100 year old gamer uses Nintendo DS to keep her mind active

Nintendo has certainly broadened the demographic of the gaming community in recent years, as demonstrated by 100 year old gamer Kathleen ‘Kit’ Connell. Kit  plays on her Nintendo DS console for two hours every evening, and has been nicknamed the ‘Nintendo Queen’ by UK newspaper The Sun.

With the recent boom in casual, social and mobile gaming, the pastime is no longer seen as having just niche appeal. Nintendo’s commitment to broadening its user base is typified by the range of brain training and educational games available on its DS system, which are among the games played by centenarian Kit.

Kit, who turned 100 last week, only started playing video games at the age of 96, but she now relies on her DS console to keep her mind active. “The Nintendo has been a great help to me, it’s absolutely amazing. If there’s any secret to a long life it’s to think positive and keep your mind active.”

Kit’s collection of 10 DS games includes My Word Coach, Left Brain Right Brain 2, Easy Piano and Brain Training. She reveals that her most recent Brain Training age was 64, which is perhaps testament to her use of video games to keep her mind active.

Remarkably spritely for her age, Kit lives alone in the small Scottish village of Thornliebank, despite having had both her legs amputated. After wearing out her first DS console, bought for her by daughter Pam Stewart, Kit is now on her second unit. “It’s absolutely super. I don’t feel a day over 80. I can’t speak highly enough of it,” she says.

It’s not all gaming for Kit in the evenings though, as she very sensibly takes a break now and then, something gamers are always being reminded to do. “I’ll play it in the evening, then I’ll have a break and a cup of tea, then I’ll go back to playing my Nintendo.” Wise words, indeed.

You can see a video of Kit talking about her DS console below:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nawe7F8cZ_U?rel=0&w=640&h=360]