Also a relevant study:
Playing Super Mario 64 increases hippocampal grey matter in older adults
Maintaining grey matter within the hippocampus is important for healthy cognition. Playing 3D-platform video games has previously been shown to promote grey matter in the hippocampus in younger adults. In the current study, we tested the impact of 3D-platform video game training (i.e., Super...journals.plos.org
Honestly it does make sense, especially as it pertains to titles like Super Mario 64 that demand consistently thoughtful approaches to situations. You cannot really succeed through random or thoughtless play in almost any circumstance. Though this is speculative on my part, I would not be surprised if games like Call of Duty (as played by average users, not pros) would not generate the same results since it's much easier to sort of "zone out" and autopilot a bit while you play.
ah dang grandma just blj'd through the kitchen coffee table
But yeah, I do think that a game that requires reframing your thinking, or a game that presents you with different challenges fairly consistently, would give a similar effect. Portal and Braid would probably do the same for brain activity.
