How Digital Trivia Games Evolved to Help Improve Memory
A sharp mind is something everyone desires, especially as they grow older. In today’s digital centric society there is an increasing concern that the internet may be affecting the mind. A study in World Psychiatry found that the increased reliance on instant and disposable information was having a negative effect on individuals’ memory capabilities.
The study noted that this was due to “the extent to which we rely on the Internet as our primary informational resource, and how unique properties of online information access may affect how we process new memories and value our internal knowledge”. Yet, the study also noted a flip side, and found that increased access to information could be used to help cognitive functions.
Today there is a vast library of games that are specially designed to help improve the mind, such as the brain games we promote on Cognifit. In this post we will examine how digital trivia games have evolved to improve memory function and benefit a wider audience.
The Memory Benefits of Trivia Games
Although most trivia games may seem like harmless fun, they actually help develop both short- and long-term memory functions. Those who are active in playing trivia games will commit themselves to learning more and therefore increase the capacity of their memory.
Even those who only play casually will still stimulate their minds to better help them remember in the future. Studies found that the long-term benefit of playing trivia games is the ability to build new neural pathways in the brain. The more a person plays, the better their knowledge retention is. Thankfully we live in a time where there is an ease of access to digital trivia games.
Beginning of Digital Trivia Games
Digital trivia games have always been popular. One of the first digital incarnations was the 1995 PC game You Don’t Know Jack, which added a lot of humor to the trivia game genre. While a simple game, it not only showed the potential of trivia games to be more engaging than the games seen on TV, but also reach, and be more beneficial, to a much wider audience. Other early examples include VHSs and later DVDs that allowed players to “play” their favorite games. These were often based around film and entertainment trivia to make them more accessible.
Modern Trivia Games
The good news for those looking for digital trivia games is that many forms can be found across platforms. The popular game Trivia Pursuit has been adapted for consoles by Ubisoft, with the latest version, Trivia Pursuit Live! 2 allowing players to play locally or online. Popular trivia games for TV have also made the leap to digital platforms to reach new audiences.
The Millionaire Trivia: TV Game by Sony Pictures Network is the official Who Wants to Be a Millionaire app game, and lets players take part in the famous quiz format. Such is the popularity of these digital versions of famous trivia games that some companies have been able to combine them with different genres. Gala Bingo has several Who Wants to Be a Millionaire titles, including Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Mystery Box and Slingo Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, that add an extra competitive aspect through the ability to win real prizes.
This shows how far trivia games have progressed to capture new players, and with more people from different backgrounds, and with different interests, playing these trivia games the better it is for their overall memory. These online games also allow players to easily dip in and out of the titles to test their memory in short periods of time.
Trivia games have been proven to help improve memory, and the evolution of these games to a digital format have made it easier for more people of all ages to improve their memory.
