There is plenty of misinformation about the value of video games out there. Teachers worry that it affects attention span and parents worry that it is bad for eyesight. Here are 6 quick facts about gaming and the positives associated with moderately engaging in it.
Better Vision. People who play video games for 5-10 hours a week have better vision than those who don’t, specifically, they are able to extract small details from clutter and resolve different shades of grey.1
Attention Span. gamers resolve visual contradictions faster. Three parts of the brain that manage attention are more developed in gamers.1
Action games encourage tracking of multiple objects. Non-gamers are able to track about 3-4 objects in their visual field. Gamers average is closer to 6-7. 1
Multi-tasking. Gamers can switch back and forth more responsively from one task to another.1
Not all video games are created equally. Not surprisingly, action shooter games that involve zombie hunting are not activating the same areas of the brain as a puzzle game. These types of activities require very different perceptual resources.1
Video games have considerable training potential. A study at the University of Colorado Denver Business School concluded that companies that trained employees using video games found their employees picked up information faster and retained more.2
It’s not a coincidence that games about candy abound. Our brains, as it turns out, are wired to respond to the enticing sight of sweets. The reward centers of the brain are stimulated by sugar, similar to the feeling of accomplishing a task like completing a level on a video game.3
So to satisfy those two urges at once, there is Happy Jump, a platformer action game app enabled for Intel® Atom™ Processor-based Android* tablets, with juicy graphics and silly, sugar-coated characters. Created by Noodlecake Studios, this delicious activity is a playful, comedic all ages romp filled with colorful energy and precision strategy. Incorporating all the classic magical imagery like rainbows, ice cream, pudding, and cupcakes, Happy Jump has points to earn coins that players can use to buy boosts.
To add another ingredient to the mix, the Happy Jump game allows for multi-player interactivity so that the whole family can get in on the silly fun. Beautifully drawn graphics and fluid animation round out the sensory experience.
In moderation, gaming can be very beneficial to players of all ages.