- Over 164 million Americans play video games on their phones, computers, or gaming consoles.
- 21 percent of gamers in the United States are over the age of 50.
- Studies have shown that games can improve memory and reduce signs of aging.
According to a 2019 report by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), over 164 million adults play video games and three-quarters of all American households have at least one gamer inside. While the average gamer is 33 years old, 21 percent of gamers are over 50. Reasons vary from leisurely fun, to spending time with younger relatives, curing boredom, and improving mental dexterity.
While there are no rules to which games more mature players can enjoy, studies have shown that certain games are more popular among older players. Some have even been found to improve the health of senior players diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Here are 6 games across numerous platforms (Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Playstation 4, and PC) that are worth adding to your cart.
3D Mario games have been shown to increase grey matter.
A recent study conducted by the University of Montreal on people between the ages of 55 and 75 found that video games (specifically Super Mario 64) caused a significant increase in grey matter in the hippocampus. The loss of grey matter is associated with diseases like Alzheimers. Based on the results, the researchers hypothesized that 3D games could be used to improve memory and prevent the effects of the disease. Super Mario 64 was made for previous generation consoles (Nintendo 64 and Nintendo DS) but Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is similar and available for the Switch.
Few games exercise the brain as throughly as WoW.
A 2012 study by researchers at North Carolina State University found that seniors who played the “cognitively challenging game” World of Warcraft showed an improvement in spatial ability and focus, especially those who scored the lowest in the baseline tests. The multiplayer online role playing game was originally released in 2004 and has since has several expansion packs, Battle for Azeroth being its seventh (released in 2018).
Tetris 99 offers hours of puzzle play online or solo.
Sixty-five (65) percent of older male gamers prefer playing alone, according to the EPA. The percentage is slightly smaller for female gamers in that age group at around 58 percent. A large portion of gamers over 55 (35 percent of men, 45 percent of women) are also big fans of puzzle games. Tetris has been the king of the solo puzzle genre for decades, so this this one is an easy recommendation. This recent version for the Nintendo Switch comes with an online membership, but there is also an extensive “Marathon mode” for offline play.
Because sometimes you just want to run a farm.
This farming simulation game lets you do everything from raising livestock to mining ore, all while making sure that you have enough time, energy, and money to get things done. It’s not the most exciting game in the traditional sense, but for those looking for a calmer gaming experience it comes highly rated by industry critics and average online reviewers alike.
