Video games may be just what the doctor ordered. 

The first-ever prescription video game was approved by the FDA this week to treat 8-12-year-olds diagnosed with ADHD. 

The game challenges players to dodge obstacles and hit targets while navigating a variety of interactive landscapes like icy mountainscapes and red hot lava rivers. All while being led around by aliens zipping about on flying saucers.

Honestly, it sounds like an absolute blast. 

The developers say that the game stimulates the brain systems that are directly responsible for attention. The game also features adaptive technology that changes the experience based on the player’s progress, allowing for personalized treatment. 

The game is meant to be used as part of a treatment plan that may include therapy, medication, and education, according to the FDA.

“The EndeavorRx device offers a non-drug option for improving symptoms associated with ADHD in children and is an important example of the growing field of digital therapy and digital therapeutics,” Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in an agency news release.

There is a ton of research about the effects that video games have on our brains. We have summarized some of the more positive effects in this article. 

This FDA designation is a nod to all the hard work of researchers regarding video games and their effect on the brain.