidmons!

Building games: Games like “LEGO Worlds” allow children to design and build their own worlds, stimulating creativity and problem solving related to engineering and design.

Real-time strategy (RTS) games: Require strategic planning, resource management and quick decision making, which improves problem-solving skills and long-term planning.

Mystery-solving games: Games like “Professor Layton” or “Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney” require children to investigate and solve cases, which improves their deductive and problem-solving skills.

Physics games: Games like the famous “Angry Birds” challenge children to understand physics and mechanics concepts to overcome obstacles.

Simulation games: Games like “SimCity” challenge children to manage resources and make decisions to build and maintain a city, which encourages management and problem-solving skills.

Role-playing games (RPG): Video games encourage the development of problem-solving skills in role-playing games as well. Children must make decisions that affect the plot and its characters, which develops decision-making and critical thinking skills.

A simple game offered by Kidmons is Kitten Carer , where the child must take on the role of pet caretaker. This game offers benefits by allowing children to take on the role of a virtual pet sitter. It encourages empathy, responsibility, and organization as you care for and feed the virtual kitten . It also teaches the importance of animal care and develops decision-making skills when facing care situations.

When choosing video games for children, it is important to find a balance between entertainment and learning, and monitor their screen time to ensure healthy and balanced development.

In short, video games encourage the development of problem-solving skills. The problem-solving skills acquired through play in childhood are essential for the comprehensive development of children. These skills not only help them overcome academic and social challenges as they grow, but also give them valuable tools to deal with real-life situations effectively. Play encourages creativity, critical thinking, decision making, and persistence, critical skills that last a lifetime. By providing a safe environment to practice problem-solving, play prepares children for a more resilient and successful future.

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Video games offer a deep learning experience

A well recognised benefit of video games is no doubt the cognitive development that games induce in their players. Games offer a deep learning experience and train exactly the skills employers are looking for . The opportunities to develop games that are specifically training these skills are endless!

Playing video games is often perceived as a lazy form of entertainment and concerned parents often want their children to be playing outside instead of playing so-called addictive games. Video games actually promote a wide range of cognitive skills. If we can identify which games are best at developing these skills, then we can use these in the overall cognitive  development and education of our children and young people.

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Monday, October 24, 2022

Video gaming may be associated with better cognitive performance in children

Additional research necessary to parse potential benefits and harms of video games on the developing brain.

On Monday, April 10, 2023, a Notice of Retraction and Replacement published for the article featured below . The key findings remain the same. The press release has been updated, in line with the retracted and replacement article, to clarify that attention problems, depression symptoms, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) scores were significantly higher among children who played three hours per day or more compared to children who had never played video games.

A study of nearly 2,000 children found that those who reported playing video games for three hours per day or more performed better on cognitive skills tests involving impulse control and working memory compared to children who had never played video games. Published today in JAMA Network Open , this study analyzed data from the ongoing  Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study , which is supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and other entities of the National Institutes of Health.

“This study adds to our growing understanding of the associations between playing video games and brain development,” said NIDA Director Nora Volkow, M.D. “Numerous studies have linked video gaming to behavior and mental health problems. This study suggests that there may also be cognitive benefits associated with this popular pastime, which are worthy of further investigation.”

Although a number of studies have investigated the relationship between video gaming and cognitive behavior, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the associations are not well understood. Only a handful of neuroimaging studies have addressed this topic, and the sample sizes for those studies have been small, with fewer than 80 participants.

To address this research gap, scientists at the University of Vermont, Burlington, analyzed data obtained when children entered the ABCD Study at ages 9 and 10 years old. The research team examined survey, cognitive, and brain imaging data from nearly 2,000 participants from within the bigger study cohort. They separated these children into two groups, those who reported playing no video games at all and those who reported playing video games for three hours per day or more. This threshold was selected as it exceeds the American Academy of Pediatrics screen time guidelines , which recommend that videogaming time be limited to one to two hours per day for older children. For each group, the investigators evaluated the children’s performance on two tasks that reflected their ability to control impulsive behavior and to memorize information, as well as the children’s brain activity while performing the tasks.

The researchers found that the children who reported playing video games for three or more hours per day were faster and more accurate on both cognitive tasks than those who never played. They also observed that the differences in cognitive function observed between the two groups was accompanied by differences in brain activity. Functional MRI brain imaging analyses found that children who played video games for three or more hours per day showed higher brain activity in regions of the brain associated with attention and memory than did those who never played. At the same time, those children who played at least three hours of videogames per day showed more brain activity in frontal brain regions that are associated with more cognitively demanding tasks and less brain activity in brain regions related to vision.  

The researchers think these patterns may stem from practicing tasks related to impulse control and memory while playing videogames, which can be cognitively demanding, and that these changes may lead to improved performance on related tasks. Furthermore, the comparatively low activity in visual areas among children who reported playing video games may reflect that this area of the brain may become more efficient at visual processing as a result of repeated practice through video games.

While prior studies have reported associations between video gaming and increases in violence and aggressive behavior, this study did not find that to be the case. Though children who reported playing video games for three or more hours per day scored higher on measures of attention problems, depression symptoms, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared to children who played no video games, the researchers found that these mental health and behavioral scores did not reach clinical significance in either group, meaning, they did not meet the thresholds for risk of problem behaviors or clinical symptoms. The authors note that these will be important measures to continue to track and understand as the children mature.

Further, the researchers stress that this cross-sectional study does not allow for cause-and-effect analyses, and that it could be that children who are good at these types of cognitive tasks may choose to play video games. The authors also emphasize that their findings do not mean that children should spend unlimited time on their computers, mobile phones, or TVs, and that the outcomes likely depend largely on the specific activities children engage in. For instance, they hypothesize that the specific genre of video games, such as action-adventure, puzzle solving, sports, or shooting games, may have different effects for neurocognitive development, and this level of specificity on the type of video game played was not assessed by the study.

“While we cannot say whether playing video games regularly caused superior neurocognitive performance, it is an encouraging finding, and one that we must continue to investigate in these children as they transition into adolescence and young adulthood,” said Bader Chaarani, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont and the lead author on the study. “Many parents today are concerned about the effects of video games on their children’s health and development, and as these games continue to proliferate among young people, it is crucial that we better understand both the positive and negative impact that such games may have.”

Through the ABCD Study, researchers will be able to conduct similar analyses for the same children over time into early adulthood, to see if changes in video gaming behavior are linked to changes in cognitive skills, brain activity, behavior, and mental health. The longitudinal study design and comprehensive data set will also enable them to better account for various other factors in the children’s families and environment that may influence their cognitive and behavioral development, such as exercise, sleep quality, and other influences.

The ABCD Study, the largest of its kind in the United States, is tracking nearly 12,000 youth as they grow into young adults. Investigators regularly measure participants’ brain structure and activity using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and collect psychological, environmental, and cognitive information, as well as biological samples. The goal of the study is to understand the factors that influence brain, cognitive, and social-emotional development, to inform the development of interventions to enhance a young person’s life trajectory.

The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study and ABCD Study are registered service marks and trademarks, respectively, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

About the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): NIDA is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to inform policy, improve practice, and advance addiction science. For more information about NIDA and its programs, visit www.nida.nih.gov .

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov .

NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health ®

  B Chaarani, et al.  Association of video gaming with cognitive performance among children .  JAMA Open Network.  DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.35721 (2022).

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Play These 6 Video Games to Help Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills

Jane McGonigal , a world-renowned designer of alternate reality games who has a PhD in performance studies, wants to change people's conception of video games as "just escapist, guilty pleasures".

"My number one goal in life is to see a game designer nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize," McGonigal writes on her website . She tells Business Insider she wants people to realise that games can be "powerful tools to improve our attention, our mood, our cognitive strengths, and our relationships." And research is on her side. 

Studies suggest that mainstream games like Call of Duty may improve our cognitive abilities significantly more than games specifically designed to do so by designers like Luminosity.

To help spread the truth about common misconceptions, seven neuroscientists from around the world signed the document A Consensus on the Brain Training Industry from the Scientific Community in 2014 to say they "object to the claim" that brain teaser games can improve cognitive abilities, as no scientific evidence has been able to confirm such a claim. 

Even better for gamers, research from North Carolina State University and Florida State University suggests that mainstream games geared toward entertainment can help improve attention, spatial orientation, and problem solving abilities.

In her book, Super Better, McGonigal writes that the researchers she talked to about this seeming contradiction offered a simple explanation: "Traditional video games are more complex and harder to master, and they require that the player learn a wider and more challenging range of skills and abilities."

If you want to have fun and stimulate your mind, McGonigal recommends playing one of these six games three times a week for about 20 minutes. 

McGonigal says playing fast-paced games like Call of Duty, a first-person shooter game, can help improve visual attention and spatial intelligence skills, which can lead to better performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Another fast-paced game, Forza , a car racing game, may help improve your ability to make accurate decisions under pressure.

Taking on the role of a criminal in a big city in Grand Theft Auto may help train you to process information faster and keep track of more information - up to three times the amount as non-gamers, some studies suggest - in high stress situations.

Strategic games like StarCraft, a military science fiction game, can also improve the ability to solve imaginary and real-life problems, possibly because they teach users to both formulate and execute strategic plans.

Games that require strategic thinking, like science fiction third-person shooter game, Mass Effect , also test and refine your information-gathering skills.

Lastly, 'thinking games' like Final Fantasy , a fantasy role-playing game, can help train you to evaluate your options faster and more accurately.

This article was originally published by  Business Insider .

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How does video games improve problem-solving skills?

Video games improve problem-solving skills by providing opportunities for players to solve increasingly complicated problems and make strategic decisions. The time pressure in many games also helps develop speed and decision-making skills. Studies have shown that playing video games can also increase creativity in young people.

How video games help with problem-solving skills?

Video games improve problem-solving skills because they allow players to try out different solutions to figure out what works. This trial-and-error approach helps develop critical thinking and analytical skills.

How do video games improve your decision-making skills?

Playing video games can enhance critical thinking, decision-making, spatial reasoning, and problem-solving skills. Gaming requires the brain to process large amounts of information, react quickly, and make strategic decisions, which can translate to real-world skills.

How do video games help you develop skills?

Video games have been shown to improve powers of concentration, creativity, memory, language, and teamwork. They can make it easier to learn educational content and develop cognitive skills.

How can problem-solving skills be improved?

• Identity and understand the right problem.
• Research the systems and practices behind the problem.
• Visualize the problem.
• Brainstorm creative solutions.
• Identify the best answer.

10 Secret Reasons Why Playing Video Games Is Good For Your Brain

There is no specific content available for this question.

What are problem-solving games?

Problem-solving games are activities that require players to use critical thinking skills to solve puzzles. Examples include escape rooms, Sudoku, and murder mysteries. These exercises can sharpen reasoning and decision-making skills in group settings and promote team building.

What is the best skill for problem-solving?

• Communication
• Emotional intelligence
• Adaptability

What skills do gaming improve?

• Risk-Taking
• Patience and Perseverance
• Problem-Solving
• Strategizing
• Concentration
• Social Skills
• Critical Thinking

Do video games improve strategy and leadership?

Gamification can be an excellent strategy for improving leadership skills. Playing existing games or creating a gamified experience for prospective leaders can help them learn better and develop strategic thinking and leadership abilities.

How can video games improve social skills?

Video games can act as an important teaching tool in developing social skills. They can help develop cooperation and teamwork as players have the option to work together to form alliances and create teams working cooperatively.

Do video games improve thinking skills?

A recent study shows video games can help teens learn cognitive skills, multi-tasking, and problem-solving. Gaming can improve mental skills such as problem solving, logical thinking, and pattern recognition.

Can video games improve critical thinking?

Video games can boost cognitive abilities needed for critical thinking. They can stimulate the brain and help develop skills in examining information rationally and making logical judgments based on analysis.

Do video games help with strategic thinking?

Playing certain well-designed video games can improve strategic thinking and make the brain more agile. They can enhance proficiency at skills such as task switching and multitasking.

How video games can help to improve problem-solving and creativity?

Video games encourage problem solving by requiring players to find creative solutions to overcome obstacles within the game. They also develop critical thinking and analytical skills through trial and error methods.

How do video games help kids problem solve?

Playing video games can improve kids’ problem-solving skills by requiring them to solve puzzles, overcome obstacles, and make decisions that affect the game’s outcome. This helps develop critical thinking and analytical abilities.

Can computer games improve problem-solving skills?

Computer games can improve problem-solving skills by requiring players to process and manipulate information in different ways. Games like puzzle games can develop logical thinking and pattern recognition, while adventure games can enhance imagination and storytelling skills.

How does video games improve multitasking?

Playing video games can improve multitasking skills by training the brain to switch between tasks quickly and efficiently. Gamers often have quicker reaction times and can switch from task to task faster than non-gamers.

Does games improve productivity?

When developed with a purpose, games can create a better work environment, increase employee satisfaction, and boost productivity. They can enhance skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and teamwork.

Will video games make us smarter?

Playing certain video games can enhance cognitive abilities and improve skills like multitasking and problem-solving. However, not all video games are designed to improve cognitive abilities.

Does gaming improve knowledge?

Playing video games can enhance knowledge and skills such as literacy, creativity, communication, and spatial reasoning. Well-designed games can provide opportunities for learning and intellectual growth.

Can video games improve communication?

Playing video games can boost universally desired skills such as literacy, creativity, and communication. Video games provide opportunities for players to develop skills in communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.

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Watching game shows like 'Jeopardy!' and 'Wheel of Fortune' can boost cognitive health, say experts

Ken Jennings is shown hosting "Jeopardy!" He took over in Dec. 2023 as permanent main host. He holds the record for the longest winning streak on "Jeopardy!" with 74 consecutive wins. (Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images)

After summer reruns, game shows will be airing fresh episodes of your favorites this month. 

Whether it’s watching participants "come on down" on "The Price Is Right," solving word puzzles on "Wheel of Fortune" with new show host Ryan Seacrest, or proving your trivia smarts against friends and family on "Jeopardy!" — the benefits you’re reaping can go beyond entertainment. 

Game shows can boost your problem-solving skills , improve memory and strengthen your mind, according to experts.  

THRIVING WITH ANXIETY: EXPERT TIPS ON EMBRACING THE MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION

Here’s more about why watching game shows is truly more than just fun and games .

How do game shows boost mind health?

You may not realize it, but when you interact with the game shows you’re watching, your mind is actually processing information and working. 

"Game shows have a number of cognitively stimulating features that could provide cognitive benefits," said Glen R. Finney, M.D., FAAN, a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.

He is also director of the Memory and Cognition Program with Geisinger Health in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. 

7 HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHANGES THAT COULD HELP REDUCE RISK OF DEPRESSION, SAYS STUDY: ‘ENORMOUS BENEFITS’

He noted that game shows often require contestants and those playing along at home to pay close attention, to quickly process information provided for the game, and to either problem-solve or recall knowledge, or both, to answer the game show task. 

"This engages numerous networks in the brain in an engaging and enjoyable way, which also enhances learning," added Finney.  

"We know that engaging in regular cognitive activities like this that challenge you can boost mental acuity."

Can game shows boost memory acuity? 

Watching game shows may help access previous information you’ve previously learned, in the case of shows like "Jeopardy!" 

" As we age , we actually tend to hold onto the long-term semantic memory or memory for general knowledge that we previously learned," said Ashley Curtis, PhD, assistant professor and director of the Cognition, Aging, Sleep and Health Lab at the College of Nursing at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. 

"What we start to lose as we age is the ability to access this information quickly," she said.

"What game shows like ‘Jeopardy!’ can do is to train and improve the ability to access this stored memory information more quickly, which could prove beneficial in everyday life, particularly for older adults."

How can game shows help overall mood?

There’s also some evidence showing that playing along with these types of game shows can improve cognitive and social engagement, which is known to be associated with better overall mental health , said Curtis.

You can watch with friends and family , or can connect via a webchat while playing. 

And, if you live in a place where others reside, such as a residential facility for older adults, shared interactions can also prove beneficial to your cognitive health. 

"Yes, the virtual and potentially in-person shared social interactions and engagement that occur while playing along with these types of game shows have been associated with better psychological well-being ," Curtis told Fox News Digital. 

What about intergenerational benefits? 

If you’re a grandparent who plays game shows with your grandchildren, or a family who watches game shows together, Curtis noted that "there is some emerging evidence showing that intergenerational engagement, which could potentially be achieved through shared TV game play, may lead to several important benefits for both older and younger individuals."

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This includes, said Curtis, "reductions in anxiety and general loneliness, increased self-esteem and even increased physical activity levels ."

Although she noted there’s limited research regarding the cognitive benefits of these intergenerational interactions, she said that "some emerging evidence suggests this activity can also provide some improvement to more complex cognitive functions."

"More rigorous research needs to be conducted in this area to conclusively determine the range of these benefits," she said. 

What can you do to augment your game-show interest? 

If you see a topic on "Jeopardy!" that interests you — such as American literature — or are intrigued by a trip to Italy in the "Showcase Showdown" on "The Price Is Right," consider diving deeper into that subject or destination. 

Find a classic book to read, research Italian recipes — or learn about the culture in new places.

"Research shows that active, rather than passive, mental activity is most beneficial for our overall health," Curtis told Fox News Digital. 

"So, keeping both your brain and body active is beneficial to our mental and physical health as we age."  

And, if traveling to new places you see on TV game shows is within your budget, plan that, too.

"Although the research in this area is still inconclusive, there is some emerging evidence suggesting that in older adults (aged 65 and up), increased levels of leisure travel can promote better cognitive functioning and decrease the risk of developing dementia as well as depression," she also said.

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Watching game shows like ‘jeopardy’ and ‘wheel of fortune’ can boost cognitive health, say experts.

After summer reruns, game shows will be airing fresh episodes of your favorites this month. 

Whether it’s watching participants “come on down” on “The Price Is Right,” solving word puzzles on “Wheel of Fortune” with new show host Ryan Seacrest, or proving your trivia smarts against friends and family on “Jeopardy!” — the benefits you’re reaping can go beyond entertainment. 

Game shows can boost your problem-solving skills, improve memory and strengthen your mind, according to experts.  

Here’s more about why watching game shows is truly more than just fun and games.

How do game shows boost mind health?

You may not realize it, but when you interact with the game shows you’re watching, your mind is actually processing information and working. 

“Game shows have a number of cognitively stimulating features that could provide cognitive benefits,” said Glen R. Finney, M.D., FAAN, a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.

He is also director of the Memory and Cognition Program with Geisinger Health in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. 

He noted that game shows often require contestants and those playing along at home to pay close attention, to quickly process information provided for the game, and to either problem-solve or recall knowledge, or both, to answer the game show task. 

“This engages numerous networks in the brain in an engaging and enjoyable way, which also enhances learning,” added Finney.  

“We know that engaging in regular cognitive activities like this that challenge you can boost mental acuity.”

Can game shows boost memory acuity?

Watching game shows may help access previous information you’ve previously learned, in the case of shows like “Jeopardy!” 

“As we age, we actually tend to hold onto the long-term semantic memory or memory for general knowledge that we previously learned,” said Ashley Curtis, PhD, assistant professor and director of the Cognition, Aging, Sleep and Health Lab at the College of Nursing at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. 

“What we start to lose as we age is the ability to access this information quickly,” she said.

“What game shows like ‘Jeopardy!’ can do is to train and improve the ability to access this stored memory information more quickly, which could prove beneficial in everyday life, particularly for older adults.”

How can game shows help overall mood?

There’s also some evidence showing that playing along with these types of game shows can improve cognitive and social engagement, which is known to be associated with better overall mental health, said Curtis.

You can watch with friends and family, or can connect via a webchat while playing. 

And, if you live in a place where others reside, such as a residential facility for older adults, shared interactions can also prove beneficial to your cognitive health. 

“Yes, the virtual and potentially in-person shared social interactions and engagement that occur while playing along with these types of game shows have been associated with better psychological well-being,” Curtis told Fox News Digital.

What about intergenerational benefits?

If you’re a grandparent who plays game shows with your grandchildren, or a family who watches game shows together, Curtis noted that “there is some emerging evidence showing that intergenerational engagement, which could potentially be achieved through shared TV game play, may lead to several important benefits for both older and younger individuals.”

This includes, said Curtis, “reductions in anxiety and general loneliness, increased self-esteem and even increased physical activity levels.”

Although she noted there’s limited research regarding the cognitive benefits of these intergenerational interactions, she said that “some emerging evidence suggests this activity can also provide some improvement to more complex cognitive functions.”

“More rigorous research needs to be conducted in this area to conclusively determine the range of these benefits,” she said. 

What can you do to augment your game-show interest?

If you see a topic on “Jeopardy!” that interests you — such as American literature — or are intrigued by a trip to Italy in the “Showcase Showdown” on “The Price Is Right,” consider diving deeper into that subject or destination. 

Find a classic book to read, research Italian recipes — or learn about the culture in new places.

“Research shows that active, rather than passive, mental activity is most beneficial for our overall health,” Curtis told Fox News Digital. 

“So, keeping both your brain and body active is beneficial to our mental and physical health as we age.”  

And, if traveling to new places you see on TV game shows is within your budget, plan that, too.

“Although the research in this area is still inconclusive, there is some emerging evidence suggesting that in older adults (aged 65 and up), increased levels of leisure travel can promote better cognitive functioning and decrease the risk of developing dementia as well as depression,” she also said.

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