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do you believe in magic?

Player says collectible card games are healthier for young people than video games

Date published: 11/9/2006

By Michael Zitz

In spite of the past stigma involving Dungeons & Dragons, collectible card games like Magic: The Gathering provide players a far more positive outlet than video games, according to those who love Magic.

"There's a lot more strategy than in video games, and a lot more human interaction," said Dan Bowman, a 29-year-old Magic player from Fredericksburg.

But, he noted, anything can be negative if a person becomes too immersed in it and obsessed, whether it's surfing the Internet, playing fantasy football or taking part in collectible card games.

Bowman said he got rid of his Sony PlayStation portable video game because "it's very self-involved," and he found the device eating up more and more time and cutting him off from humanity.

Magic, he said, engages people in an equally enjoyable, but more constructive, way.

"If you win, you win on your own merits, not just because you've put in more hours familiarizing yourself with a video game."

In addition to that, players meet and interact with new people instead of sitting zombie-like in front of a TV screen, Bowman said.

--Michael Zitz



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Date published: 11/9/2006