Certain video games can be very helpful for your mental health, according to the findings of a new German study that investigated the benefits of a popular Nintendo game: Mario Odyssey.
German researchers have discovered evidence suggesting that the magical world of Mario in the game “Super Mario Odyssey” could serve as a therapeutic tool for people suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD). The study, published in Frontiers of Psychology, focused on the cognitive symptoms of major depressive disorder, including mood, affect, and cognitive impairments such as memory problems.
The research involved 46 participants diagnosed with major depressive disorder, divided into three groups. One group immersed themselves in the captivating landscapes of Super Mario Odyssey on the Nintendo Switch, while another engaged in a cognitive training computer program called CogPack. The third group underwent traditional treatments involving psychotherapy and medication.
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Playing Mario Odyssey Can Improve Your Mental Health
After a period of six weeks, the group that ventured into the vibrant world of Super Mario Odyssey reported a remarkable 50% decrease in self-reported MDD symptoms. Additionally, this group demonstrated greater motivation to continue treatment than their counterparts who used a cognitive training computer program (“CogPack”) or followed standard treatments for these symptoms.
“ The results indicate that after six weeks of training, the 3D video game group [le groupe “Super Mario Odyssey”] showed a significant decrease in the proportion of participants with clinically significant levels of depressive symptoms by self-report and higher average training motivation compared to the active control group », affirm the authors of the study by way of conclusion.
The study showed that participants with high levels of depressive symptoms saw their condition decline the most while playing Super Mario Odyssey. The study authors then discovered the potential of video game training as a cost-effective and feasible intervention for patients with major mental disorders. Obviously, play sessions should always complement traditional treatment and regular therapyand are not intended to completely replace traditional treatment methods.
The study also focused on cognitive symptoms, with an emphasis on memory and problem-solving skills, rather than affective symptoms such as sadness. Previous research has suggested that 3D games, such as Super Mario Odyssey, engage the hippocampus, a brain region linked to learning and memory.
Based on this, a study published in 2015 in the Journal of Neuroscience also found a 12% increase in memory performance with 3D video games compared to their 2D counterparts. Another 2017 study, published in Nature, found that 3D platform games contributed to increased gray matter in the hippocampus.
Further research is needed to bring conclusions to the study
If this new study is promising, the researchers recognize that the small size of the sample does not allow us to draw certain conclusions on the benefits of Mario Odyssey on the symptoms of depression, even if These initial results suggest that this type of video game could have a positive impact on patients.
The study was also not blinded, meaning that participants knew the group to which they had been assigned and could probably infer the aim of the research, which could distort the results. While waiting to find out more, we remind you that Nintendo recently launched another game in the Mario universe: Super Mario Bros Wonder.