I've always quite enjoyed the puzzle game Lumines but have never appreciated it as much as I thought I should. Could being a man be the problem? UK psychologist Susan Quilliam has looked at why some games - in this case Lumines II - appeal more to women than other games. Yup, it's time for another girls and gaming study.
"Contrary to popular belief women don't want fluffy themes in their games," says Quilliam. "Women's sensory perception and wider peripheral vision means they spot game elements more speedily and successfully than men do - and Lumines II's structure and design allows female players to capitalise on all these strengths".
Apparently games like Lumines II and, presumably, Tetris, "appeal to the female ability to analyse, categorise and link large amounts of small detail". Elsewhere she suggests that multi tasking is easier for women - something to do with the two halves of the female brain being physically better connected than the male.
Spurious research to advertise a game or is there some truth to her findings? Aleks? Care to comment?
