7 Surprising Benefits of Gaming According to Nintendo Fan Faves Mario and Luigi

Mastering hand-eye coordination has never been one of my personal strengths. Dare I attribute my lack of dexterity to my preference for reading books in stead of playing video games while growing up. Well, it totally tracks. As I watched my children bonding/competing while playing Mario and Luigi games on the Nintendo Switch, feelings of having missed out on the gaming bandwagon definitely did pop up. In moderation, gaming offers a variety of benefits to both personal and social development. We partnered with Nintendo to see what's new with Mario and Luigi, surprisingly enough, who both have quite a bit of gaming world expertise and insight to share. Let's just say that their advice hit the high score as we were on a quest to level up our gaming perspectives. Here are seven surprising benefits of gaming according to fan faves—Mario and Luigi.

Thank you to the promotional team from Nintendo for the courtesy of providing complimentary resources for editorial purposes. This content may contain affiliate links.

7 Surprising Benefits of Gaming According to Nintendo Fan Faves Mario and Luigi

Entertainment and competitive ranking are a few of our most important goals when we're scoring high while playing video games. Engaging and challenging players of all ages whether novice or newbie, playing video games combines fun, cognitive skills, and social interactions. For our family, Nintendo Switch gaming nights are one of our favorite family night activities. Considering our level of enjoyment, We took a deep dive into discovering some of the reasons gaming (in moderation, of course) can be beneficial to us in other areas of our lives.

1- Boost Cognitive Abilities and Motor Skills

Mario and Luigi want us all to know that gamer life isn't always as easy as it may seem.  Playing video games can help boost our cognitive abilities such as problem-solving, strategic thinking, and also our hand-eye coordination while mastering complex skills, levels, and challenges. Many players also find their motor skills development from maneuvering through precise movements help improve dexterity and reaction times.

2- Stress Relief

Game play may reach levels of intensity from close calls, surprising elements, and tough competition, however, in reality—it's all fun and games. Mario plays best with Luigi there to help bring balance to the team. Testing your limits to level up your personal best in gaming can be a productive way to unwind and relax from the stresses of the day, providing an escape and stress relief from our daily routines. 

3- Social Interaction

Why play alone when you can play with a friend (or an opponent)? Social interaction (aka bragging rights) may gaming even more exciting. We're so excited when we play most Mario and Luigi games on Nintendo Switch, joining in on all of the fun in multiplayer mode, playing with friends and family. We need a team for Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, spooky adventure exploring haunted mansions with Luigi and his ghost-hunting Poltergust 5000. 

Luigi's Mansion 2 HD

"Explore multiple haunted mansions with Luigi and his ghost-hunting Poltergust 5000 Progress through diverse missions to retrieve the missing shards of the Dark Moon scattered across several distinct haunted mansions, each with their own puzzles to solve and ghosts to capture. Go for a high rating by using your superpowered ghost-hunting tool, the Poltergust 5000, to suck up ghosts (and window curtains) and blow air to search every nook and cranny of the chilling-yet-charming mansions. This spooky fun adventure, originally released for the Nintendo 3DS™ system, is now visually enhanced in HD on the Nintendo Switch™ system. Friendly ghosts turned fiendish—sounds like a job for Luigi! The Dark Moon that hangs over Evershade Valley seems to have a calming effect on the ghosts that reside there. The quirky Professor E. Gadd has been studying the friendly spirits. But when the Dark Moon suddenly breaks apart and falls into the valley below, the once-friendly ghosts become hostile. Luigi must stumble into action and summon his courage to restore the Dark Moon to its rightful place in the sky. Tackle the ScareScraper together You and up to three players can team up to take on the challenges of the ScareScraper, a haunted building teeming with ghosts and challenges not found in the main adventure. Recruit your fellow ghost hunters to scale the terrifying tower locally* or online**. WARNING: If you have epilepsy or have had seizures or other unusual reactions to flashing lights or patterns, consult a doctor before playing video games. All users should read the Health and Safety Information available in the system settings before using this software."

4- Creativity and Imagination

Vividly colorful, creative, and imaginative worldbuilding in gaming can help stimulate innovative processing by encouraging us to think outside the box. Stepping up to centerstage, Princess Peach stands in the spotlight in her very first game on Nintendo Switch, Princess Peach: Showtime. Count on Princess Peach to find a way to save the day. 

Princess Peach: Showtime

"Princess Peach must save the play as she takes the spotlight in her very own action game. Princess Peach and some loyal Toads are about to enjoy a performance at the Sparkle Theater when the wicked Grape and the Sour Bunch bust on the scene to flip the script! These bad actors kidnap the stars of each play, terrorize the other cast and crew, and leave Peach trapped inside as they steal the show. To curtain-call this tragedy, Peach must team up with the theater's guardian, Stella. Using the power of Sparkle, Peach must take the stage of each play inside the Sparkle Theater and transform to match the performance. Each transformation changes up the action and comes with its own abilities for Peach to use against Grape’s evil acting troupe. Only by clearing all the floors and rescuing the star actors can she truly save the theater! Play like a princess and transform into leading roles with showstopping abilities. Fend off the Sour Bunch as Swordfighter Peach as you slash and dodge attacks—en garde! Whisk up some tasty treats as Patissiere Peach and see just how quickly you can decorate a cake. Wrangle your foes with a lasso as Cowgirl Peach, hurl buses and slam foes with super strength as Mighty Peach, synchronize your spins with other performers as Figure Skater Peach, and more! Each transformation gives Peach a dramatic entrance and the abilities she needs to take back each play."

5- Family-Friendly Fun

Mario and Luigi are all about family and family-friendly fun with games designed for all ages. Perfect for family game time where everyone can join in and play together, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) ratings for Mario games from Nintendo are generally aimed at younger audiences and families. Most Mario games fall under the following categories-

- E for Everyone- This rating means the content is suitable for all ages and contains minimal, or mild violence and/or use of mild language. 

- E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older-  Games that may have slightly more intense content, including mild violence or suggestive themes, are labeled with this rating. 

Families find ESRB ratings to be a valuable resource for selecting family-friendly games, appropriate for most ages.

6- Nostalgia and Bonding

More experienced gamers, Mario and Luigi are known to reminisce, gaming can bring about a sense of nostalgia. Our family uses game time as a way to bond together through classic gaming characters reimagines in newer games. We  love Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, updated for Nintendo Switch since its original release on the Nintendo GameCube system.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

"Join Mario on an epic paper-adventure to collect the Crystal Stars before the X-Nauts do! The nefarious X-Nauts are after the treasure behind the Thousand-Year Door! With a map from Princess Peach, and the help of a few locals, Mario journeys through a colorful world made of paper to find them first. To prevail in this quest, you’ll have to level up Mario and his friends, master timing-based attacks and badges to impress the audience on the stage of combat, and make use of all the abilities that come with being cursed—er, conveniently made of paper—like folding into a plane to cross big gaps or turning sideways to slip through narrow openings. Leaf through a storybook world with charming characters in every fold Surprises abound in this deep and engaging tale, where everyone’s got something to say and it’s often not what you’d expect. Mario will meet all kinds of interesting folks on his journey, like the upbeat and studious Goombella and the shy but determined Koops. Some of these characters will need your help with their own quests, or even join your party. Others, like Peach and Bowser, have stories of their own that you’ll play between Mario’s chapters! A classic turns the page, bringing fresh visuals and updated features Twenty years after the original game on the Nintendo GameCube™ system, this version for the Nintendo Switch™ system has revamped graphics, and a suite of additional changes that make the game easier than ever to enjoy."

7- Self-Esteem 

It 's no surprise to know that Mario and Luigi encourage having lots of fun while playing games. Versatility in gaming is the way to go-and game. Taking your Nintendo Switch or Switch Lite along with you to score high while playing games at home or on the go. This flexibility and convenience allow for a self-esteem boost at times when accomplishing new levels of gameplay experience.

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