Computer Games Brain Training: Pros And Cons

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2008-10-16 Word Count: 390 Category: Arts & Entertainment

Computer Games: Brain Training?

The Nintendo DS is one of the most popular handheld consoles with nearly eighty million units sold world-wide. When it was first released it was marketed towards younger gamers, this is evident in the fact that ‘Nintendogs’ is the best selling game on the console. However in the last couple of years there has been a boom in the sale of games such as ‘Brain Age’ or ‘Big Brain Academy’ which claim to boost your cognitive ability and improve your memory. Whilst these appeal to people of all ages, it is clear that Nintendo is trying to capture an older market; the forty and fifty-something’s who are worried that their brain isn’t quite as sharp as it used to be.

It is easy to be sceptical of such games; can a games console really sharpen your mind?
The puzzles in these games range from simple arithmetic tests to spot the difference or even Sudoku, all of which are designed to help keep certain parts of the brain active. The games are controlled entirely by voice and touch; all of the answers being inputted by writing on the touchscreen or speaking into the DS’s built-in microphone. The puzzles are quite fun and initially very entertaining, with more puzzles becoming available the more you ‘train.’ However, after prolonged periods of play they can become a bit tedious and lack variety.

Although they are innovative products and are very popular, the medical benefits are still unclear with Nintendo of America refusing to support any scientific claims to the benefits of the game. There have been reports that it helps you improve speed and efficiency when completing ordinary tasks however it is unlikely that there are any long term benefits. Much like the debate over whether doing a daily crossword or Sudoku puzzle does anything more than improve your ability to do crosswords and Sudoku puzzles.

The key to keeping your brain healthy is a variety of mental challenges, so unless Nintendo can keep reinventing the software and add a greater selection of games and puzzles it is very easy to lose interest. Is it really worth buying games like these when there is a huge selection of other Nintendo DS games available on the market which will keep you occupied for weeks?

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Roberto Rafael is author of article written on Nintendo DS Games & Nintendo DS Games. For more information, please visit :www.asda-entertainment.co.uk/asda/games/platforms/nintendo-ds.dept