Conclusions: The findings showed the significant positive effect of popular video games such as Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi on fostering players’ childlike wonder, increasing happiness, and reducing burnout risk. This study was among the first to identify childlike wonder as an emotional pathway through which mainstream video games could enhance well-being and reduce burnout. By moving beyond escapism and nostalgia, it offers a new perspective on how well-designed, globally familiar games can function as accessible, resilience-building digital microenvironments. These findings contributed to research bridging gaming and mental health and have practical implications for game designers, educators, and health professionals interested in promoting mental wellness through everyday play.
Results: Insights from in-depth interviews showed that players appreciated the ability of Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi games to instill childlike wonder, enhance happiness in life, and reduce burnout risk. Quantitative analyses showed that the games’ affordance of childlike wonder positively affected young adults’ happiness (b=0.30, SE=0.04, t=6.80, 95% CI 0.21-0.38; P <.001). In turn, overall happiness significantly reduced the risk of burnout (b=–0.48, SE=0.05, t=–9.55, 95% CI –0.572 to –0.377). Results showed that happiness fully mediated the impact of childlike wonder on burnout, as the direct effect of childlike wonder on burnout risk became insignificant (b=–0.08, SE=0.04, t=–1.88, 95% CI –0.16 to 0.01; P =.06), while the indirect effect of childlike wonder on burnout risk was significant (b=–0.14, bootstrapped SE=0.03, 95% CI –0.20 to –0.09).
Methods: We used a mixed methods approach. First, qualitative data were collected through 41 exploratory, in-depth interviews (women: n=19, 46.3%; men: n=21, 51.2%; prefer not to disclose sex: n=1, 2.4%; mean age 22.51, SD 1.52 years) with university students who had experience playing Super Mario Bros. or Yoshi. Second, quantitative data were collected in a cross-sectional survey (N=336) of players of Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi to examine the games’ affordance of childlike wonder, overall happiness in life, and burnout risk.
Objective: This study examined the extent to which, if at all, popular video games such as Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi could foster childlike wonder. It also investigated the potential of these games to reduce burnout risk among young adults.
Background: Unrelenting pressure and an “always-on” culture can leave no time for genuine rest among young adults. While playing video games has been noted to afford cognitive escapism and relaxation, critical questions remain about the influence of popular video games, such as Super Mario Bros., and their potential effects on young adults’ burnout risk.
Introduction
Overview of Young Adults and Burnout Risk
Young people today face a unique constellation of interconnected pressures that contribute significantly to anxiety, worry, and burnout [ - ]. Soaring costs for housing, education (leading to significant student loan debt), and basic necessities create significant financial pressure [ , ]. Achieving traditional markers of adulthood (home ownership and a stable career) feels increasingly out of reach for numerous young people. Witnessing vast wealth disparities and feeling the system is rigged can fuel pessimism and a sense of unfairness about future prospects [ ]. Furthermore, intense pressure to excel academically from a young age, secure prestigious internships or jobs, and build a seemingly perfect resume can create chronic stress [ ]. Success is often narrowly defined and hypercompetitive. Importantly, these cumulative stressors arise during what developmental psychologists describe as emerging adulthood, a period marked by identity exploration and instability [ ].
Young adulthood, often referred to as emerging adulthood, is considered a distinct stage of development characterized by identity exploration, instability, self-focus, and shifts in social roles, typically spanning the late teens and 20s [ ]. Epidemiological research indicates that many mental disorders first appear during this life stage, although timing varies across diagnostic categories—for example, anxiety disorders tend to surface earlier, while mood disorders can appear later [ , ]. These onset patterns often coincide with major life transitions involving education, work, and growing autonomy, which have been linked to higher psychological distress and lower well-being among young adults [ ]. Hence, focusing on this demographic remains critical for understanding today’s mental health challenges and for identifying where digital interventions might best support well-being.
In addition, the current “always-on” digital culture and social media expose young people to curated highlights of others’ lives, careers, and achievements 24/7, fostering unrealistic comparisons, fear of missing out, and feelings of inadequacy [ - ]. The digital world also provides new avenues for bullying and harassment, impacting mental health significantly. Moreover, smartphones make it difficult to disconnect from work, studies, or social obligations [ , ]. The expectation to be constantly available and responsive erodes downtime and contributes to burnout. Moreover, doomscrolling or the constant exposure to negative news cycles and global crises (climate change, political or social conflict and unrest, or pandemics) can be overwhelming and induce feelings of helplessness [ - ]. Fueled by social media and competitive environments, many young adults internalize unrealistic expectations of perfection in all areas (looks, career, relationships, and hobbies), leading to self-criticism and anxiety about failure [ - ].
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