5 Fun Video Games to Keep your Mind Sharp
For many people, free time can feel unfulfilling. They spend their time on social media, playing online games with an Intertops casino bonus, or just watching cat videos on YouTube. And sure, this can be fun, but many people find it unfulfilling. They get that itch that tells them they’re procrastinating or wasting their time. Some people turn to more active tasks like exercise, reading, or cooking. But, this isn’t a one size fits all kind of world. So, I’m here to tell you how you can have fun with these five video games all while feeling like you are keeping that mind of yours engaged!
Poly Bridge
Poly Bridge is an engineering-based bridge-building simulator indie game made by studio Dry Cactus in New Zealand. This slow, thought intense, puzzle game is great for testing your skills at problem solving and spatial awareness. You’ll spend your time building bridges across great rivers, or ramps to jump cars across ravines! Having played Poly Bridge myself, I can assure you that it will definitely keep you thinking and focused on solving the problems presented.
Poly Bridge is probably as straightforward as you can get when it comes to a video game to “keep your mind sharp.” It may not test your reflexes as some fast-paced FPS games might, but it is definitely going to challenge your mind. It’s such a simple concept, that has such a beautiful execution that many players will probably come to love. And, it probably helps that even though it may tax your mind, it sure won’t bother your eyes as the graphics and artstyle are fabulous!
Minecraft
It probably comes as no surprise to anyone that Minecraft makes this list of video games to keep your mind sharp. And, this is well deserved. Minecraft’s reputation is titanic. At this point, Minecraft is nearly synonymous with “video games” and “creativity”. Minecraft has no doubt been a part of millions, if not billions, of people’s childhoods. From fighting through the night, or building with friends there is a lot to go around in terms of content.
Minecraft being a cube-based, procedurally generated, sandbox game has led to it being a wonderful tool for both youths and adults alike to flex their creativity “muscles.” There truly is no limit to what you can or cannot do. From building a giant fantasy kingdom to an ultra sci-fi star cruiser the only bounds are the blocks you have and your imagination.
Even if building things isn’t your style, Minecraft might still be a great tool for you! Minecraft has a huge electro-mechanical system in the game called, “Redstone”. With some Redstone and a bit of thought, you can make magnificent contraptions to awe yourselves and others. People have made anything from working video games to huge music machines in Minecraft.
Minecraft will always be known first and foremost for its creative potential however. Creativity seems to be a point missed by a lot of people these days sadly. It is even the basis of the great STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) vs STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) debate. Creativity is fundamental to who we are as human beings. By nature, we are 2 sides of a coin. One side is our logic and intelligence. The other side is our creativity, passion, and drive. It is just as important to keep our minds sharp by practicing our creativity as it is our logic. And this is where Minecraft would shine in your arsenal of video games.
Chess
Some of you might scratch your heads at the inclusion of chess in this list. Many of you are probably asking yourselves, “Isn’t chess a board game?” The answer is, of course, yes! But, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a place in the digital setting. If Minecraft is synonymous with creativity, chess would probably be synonymous with logic. Chess, has been, is, and always will be a timeless classic of thought based games. This even carries over into our digital age. You can know best openings to learn in 2022 from some online courses too.
With online chess seeing a spike in popularity in recent years, this makes it a great option for anyone wanting a game to keep their mind involved. And, because it is online, this will assure you that no matter when you want to play, you’ll probably always be able to find someone to test your skills with. The rules for chess will also always be the same no matter where you go. So, if you do ever want to transfer your skills from the screen to the board it should work seamlessly. Or visa versa!
Portal
Portal is a puzzle game developed and published by Valve. In Portal, you navigate a huge testing facility with a Portal Gun to help you overcome the various obstacles you will encounter. From killer robots that will shoot you on sight, to a confusing network of moving platforms, Portal will have you keeping up on your mental ‘toes’ throughout the entirety of its short, but enjoyable, 2-hour campaign. With its well-written characters, memorable plot, and challenging puzzles, Portal would no doubt be worth your while!
Scribblenauts Unlimited
Scribblenauts Unlimited may have some of you skeptical as it is a children’s game. But sometimes, that’s just what someone might need! In our digital world, children are having a harder and harder time having fun while doing productive and meaningful activities. There are so many distractions and things to do, it can be hard for young people to spend their time on their minds. And so, I present Scribblenauts Unlimited.
In Scribblenauts Unlimited, you travel around as a little boy named Max. Max’s sister is being turned to stone, and the only way for the player to save her is by collecting stars found around the map. The player can collect stars by completing various word-based puzzles found throughout the entirety of the game world. Whether it be helping a nervous bachelor on his first date, stopping a criminal trying to steal a diamond, or disposing of toxic waste that’s polluting a lake, the scenarios are creative, fun, and even sometimes hilarious in how you can solve them.
I do admit that Scribblenauts unlimited can be a bit basic at times, however. The older you are the more you might find that simple solutions can solve almost any problem. But that’s the fun of it! The creativity of a child’s mind can lead to some wacky solutions an older person might never have thought of!
Where you might have given the bachelor’s date a bouquet of flowers, a younger person might give them a shiny diamond fish or some other goofy creation! The idea is to give a platform for a young person to be creative. Sometimes, even if it’s not the simplest solution, it can be the way the child arrived at that solution that matters.
Now, more than ever, children need ways to keep their minds active. For many people, their kids are stuck at home. In many places, schools are closed because of lockdowns, and children find it difficult to learn online. So, it’s important to try and embrace alternative learning options. Keeping kids engaged, happy, and growing is of the utmost importance. So, Scribblenauts Unlimited might just be that platform a creative child needs to shine!
