Level Up Your Brain: Play Games, Get Smarter!
Okay, so here’s a thing. For like, what, the last thirty years? We’ve all been told that video games are basically brain rot. You know the drill: square eyes, antisocial tendencies, probably some kind of strange digital addiction that makes you forget how to, I don’t know, talk to real people. My mom certainly thought so. Every time I fired up the Nintendo (yes, I’m old enough to remember the original Nintendo), it was “go outside, get some fresh air, read a book!” And, not gonna lie, sometimes she had a point. But then you see stuff like this, popping up from places like, get this, the Washington Post, and you gotta wonder: what if they were all… kinda wrong?
“Go Play Outside!” – Or Maybe Just Stay Inside and Game?
Look, I’m not saying throw your kids into a dark room with a PlayStation and a bag of chips and call it “education.” That’s not the point. But for years, the narrative around video games has been overwhelmingly negative. It’s been about violence, about isolation, about a waste of time. And yeah, some of that is true for some people. Any hobby can be taken to an extreme, right? But what we’re finally starting to see-and it’s about damn time, if you ask me-is that these “games” are actually doing some heavy lifting for our brains. We’re talking about real cognitive boosts here.
I mean, seriously. The Washington Post, not exactly some niche gaming blog, is out there saying video games might be a “surprisingly good way to get a cognitive boost.” Surprising? Only if you’ve been living under a rock, or perhaps just listened to all the pearl-clutching about screens for the past few decades. For anyone who’s actually played a complex strategy game, or even just tried to master a fast-paced shooter, this probably isn’t “surprising” at all. It’s just… common sense, finally backed by some science.
From Idle Pastime to Brain Workout
Think about it. When you’re playing something like, say, Minecraft, you’re not just digging holes. You’re problem-solving, planning, managing resources, even collaborating with others if you’re on a server. If you’re into a fast-twitch shooter like Call of Duty (or Halo for the old heads), your reaction time, spatial awareness, and ability to process a ton of visual information at once are all getting a serious workout. And strategy games? Forget about it. Those things are basically advanced chess, but with more explosions and usually some kind of alien invasion.
But Wait, What About All That “Screen Time” Talk?
This is where it gets a little messy, right? Because for so long, we’ve been told “screen time bad.” And sure, endlessly scrolling TikTok for four hours straight probably isn’t doing wonders for your hippocampus. But equating that with, say, solving complex puzzles in Portal or managing a sprawling city in Cities: Skylines? That’s just lazy. It’s like saying all reading is the same, whether you’re devouring War and Peace or just squinting at a shampoo bottle label. Context matters. Engagement matters.
“The brain isn’t just a muscle; it’s a dynamic organ that thrives on novelty and challenge. Video games, when approached thoughtfully, offer exactly that.”
And honestly, the studies are starting to back this up. We’re talking about improvements in memory, attention, problem-solving skills, and even spatial navigation. Who knew that navigating a virtual dungeon could actually help you remember where you parked your car? (Okay, maybe not that directly, but you get my drift.)
The Real Game Changer Here
The thing is, this isn’t just about making us smarter; it’s about changing a deeply ingrained cultural perception. For too long, “play” has been seen as something trivial, something for kids, something to grow out of. Especially digital play. But what if play-especially the structured, challenging, engaging kind of play found in video games-is actually vital for lifelong learning and cognitive health?
Think about how much money and effort goes into “brain training apps” that are often, let’s be honest, pretty boring. Or how we push crossword puzzles and Sudoku on our elders. All good stuff, don’t get me wrong. But if you can get the same, or even better, cognitive benefits from something genuinely fun and engaging, why wouldn’t you? It’s about finding joy in the process of learning and challenging your mind. And let’s face it, for a lot of us, shooting zombies or building a digital empire is a lot more fun than another round of “find the matching pairs.”
What This Actually Means
So, what does all this actually mean for you, for me, for your kids, for your grumpy uncle who still thinks video games are for delinquents? It means we need to ditch the outdated biases. It means understanding that not all screen time is created equal. And it means giving ourselves (and others) permission to enjoy a medium that, yes, can be a lot of fun, but also, surprisingly, genuinely good for us.
It’s not about replacing books or outdoor activities. It’s about adding another tool to the toolbox for keeping our brains sharp and engaged. Maybe it’s time we stopped asking “why are you playing that?” and started asking “what skills are you developing?” Because, if I’m being honest, my reaction time is probably better than it should be for a guy my age, and I’m pretty sure I can thank years of dodging Goombas for that. So go on, fire up that console, tap that app. You might just be making yourself smarter… and having a blast doing it.
