FROM THE editors August 2, 2004 Issue

More than just games

Editor

This summer, millions of children—and adults—are spending stretches of vacation time playing video games. A survey by the Media Education Foundation reports that kids in homes that have stations for playing games use them an average of ten hours a week.

There's evidence that those games in which players create their own characters, go on quests, and solve puzzles, have a large following and a positive impact on mental development. And there's a ready market for games that test and teach strategy, concentration, and observation skills. Many of the games have solid social and personal value.

Among participants' favorite games, however, are Street Fighter, America's Army, Manhunt, and Doom, which require the player to "kill" imaginary opponents. And in recent months the killing has become increasingly graphic and more frequent—certainly a far cry from "the king is dead" in chess, or the backyard games of cops and robbers once played by young video gamers' parents.

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