Soccer Kid, having already appeared on the Jaguar, 3DO, and SNES, brings its unique brand of side-scrolling platform action to the Game Boy Advance. Scab, an interstellar alien pirate with a penchant for collecting trophies, has stolen the prized Universal Soccer Trophy. While making his getaway, Scab crashes his ship into an asteroid, causing the trophy to shatter into five different pieces, all of which are now scattered across the planet. As Soccer Kid, players embark on a quest to restore the trophy by seeking out a piece of the trophy in five different countries, namely, England, Italy, Russia, Japan, and the U.S.A. Lacking the brute force necessary to defeat the many enemies encountered, Soccer Kid instead makes use of a soccer ball, along with a wide array of special kicks, to dispatch those who dare stand in his way. Two hearts represent his vitality gauge, though a third can be acquired. If he comes into contact with any hostile character, Soccer Kid will lose one heart.

Though primarily used as a means of offense, the numerous chips, volleys, diving headers, and bicycle-kicks that Soccer Kid can perform will see the player rewarded with bonus points at the end of each stage. Should the ball be destroyed or lost, a new one can be called into play by the young protagonist, however, the more balls used, the smaller the end-of-level bonus will be. The main objective in each country is to uncover 11 hidden soccer cards. Once all are found, players must compete in a mini-game event where they’re tasked with collecting 50 items within a pre-determined time limit. Successfully doing so will earn the player a piece of the World Cup and bring them one step closer to fixing this most prized possession. A password save feature records the player’s current progress. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

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i know that playing instruments does help kids in activating those neural connections, that might otherwise die from disuse. so i’ve been wondering if playing video games or any sorts of PC games or on-line games does the same thing to youth’s brains as what playing instruments does? what about doing sports? any types of activities? well, after all, i think they are just variations of the same thing, exercising your brains in different ways. so, is it true?

Yes, they will build more neural connections. But, do we want those connections in the first place. Almost anything learned will build connections that relate to that action. Is not about having lots of connections. It is about having the right connections. The connections that will enable them to succeed in life. From music children learn perseverance, learn creativity, etc etc.
What would they learn from video games? that is the question.