Gamification and Health

Do you remember your first influencial gaming device? My first stand-out handheld game was a Merlin.

Merlin was a handheld electronic game first made by Parker Brothers in 1978. Merlin is notable as one of the earliest and most popular handheld games, selling over 5 million units during its initial run, as well as one of the most long-lived, remaining popular throughout the 1980s. Merlin's simple array of buttons and lights supported play of six different games, some of which could be played against the computer or against another person. Here is the list of games that could be selected:

1.Tic Tac Toe

2.Music Machine  

3.Blackjack 13

4.Magic Square, a pattern game similar to Lights Out

5.Mindbender, a game similar to Mastermind

6. Echo, a game similar to Simon (pictured below)

I think it's interesting how these images bring out nostalgic emotion and often connect us to our similar experiences growing up. In other words, the games are about the people (not the technology). I trust that one day gaming with health apps such as the EndoGoddess App may stir up similar emotions and perhaps bring people together in a similar nostalgic way around the topic of health rather than growing up. After all, we're all in this life together! :)