Gaming has traditionally been known for its entertainment value has been hailed by some researchers for its educational qualities.  Steven Johnson (2005) looks at research conducted by Professor James Gee,  researcher in learning science, to demonstrate how video games enhances cognitive skills rather than diminishes them. This is also supported by the studies of Mark Griffiths (2002) who has found that video games have great positive potential to address a specific problem or to teach a certain skill. Tap Tap Revenge is a game application that can be played on most smart phones. Being a big fan of this game, as well as being a social informatician, there are many noticeable cognitive effects that this game has on the player.

There are many parallels with the ideas of Griffith (2002), who has found that video games have greatly contributed to the “players learning potential” and enables the player to “measure performance”. When playing Tap Tap Revenge, players are required to tap the screen to the rhythm of the tune at a specified degree of difficulty. The game also records the score history for each level of difficulty for every song so the player is able to try to improve on this percentage of accuracy. This gaming experience inhibits the qualities that Griffith presents, as the game allows players to have fun while keep track of their score through their percentage of accuracy. Further, Johnson (2005) notes cognitive benefits, such as pattern recognition and systems thinking (Johnson 2005, para. 2) which are noticeable while continually playing Tap Tap Revenge. Players improve their ability in every attempt at the game as the mind becomes more familiar with the rhythm of the song, and begin to remember more and more of the taps. The brain appears to subconsciously remember which translates into the physical act of tapping.

This game highlights the importance of such technologies, particularly those notorious for entertaining, being used for real social purposes. Tap Tap Revenge is just a small example of how games can potentially be used for improving education and cognition, demonstrating its purpose as more than simply a technology, but as an asset to society.