No, your monitor isn't broken. While this week's crop of games have been drained of color, they're just as ingenious as their more vibrant brethren. Inspired by doodles, noir cinema and silent films, this batch's stark graphics present curious mechanics and clever adventures. Their addictiveness is as simple as black and white.

Controlling one character in a game can be tricky, but as we've seen before, controlling two is a slippery slope. 'Black & White' (no, not the Peter Molyneux classic) puts us in the shoes of two creatures -- one black and one white -- who must be guided to a similarly colored exit. Of course, with two tangoing, this isn't as easy as it sounds, as you'll be controlling both at the same time. This is accomplished using the arrow keys, with your right and left directions reversed when guiding the white creature. Getting used to the controls is imperative, as you'll have to make both creatures work together in order to solve each stage's puzzle. One character jumps an obstacle while the other holds a door open, leaving your brain sorting out the anti-intuitive directions while planning ahead (think rubbing your stomach while patting your head). Soon enough, you'll be expertly timing dual jumps and forcing characters to certain areas so the other can move freely. While the presentation may be simplistic, each stage is so well-plotted, that when you get each creature home, you'll feel like a multitasking wizard.
Gallery: Black & White
Timewaster 'Black & White' Sends Two Opposing Forces To Bend Your Brain originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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It looks like the kids are alright, after all. A new study from the University of Maryland shows that more time spent in front of a computer doesn't hurt a child's academic performance, and, in some cases, actually improves test scores. Led by family science professor Sandra L. Hofferth, the six-year study followed a group of 1,000 children, who were between the ages of six and 12 in 1997, and continued through 2003. As the students spent more time on computers, their test scores didn't suffer significantly, even if they spent most of their time playing games on their PCs.

The results, published in the academic journal Child Development, show that African-American boys' reading scores improved by four points as they increased their computer time, while girls' math and reading scores both increased by a point. The only group to experience a decline in academic achievement, however, were white male adolescents, who displayed a small, but statistically significant decline -- a trend that Hofferth attributes to too much time spent aimlessly surfing the Web. "Too much just random surfing isn't necessarily good," Hofferth told the Washington Post. "However, playing games and studying are more focused, and they have a positive effect."Continue reading Kids Who Spend More Time on Computers Don't Suffer Academically, Study Says
Kids Who Spend More Time on Computers Don't Suffer Academically, Study Says originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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