Video games. To some they are a gift to the world and make life even just a little bit better with cool graphics, detailed storylines, and complex puzzles to solve. To others they are a way to pass the time, to work out, or to be immersed in a totally different world altogether. Video games have been the subject of debate on numerous occasions because of situations such as violence, graphic language, and sex scenes. But they are also the subject of many conventions, events, and other gatherings where loyal fans and first-time fans enjoy video games of all shapes and sizes from Virtual Reality headgear to more retro gaming systems such as the NES gaming systems or Gameboy systems. Like almost everything, there are both a good side and a bad side to the world of gaming. Here are ten benefits and downfalls to video games. Benefits
1. Building Up Puzzle Building Skills
Puzzles are a big part of some video games and solving them can help people think in creative and new ways teaching them new ways to solve the puzzles and maybe a few skills on the way. The newest addition to the Legend of Zelda series, Breath of the Wild, features a plethora of puzzles to solve in shrines as pictured above or out in the open world format. Nancy Drew games are also a good source of puzzles since in order to proceed with different tasks people are required to use clues and puzzles to find out who is the culprit behind the various crimes featured in the games.
2. They Spark Creativity
Video game characters have been cosplayed many times and they also inspire artists to draw them, writers to write their own spin-offs of the stories they are portrayed in, and creators to make videos featuring certain games. Games such as Fire Emblem and Overwatch are frequently the source many cosplayers look to for their next cosplay.
3. Video Games Create a Community
Whether it be content creators on YouTube creating a fan base or cosplayers bonding together over a common interest in a video game, video games, like TV shows and movies, can create a wide following of people that bond together to become a community. Conventions such as Pax East and BlizzCon are dedicated to video games and give gamers and viewers a space to celebrate their joy of the games they hold dear to their heart.
4. Video Games Can Span Generations
Games such as the Mario series and the Legend of Zelda series have been around for what seems like forever and the love of these video games can be passed down through generations. Many Millenials and other generations remember playing the first Legend of Zelda game, Duck Hunt, or the first Mario game on older consoles. Even though these games are old, they are still enjoyable to the masses as people continue to put time and money into these beloved franchises.
5. The Story Lines and Theories are entertaining
Many people have put time and effort into creating elaborate theories and crafting together the timelines of many games and these theories and timelines are entertaining, to say the least. A channel on YouTube called Game Theory, hosted by Matthew Patrick, dedicates their videos to creating these theories and explaining them for fans to entertain the theories presented to them. Their theories range from Link is actually dead in the famed game Majora's Mask to the multiple crimes and horrible events that take place in the Five Nights at Freddy's series.
6. They can Cause Dry Eyes and Headaches
Looking at a bright screen for too long isn't good for someone and after a while of playing video games, people have said that they experience dry eyes and headaches. The brightness of the screens, sometimes played in a dark room or inches from the face, can cause these headaches. This is why it is warned sometimes to play video games at a distance.
7. Video Games can get Violent
Games such as Friday the 13th, pictured above, and GTA 5 can get increasingly violent with gruesome deaths, gore, and graphic fights. Games like these, with such graphic violence, are not meant for children, but there is a debate by people of authority whether these games should be allowed or not. It is always best to read the rating of a video game before handing it to a child or someone who it is not recommended for.
8. Some Games are Just Bad
Sometimes it is a hit or miss with video games when someone is looking for a video game to play on the fly. Games that look fun because of the cover may not be all that they seem. It is important to check the reviews of a game before buying it so no one gets ripped off by buying a bad game.
9. Rage
While puzzles in a video game can be fun, they can also be the source of intense rage. Games that include racing or competition such as Mario Kart can cause many rage quits and broken equipment. Other games that have a set objective or has a series of obstacles such as Unfair Mario and sometimes the labyrinths and puzzles of Legend of Zelda games were practically made to ensue rage. It is always best to try to keep a calm head during a video game even though it sometimes seems impossible.
10. Dissociation from Friends and Family in the Real World
Playing video games too much can dissociate people from the real world and can sometimes cause reality to become foggy and diluted. When focusing so much on a video game, the real world can pass by in the blink of an eye. That's why on games such as the Wii in the Sports series and other series they question if the player is still playing and suggest that they go outside instead.
