Video games are frowned upon by parents as time-wasters, and worse, some education experts think that these games corrupt the brain. Playing violent video games are easily blamed by the media and some experts as the reason why some young people become violent or commit extreme anti-social behavior.

From our archives: Microsoft Enhances Video Game-Watching Platform to Rival Twitch

But many scientists and psychologists find that video games can actually have many benefits – the main one is making kids smart. Video games may actually teach kids high-level thinking skills that they will need in the future.

Here are the good and bad effects of video games – their benefits and disadvantages, according to researchers and child experts: