Does Playing Video Games Make You Smarter?

Today, Gamespot's Cameron Robinson asks a question that has plagued teachers and parents alike for years: can playing video games actually make you smarter?

Disregarding the fact that intelligence is extremely complicated and nuanced as a subject, there are indeed measurable benefits to playing certain games. Probably the most interesting thing about the whole phenomenon is that the benefit of playing games really depends on which kind of game you're playing.

A strategical game like Starcraft will improve something called "cognitive flexibility," which has to do with your ability to switch between tasks easily and form new ideas, whereas playing Bejeweled will... well, check out the video above and see for yourself!

Do you feel sharper after playing a game? Let us know in the comments.