Super Mario Bros. help fight burnout: Study links classic games to boosted happiness
Dec 22, 2025
A new study published by JMIR Serious Games reports that popular video games, such as the Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi games, may offer meaningful emotional benefits for young adults. The research, titled "Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi Games' Affordance of Childlike Wonder and Reduced Burnout Risk in Y
oung Adults: In-Depth Mixed Methods Cross-Sectional Study," found that these lighthearted, familiar games can spark a sense of childlike wonder that boosts overall happiness, which in turn reduces burnout risk. ...read more read less