by Jen Thorpe

Created on: May 03, 2007   Last Updated: May 06, 2007

Video games are more than just a fun and exciting way to pass the time. There are some good benefits that come from playing video games.

(1)Improved Hand-Eye Coordination.

All video games involve looking at a screen and using some sort of controller to move your character through the world inside the video game. Players must press buttons, sometimes a few buttons simultaneously, to continue playing the game. Older arcade games used joysticks along with buttons, but the concept is the same. The result is that players are rewarded for having good hand-eye coordination. Hitting the correct series of buttons at just the right time results in being able to play the video game for a little while longer. As a result, playing video games helps a person build hand-eye coordination.

(2)Exercise

Fewer video games require the player to actually get up and move around, but there have been a few. Years ago, the Nintendo company had a track and field game that came with a large mat. To play this game, one needed to activate certain sensors on the mat by stepping on them. One part of the game required a player to run in place in order to cause the character in the game to run a race against other computer players. The faster you ran in real life, the better your video game character would do! This has recently been expanded upon by the Dance Dance Revolution games that can be found in some arcades today. There are no buttons to push or joysticks to move for this game. Instead, players stand on a small dance floor that is designed to sense where a player puts his or her feet. Players of this game must physically move their bodies to match the directions given on the screen, while music plays. Mistakes are caught. The better a dancer you are, the longer you get to play. Dancing is a great form of exercise. Video games like this one are starting to be found in fitness centers, and school buildings, as a means to encourage people to get more exercise.

(3)Increased Concentration

Players must pay attention to what is going on in the video game if they want to do well. Video games today cannot be completed in just one session, or even in a few days of playing. Many have complex story lines that go along with them. A player must focus to keep playing. It has been suggested that children who are Autistic, or who have Attention Deficit Disorder can play video games as a way to help them increase their ability to concentrate. This benefit is not limited to children though. Everyone who plays

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