According to a new study, Mario Kart raises levels of stress in players more than any other game in the world!
Recent research by Bonus Finder, a gaming and gambling site, has found that Mario Kart raises a player's heart rate more than any other game, and subsequently can be considered the most stressful.
Bonus Finder performed their study using 14 active gamers and monitored their heart rate as they played 16 of the most intense and popular games across a variety of gaming platforms.
And while many may have thought that action and combat games such as Dark Souls or Call of Duty would have topped the rankings, it is no other than family favourite Mario Kart that is the most strenuous on the heart!
What is the most stressful video game?
On a measurement of the average heart rate increase over a 30-minute period, Mario Kart increases the heart rate of players by 21 BPM, a huge jump of 32.81%.
A close second to Mario Kart was the biggest football video game series FIFA, which recorded an average BPM increase of 31.25%. If you are wondering how FIFA ranks so high, just think back to whenever your free-kick would ricochet off the goalkeeper onto the bar, then onto the post and then back into the keeper's arms to remember how it can get your pulse racing! (And potentially some profane language shouted also)
The typically more 'action' based video games Call of Duty (Modern Warfare) and Dark Souls III followed FIFA in third and fourth respectively. However, Dark Souls III did top the ranking for peak heart rate increase over a 30-minute period, with a frightening 98.44% increase.
Mario Kart also ranked third in the ranking for peak heart rate increase, recording an increase of 73.44%. We imagine this most likely comes during that agonising feeling as you are rushing for the finish line in first place and you see the blue, spiny shell looming over you, about to ruin all your efforts and send you back to finish in fourth!
The managing director of Bonus Finder and conductor of the study Fintan Costello said of the results: "What the study highlights is quite remarkable, despite all the newcomers with improved graphics and increased spending, the old Nintendo formula is still irresistible to gamers and nothing can replace the jeopardy of a red shell on the last lap of a race."
Image: Top 5 most stressful video games
Most stressful video games
The study also showed that games such Animal Crossing, The Sims and rather surprisingly Skyrim all ranked the lowest for heart rate increase.
So, if you start feeling stressed with your work or studies, chilling out and playing some good old, harmless Mario Kart is apparently not the way to go!
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