This Nintendo Switch game could help you combat depression
It turns out that Super Mario Odyssey on Nintendo Switch is great for your mental health
The Nintendo Switch helped many survive lockdown during the pandemic, with Animal Crossing: New Horizons providing the perfect distraction. But now it seems like Nintendo’s hybrid console could also be a great way to combat depression.
A German study into Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) found that Super Mario Odyssey had startling results on participants who played the game. The study involved 46 people diagnosed with depression which were split into three groups.
One was given Super Mario Odyssey to play, while the other two groups were assigned a cognitive training computer program (‘CogPack') and standard clinical treatment, which included medication and psychotherapy.
The results of the study showed that the group that played Super Mario Odyssey, which is one of the best Switch games, saw an almost 50% reduction in depressive symptoms. That was the most of any group.
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: Super Mario Odyssey helps with depression
😲 Super Mario Odyssey has been proven to help with depression
👍 The 3D platformer was used in a study and helped decrease symptoms by almost 50%
🏆 Super Mario Odyssey is one of the best games on Switch
👌 It proves that video games can be therapeutic and good for mental health
“Results indicate that after six weeks of training the 3D video gaming group [the ‘Super Mario Odyssey’ group] showed a significant decrease in the proportion of participants with clinically significant levels of depressive symptoms by self-report and a higher mean training motivation when compared with the active control group,” the study authors concluded.
It’s great to see that video games can help people who are suffering from MDD and many turn to gaming as a form of escapism or to socialize with friends. The interactive nature of playing a game usually means your mind is preoccupied with the challenges presented on screen, which can be more effective than having to concentrate on something like a movie or TV show.
The Nintendo Switch continues to be a phenomenal success for the Kyoto-based company, but all eyes are on a Nintendo Switch 2 announcement this year. We could see a successor to the Switch released in November 2024, but there’s always a small chance that Nintendo might try and squeeze another 12 months out of its console.
Do you play video games to cheer yourself up if you’re feeling down? Let us know in the poll below.