As beloved as video games are, there’s no denying that they can sometimes be a source of stress. Whether it be by playing a tense horror game like Alien Isolation, trying to complete a seemingly impossible challenge in Crash Bandicoot 4, or even just looking to get a brand-new console on launch day, games can put peoples’ hearts through the ringer.
Website BonusFinder, in collaboration with sports scientists, recently decided to see exactly which games were the most stressful. To do this, they tasked 14 competitive gamers to play 16 of the most popular games at the moment, which included the likes of Fortnite and Among Us, and measured their heart rates over the course of a 30-minute play session.
And while the results aren’t entirely surprising, there are some interesting things to be gleaned from then. For starters, of all the included games, the one considered to be the most stressful to play was Mario Kart (BonusFinder doesn’t specify which Mario Kart was used but it was most likely the most recent mainline entry, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Switch).
The average heart rate throughout a session of Mario Kart was 85 BPM (a 32.81% increase over resting rate), just beating out FIFA 20 and even Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Despite Mario Kart‘s more colorful and cartoony visuals, any Mario Kart player will likely agree with the results, as even the most casual of games can become intense between the outlandish track designs and over-the-top items being flung all over the place.
BonusFinder also tracked peak heart rate, to see which games produced the most heart-stopping moments, and Dark Souls 3 deservedly took the top spot. The series is infamous for its crushing difficulty, so it’s hardly surprising for it to be scientifically proven to be a major source of stress. In particular, players’ heart rates spiked as high as 127 BPM during the Darkeater Midir boss fight.
Just behind that was Fall Guys, with heart rates peaking at 125 BPM during final rounds when players were close to winning the coveted crown. Much like Mario Kart, Fall Guys may not appear to be such a stressful game to play when looking at its visual aesthetic, but a quick look at gameplay videos and livestreams will show how competitive players can get and the frustrations brought on from just barely missing the crown or being knocked off the edge of a platform.
Unsurprisingly, games like The Sims and Animal Crossing were found to cause the least amount of stress. These two franchises’ popularity has usually stemmed from how relaxing they can be. The newest Animal Crossing title, New Horizons, has been said to have helped players ease their stress, especially during the current coronavirus pandemic that has forced many to stay indoors.
The full results of the tests can be found on BonusFinder’s website.
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