Video Games+

While I’m not too sure if I agree (at all) with McGonigal’s claim that video games can fix the planet’s toughest problems, I think there are some hidden benefits of playing certain ones. I’ve thought multiple times of what the benefits of these games would be, but I think of it more on a personal level.

I’ve always liked adventure games more than any other. While growing up, the technology was finally there to create giant worlds to play in. These open-world “sandbox” games allow players to do a vast amount of things. For a younger child, I think games like these could teach many skills. The first is most definitely problem solving. Many games have multiple scenarios where the player is forced to solve tricky puzzles. The game forces players to critically think about the problem at hand and eventually find a solution.

These sandbox games also use some sort of currency. At an early age, kids play these games and have to figure out logical ways of spending and not spending this money. This could be a child’s first try at budgeting. I know it may seem silly, but I think things like these could translate to real-world skills.

Another positive of these games is the development of hand-eye coordination. Ever since dual-stick joysticks came out, my dad has told me multiple times about how he thinks there are great hand-eye coordination benefits from using the controllers so much. I would say he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, but in fact he really does. He’s been flying radio-controlled planes and helicopters for 17 years and the navigation controls used for these RC flyers are almost identical to that of a PlayStation 2 controller. The first time I got to fly an RC plane, I felt comfortable with it—even though it was my first time. My experience with a dual-joystick control scheme translated perfectly to a completely different hobby.