MindLight: New Android Neurofeedback Game with Horror Survival Theme

A haunted house, shadow creatures, and a mission to rescue your grandmother might sound like the typical elements of a spooky adventure game. However, MindLight, developed by PlayNice, transcends the conventional by integrating an action-adventure format with a unique approach to helping children manage stress and anxiety through biofeedback.

What is biofeedback? It's a mind-body therapy that aims to enhance both physical and mental well-being. In MindLight, your emotions directly influence the gameplay. When you're calm, the dark mansion illuminates, but if you're anxious, it remains shrouded in shadows, creating a more eerie environment.

MindLight is More Than Just a Game

MindLight was co-developed by Dr. Isabela Granic, co-founder of PlayNice and the lead scientist behind multiple randomized control trials involving over a thousand children. These trials demonstrated that kids who played MindLight experienced a significant reduction in anxiety, often by at least half.

The game's narrative is straightforward: you play as a child navigating through your grandmother's mansion, which has been overtaken by shadows. Equipped with a headset, the game monitors your brainwaves or heart rate in real-time, using this data to adjust the light levels, helping you to explore and fend off frightening creatures.

Although primarily tested with children aged 8 to 12, PlayNice notes that older kids and parents have also found the game engaging. Thanks to its real-time adaptation to each player's stress response, the experience remains personal and dynamic for everyone.

Getting Started with MindLight

To begin playing MindLight, you'll need two things: the Neurosky MindWave 2 EEG headset and a subscription to the game. PlayNice offers two subscription options—one tailored for a single child and another for families, accommodating up to five players.

You can download MindLight from the Google Play Store, as well as from the Amazon store, App Store, and directly from PlayNice's website.