Only 24 percent of Americans over the age of 50 regularly play video games, according to 2007 data from the Entertainment Software Association. Still, that number represents a sizeable increase from the nine percent reported in 1999. While senior citizens are certainly free to play any games they wish, including hardcore titles like Gears of War and Grand Theft Auto, it may be easiest to start with the Nintendo Wii and its intuitive controls. The Nintendo Wii has seen success in assisted living homes, where it encourages seniors to be more active.
Wii Sports Resort
When the Nintendo Wii first began arriving in the common rooms of senior centers and assisted living facilities, Wii Sports drew media attention for its ability to get seniors up and moving with games like golf, bowling and tennis. Wii Sports Resort is a worthy sequel and offers 12 different mini-games. The included peripheral, Wii MotionPlus, improves the Wii remote's tracking abilities and accelerometer for a more realistic gaming experience. Swordplay, basketball and cycling encourage players to get up and moving. Games like archery and Frisbee require excellent concentration and hand-eye coordination.
Wii Fit Plus
Wii Fit Plus is the sequel to popular fitness title Wii Fit. Wii Fit Plus is primarily a fitness title, and its bundled peripheral, the Wii Balance Board, is the centerpiece of most of its mini-games. The Balance Board measures weight and balance. While the weight aspect mainly plays into your daily "body test" so you can keep track of your weight over a period of time, the balance feature is key to most of the mini-games. In the soccer game, for example, you have to stand on the balance board and lean to the left and right to make your on-screen Mii block incoming balls and dodge projectiles. Strength and yoga exercises test your ability to keep a steady center of balance as you do push-ups, crunches and various yoga positions.
Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree
Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree claims to keep the mind sharp and focused just like way crossword puzzles, Sudoku, reading and any other intellectual simulation. It features a range of mini-games that test the player's abilities in categories such as math, language and logic. You can take tests daily to get an intelligence score, play the mini-games freely or compete in multiplayer mode. Multiplayer lets you choose from simultaneous two-player games or eight-player games where you go one-at-a-time and pass the Wii remote around.
Tags: Academy Degree, assisted living, Brain Academy, Brain Academy Degree, fitness title, most mini-games, Sports Resort