Are video games worth playing?

           My own children love playing video games; they have computer games (on CDs), internet games, X-box, Nitendo, Game Boy and their parents' handphone games. At one time, I was damn worried when they got hooked to these games and were not able to balance their time between studies and games. I have heard  a counsellor saying that when one plays games online, their brain works differently and they 'll need time to adjust their brain cells and prepare for studies. And since then, I control their access to these games and it  works! After some time, they got tired of some of the games like pokemon, Digimon, Harry Potter, Naruto and what  not. Most of the games work the same way, I suppose. As a player taking up the role in the game, he/she just needs to fight and choose the right weapon to get his/her way through the game until he/she succeeds. I guess, the choice of game is very important. If not, you'll just be wasting time sitting in front of the console when you have other better things to do. WELL.. those thoughts struck me before I started playing the video games myself (not the handphone games of course)!!!
        I  played an X-Box "Warrior" game with my boys. I just pressed the buttons that are available on the game console and 'beat up" my opponent as bad as I could (at the same time, reminding my sons not to behave likewise, and that, this is just a game..lol). Well.. I lose of course. The boys are smarter.. they learnt the movement strategies fast enough and  able to manipulate the character and defeat their 'mummy'. They have 'mastered' the semiotic domains (at least some) of the game or rather..  its internal design ( Gee, J., 2003). They have learnt to situate meanings of elements (images, actions, symbols...) through the experience of playing the game. Another amazing example is the X-Box Fifa 2010 game. My son knows how to kick a ball but not playing ball with a group of players, like soccer. Ever since I introduced him this game, he was quick to learn the strategies involved in the game by taking the role as 'a manager' of one of the soccer teams esp; Manchester. He knows the names of the players now and able to identify the strength of some of the players (through this game). He was also able to apply the skills learnt 'on the screen'  when he plays with his friends in soccer games at school. Well... this shows that he is thinking and learning at the same time as he plays the game. He has become one of the critical learners as mentioned by Gee. 
         Well the choice of game played is really very crucial .... but what about the recent news regarding a couple who played video game and left their baby unattended and not survived? The choice of game is good, I must say..it's about good childcare!