By Sarah Schutz (www.ChicksDigGames.com)

Videogames have long been notorious for creating vapid couch potatoes out of children and adults everywhere, luring them in with addictive pixilated gameplay. While educational gaming has existed for quite awhile in the form of computer games, it had yet to break into the realm of the evermore-popular console gaming (Xbox, Playstation and Nintendo). While games have become robust and mentally demanding, console gaming had yet to (successfully) target the educational gaming market, but with the advent of Nintendo’s latest gaming consoles we can now have games in our homes that spend a lot of their marketing bucks focused on education for children and adults alike.

Nintendo’s two main consoles, the infamous Wii and the portable Nintendo DS have the largest educational gaming libraries on the market. The Wii, controlled with an intuitive motion-control remote, has attracted the attention of newcomers to gaming with its ease of use. Most recently, Wii Fit was released for the Wii. While not a traditional educational game, Wii Fit teaches its users to become more aware of their bodies with Yoga, Strength Training, Aerobic and Balance exercises on a Balance Board that reads the users movements. More traditional educational games like Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree, help users become more adept at various learning categories including: Visualize, Identify, Memorize, Compute and Analyze. Problem-solving and quick-thinking are made more fun for all levels by the competitive gameplay, charming graphics and increasing challenges.

While the Nintendo Wii is ramping up its educational library, the DS is really where educational gaming is at these days. Games like Big Brain Academy and My Word Coach are both games that were modified for the Wii, but the personal, portable nature of the Nintendo DS allows for more efficient learning methods. The console features two screens, one of which is a touchscreen with stylus, which allows the player to draw or write in answers in various games. While games like Big Brain Academy, Brain Age (1 and 2), Mega Brain Boost and My Word Coach focus on more explicit brain training, other titles like Professor Layton and the Curious Village incorporate mystery and adventure gameplay into puzzles and problem solving. Adults who never thought “gaming” could be for them are picking up Brain Age and DS crossword and soduku games to keep their brains active on the go. Games have also been created for younger enthusiasts to foster early learning and creativity. The Imagine series by Ubisoft inspires children, especially young girls to explore hobbies and interests while interacting with the DS and simulating “grown-up” careers including Fashion Designer, Master Chef and Animal Doctor.

Nintendo’s focus on families and educational gaming has drastically changed their consumer population by creating products for the casual gamer looking for a new way to learn. Those skeptics of gaming as a vehicle for innovative learning are now picking up controllers. Videogames are finally being seen as potential catalysts for educational growth and are managing to subvert the notorious couch potato stereotypes by making learning innovative and fun, while incorporating educational fundamentals.

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