Video games are often in the news for the wrong reason, and there have indeed been many controversial games over the years that have brought the industry into disrepute.
Yet, the good outweighs the bad by far, and games can provide hours of innocent fun and benefit your mental health and overall wellbeing. In fact, the Frontiers in Human Neuroscience journal published a study in 2018 that found concentration could be improved by playing 1 hour of video games everyday. Here we take a look at 5 online games that can improve concentration.
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5. Sudoku
It’s been known for a while now that playing Sudoku makes you smarter. In fact, this effect becomes more relevant the older you get. A study in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry showed that adults over the age of 50 demonstrate better brain function when they took part in puzzle games such as a sudokus. This study was performed on a large scale, too, with almost 20 thousand participants. Scientists discovered that test scores measuring memory, concentration, and attention span all improved depending on the number of puzzle games they took part in.
Although the results speak for themselves, some have questioned the interpretation of results. Other researchers suggest that those with higher cognition levels may seek out puzzle games, as opposed to the other way around. That being said, most are in agreement that games like sudoku do improve brain health.
It certainly won’t hurt to try! Play Sudoku online.
4. Braingle
Braingle is a bit of an all-in-one brain training program that has many online games that can help improve your concentration. The games include Kakuro (a Japanese numbers puzzle game similar to sudoku), chess, werewolf, and dozens more.
Not only does the site have a good amount of attention-boosting games, but it also contains a large database of brain teasers, optical illusions, and trivia questions. These kinds of mental gymnastics go a long way to reducing boredom and increasing memory power, and are the types of games you need to play regularly if you want to keep in the best cognitive shape possible. Visit Braingle here.
3. Daily Crossword
Of all the games in this list, crosswords are the most ubiquitous. Most people enjoy a good crossword, and they can make endlessly long journeys pass by in seconds. Now, crosswords can even be played online if you’re looking for a quick game to improve your focus.
Playing a crossword every day can enhance your memory immeasurably as it forms and strengthens connections in our brains that boost attention span and focus. They are good for people of all ages, and can be particularly useful for those with neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
For an extra edge, you could even try doing crosswords in a second language. This would turbo charge your memory strength while also providing a useful skill at the same time.
Play a daily crossword here to keep yourself sharp.
2. Queendom
Queendom is a website run by a high-tech psychometric company that specializes in psychological assessments and interactive self-exploration exercises. As with the aforementioned Braingle, Queendom is not a single game, but rather a database of useful assessments and games that boost concentration or uncover utilizable information about your psyche that you can employ for real world benefits.
Among other things, Queendom allows you to take personality tests that tell you your emotional intelligence, analytical reasoning, learning style, and listening skills, among others. Moreover, it has a range of fun tests that lightheartedly allude to whether or not you make a good neighbor, if are a drama queen, and how metrosexual you are.
There are plenty of fun quizzes and interesting features on Queendom, and we highly recommend you try it out.
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League of Legends
At the start of this article I wrote about a study that showed that gaming for an hour a day can drastically improve your brain health and cognitive function. I bet not many of you thought that the study was referring to games such as League of Legends.
Yet, it’s true. Multiplayer Online Battle Arena games (MOBAs) have been strongly linked to high intelligence. The research found that good performances on IQ tests were very strongly correlated with time spent playing League of Legends and other similar games. More specifically, according to the research, the better your performance in MOBAs, the more likely you were to demonstrate higher intelligence.
MOBAs are a type of strategy in which each player controls one character that they augment throughout the course of the game. Each character has a unique set of skills and can be tailored to suit the team’s overall strategy. The combination of characters can be complex, and it is hardly surprising that success in the game is correlated with high cognition.
There are many popular MOBAs in circulation, such as Dota 2, Smite, and Heroes of Newerth. For me, League of Legends is the best MOBA, but you may have to play around a bit first to find the one you like. Play the League of Legends online here.
Get in Touch
What games do you like to play to improve concentration? Or maybe you prefer to do another activity altogether? Let us know in the comment section below!
If you enjoyed this article, you may also like reading about the best PC puzzle games.
For any other enquiries, contact me at basil@blogofgames.com