Study: Videogames could protect against dementia
DOOM (Bethesda Softworks/ id Software)
First person shooter for Nintendo Switch
US$59.99 (RM245) SOME videogames could help older adults remain mentally fit, according to a new study by researchers in Canada. After playing 3D-platformer Super Mario 64, participants in the study were found to have increased grey matter in certain brain regions.
Reduced grey matter in the hippocampus, primarily associated with spatial and episodic memory, is a marker for old-age-related neurological disorders including mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. Grey matter is tissue consisting mainly of nerve cell bodies and branching nerve fibres.
In the six-month study, published in the US-based scientific journal PLOS One, 33 people aged 55 to 75 were randomly assigned to one of three groups.
The first played Super Mario 64 for 30 minutes, five days a week, NINTENDO Switch continues its amazing launch year with a great parade of amazing third party titles. Later this month, we will see a Rocket League release on the convergence device. One company that appears to be jumping into the Switch ecosystem with both feet is Bethesda, with Doom, Skyrim, and even Wolfenstein 2 coming to the console.
Portable Doom
In January when Nintendo announced Switch software support, I noticed that Vulkan API was being supported. I suggested at the time that Doom and some other Bethesda properties could possibly run on Switch. Many people scoffed at the idea of playing such a beautiful powerhouse of a game on a lower resolution device.
Adding to the cynicism was the “PC Master Race” attitude that FPS games shouldn’t be played with anything but a keyboard and mouse.
I am happy to report that Doom runs like a dream on Nintendo Switch. The ability to play the game on the go trumps any graphical shortcomings, in my opinion.
The gameplay feels great even though there are some clear compromises that were required to get the game running on a handheld/hybrid console. Doom on Switch is truly a technical achievement and reminds me of the fun I had playing Doom 64 back in the day. Sure, the game isn’t the same as it is on PC, but it maintains the core essence of being a fun, fast-paced demon-slaying extravaganza.
Graphics and performance
Panic Button definitely had to work some magic to get Doom on Nintendo Switch to be playable. This is most apparent when you look at the game’s graphics. Lower and another took computerised piano lessons for the same amount of time. None were videogame players or musicians. A control group was given no activity.
At the beginning and end of the experiment, the reseachers, led by University of Montreal psychology professor Greg West, gave participants cognitive performance tests and an MRI scan to measure the volume of grey matter in three brain regions: the hippocampus, cerebellum (motor control, balance) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC; planning, decision-making, inhibition).
Only the videogame group had resolution textures are immediately noticeable on the levels and especially on the enemies. This only bothered me for the first few minutes that I played the game, but I immediately got back into my role as the Doomslayer.
The game runs at 720p docked or undocked and at only 30 framesper-second. Yes, 30fps is shameful for a PC game to run at, but are you really able to lug your PC rig into the can to kill demons on your bathroom break? This is the biggest technical compromise that players of Doom on Switch have to come to grips with and it is totally worth it in my opinion.
Joy-Cons? More like Bolt-ons
One thing about Doom on Nintendo Switch that I was immediately disappointed by was the lack of gyro-based aiming. Considering the unique Joy-Con controllers that ship with Switch, it would have been nice to see more effort put towards a new way to play Doom. Instead of immersing players in the game with a new way to aim weapons, the game allows for melee attacks by shaking the right Joy-Con. This doesn’t work well at all, in my opinion and felt bolted on as opposed to a new way to play the game. This was one of the few missed opportunities in this version.
One other small gripe I have an increase in hippocampal grey matter, along with an improvement in short-term memory. Growth in the cerebellum was seen in both the videogame and the music group, which also had an increase in the DLPFC. The control group showed grey matter loss in all three regions.
“The good news is that we can reverse those effects and increase volume by learning something new,” said West in a University of Montreal press release. “And games like Super Mario 64, which activate the hippocampus, seem to hold some potential in that respect.” — dpa Some videogames could help older adults remain mentally fit, according to a new study by researchers in Canada. After playing a 3D version of
participants in the study were found to have increased grey matter in certain brain regions. — OLIVER BERG/dpa