Can playing “The Legend of Zelda” really improve your mental health? Science says yes

Zelda isn’t just one of the best-loved franchises in the world — it’s also now scientifically proven to help your mental health.

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Experts from Imperial College in London, Kyushu Sangyo University, and Georgia State University teamed up to investigate how IPs like Zelda and Studio Ghibli can affect a person’s happiness levels.

The study consisted of selecting 500 students and asking them to play The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and watch Studio Ghibli films like My Neighbour Totoro ond Kiki’s Delivery Service. After playing Zelda specifically, they took a survey that looked at things like their sense of exploration, purpose, skill, calm, mastery, and meaning in life. Based on the survey response, researchers concluded that playing Zelda made these students happier and feel a strong sense of purpose.

“Engaging with these archetypal narratives can prompt a sense of mission: players feel they are contributing to a cause bigger than themselves, even if it is within a fictional world. This ‘bigger than self’ feeling can be deeply meaningful,” the research paper reads.

“Furthermore, many players find calm and meditative moments in the game by simply riding through open fields, quietly gathering resources, or watching sunrises atop tall peaks.”

Since the paper’s release, it has gone viral on TikTok, with one video amassing 77,000 views.

@pandoradewan Are you a fan of Zelda? And what’s your favourite Studio Ghibli film? #zelda #studioghibli #mentalhealth #sciencenews #psychology ♬ Kokiri Forest (From “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time”) – Ocarina Ensemble Version – David Erick Ramos

Based on the comments, it appears that many agree with the study’s findings.

“I just finished Tears of the Kingdom,” one shared. “I started to play it all over again because I love it and I want to find everything on my own!!!! It really does make me feel so happy.”

“Breath of the Wild is what I play when I need a comfort game,” another added. “I’ve been purposely taking forever to complete it to 100% so it can feel like it lasts forever. TotK isn’t far either. But Breath of the Wild for some reason hits it better.”

A third echoed: “I play Breath of the Wild after work most days and it makes me feel so much better,” while a fourth wrote: “I already tried out this technique. I put over 200 hours into Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.”

So, no matter what game you play in the Zelda saga, it seems like the result is the same: plenty of happy chemicals in your brain.

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