The Trouble with Puzzles

It is widely accepted that puzzle games are generally good for you. Like anything, in moderation videogames themselves pose little threat to your health. It’s when playtime exceeds an hour on a daily basis that problems begin to arise. A study by Eleni Kardaras on the effects of videogames on youngsters discusses the effects on their mental health and the ability to relate easily with society. The report looks at long term players who played videogames on average for more than 3 hours a day for several years.

But puzzle games are slightly different. They do not pander to the visceral desire of violence. I can accept that playing violent videogames daily would have a detrimental effect on your health. But Professor Layton and his games are not violent. In fact the puzzles encountered may indeed have a positive effect. It’s plain to see that skills learnt from some of the puzzles could be transferred into everyday life. Puzzles of note are mathematical, logical and picture puzzles. A report by Tabitha M. Powledge published in Scientific American discusses the effects of puzzle games on the brain and tends to favour these games as some tests indicate that the mental abilities of individuals can be enhanced after exposure to them.

Moderation is the key in all cases. Enjoy your games, take regular breaks and try to limit your play time accordingly. I prefer short quick blasts on Professor Layton and the Curious Village simply because it’s easier than reading a book or playing a game of Mah-jong. Who am I kidding? Sometimes I simply fancy a game on this gem.

Related Links
The Effect of Video Games on the Brain
Study Shows Brain Power Can Be Bolstered - Maybe