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Hey, everyone.
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Proceeded, three, two, one, ignition.
The levels are in a picture of magnificent proportions.
We'll be right back.
What are we doing at the mall again, Mindy?
We're going to the pet store, remember?
Grandma G-Force and her squirrel need to pick out food for her squirrel feeders, because the birds keep eating all their seeds.
Uh-huh.
Now, they said they would meet us out by the water fountain, but I don't see them anywhere.
Oh, there she is.
Looks like she brought Thomas Fingerling along, too.
Okay, hand him here.
What are you doing?
What do you mean?
What does it look like we're doing?
It looks like you're going for a swim in the mall fountain.
Mandy, move out of the way.
We're spelunking.
Spelunking?
Yeah.
Did you know people just throw their old pennies in this fountain here?
What?
Yep, this right here is my ice cream money.
Found it all.
Grandma G-Force, I thought we were here to get some pet food for your new squirrel, not go fishing for pennies.
We can do both.
Yeah, we brought the little fella along with us.
Wait, not the... Please tell me you didn't bring a squirrel to the mall.
Yep, he figured he should pick out his own food.
He's right here in this bag.
Uh, uh-oh.
What is it, Fingerling?
He ain't here.
What?
You lost the squirrel?
No, I didn't lose him.
He escaped.
Are you saying that we have an escaped squirrel on the loose in the mall?
I guess.
Okay, this little trip to the mall just became a squirrel search and rescue mission.
If security finds that squirrel before we do, we'll be banned from the mall forever.
So?
So that means no more penny diving for either of you.
No, no!
We need to find that squirrel.
And I think that might be a good place to start.
Okay, come on, everyone, quick.
Follow that screech.
Right behind you, Mindy.
What, what, what, what, what, what?
Hey, little squirrely squirrel.
Where are you, buddy?
Does anyone see it?
No.
Oh, hey, Roz, over there, look!
That's it!
Quickly, Mindy, after it!
Red, red, red, red, red, jump!
Get back, Mindy, you little furball!
He ran into that store, Mindy.
What store?
Where?
I don't see it.
That one.
Gamer Goblin.
Excuse me, ma'am.
Have you seen a woodland critter scurrying around here?
Quick, follow it.
Security's coming.
What is it?
Uh, welcome to the Gamer Goblin.
How can I help you?
Oh, uh, hi.
Um, this is going to sound a little bit strange, but uh, I don't suppose you've seen a squirrel in here, have you?
Nah, ma'am.
No squirrels.
Although that dude over there is pretty squirrely looking.
Oh, this game looks fun.
Dennis?
Oh hi Mindy, hi guy and me and geforce.
Yeah, don't forget about us, dennis.
What are you doing here, browsing?
What are you doing here, lost squirrel?
Oh sure, whoa mindy, check this out, what is it?
Gamer grid?
Oh, Oh yeah, Gamer Grid.
That one just came in this morning.
It's a super rad virtual reality game.
The graphics are killer.
Totally feels like real life, dude.
Ooh!
Virtual reality!
Mindy, I've heard about this game.
Really?
I thought the only games you played were those spot-the-difference puzzle games on your phone.
This game's different, Mindy.
It's based on a brain study from researchers at Western University in Canada.
Oh!
Okay, now that makes sense.
I was reading about it just this morning.
They wanted to find out if there was any differences between the brains of gamers and non-gamers.
And so each of the levels in Gamer Grid is based on one of the tests that they got their subject to do for the study.
Wow, that sounds bunker balls.
Hey, uh, Gamer Goblin, can we try this out?
For sure.
We've got a demo ready to go for you.
I don't know, Mindy.
We really should be trying to find that lost squirrel.
Oh, come on.
The squirrel's still going to be lost once we finish the game.
Anything for gaming?
Don't worry.
It's a super short demo.
It's only like three levels.
You'll all be in and out in like 15 minutes tops.
Come on.
Come on, just a quick 15-minute virtual reality adventure.
Okay, fine.
I'll give it a try.
Fingerling, Dennis, you in?
No.
Want to play a semi-educational video game based on a real-world scientific study about the differences in cognitive abilities between gamers and non-gamers.
You had me at cognitive abilities.
And you had me at Dennis.
Great.
We're all in, Miss Video Game Store Person.
Radical.
Please put on these VR headsets, and I'll get the game booted up for you.
Okie dokie.
Yay!
All right.
I can't see nothing.
Me neither.
Mine's all dark.
That's because she hasn't started the game yet.
Okay.
Now, the point of this game is, like, cooperation.
You have to work together to finish the levels.
You think you guys can, like, do that?
Yeah.
Sweet.
Here we go.
Whoa!
Whoa!
Wow, would you look at that?
Yeah, this is weird.
Where are we?
I think we're inside the video game.
Oh, but it feels so realistic.
I'll say it feels like I'm actually standing in a giant empty black room, Mindy.
Yeah, it even has its own echo.
Look, echo!
Echo!
Wow.
Testing, testing.
Can you dudes, like, hear me?
I'm talking to you through the game's chat function.
Oh, hey, Miss Video Game Store person.
Hey, so we have a little bit of...
I don't like the sound of that.
It looks like some sort of like rodent chewed through the electrical cabling in the store right when the game was loading up.
Ooh, that's not good.
The squirrel!
Oh, no!
And let me guess.
Now we're stuck in the game!
I'm sorry, what is anybody talking about?
What do you mean we're stuck in the game?
It's like a superhero origin story.
Right, as the game was loading, a squirrel short-circuited the programming and now we're all stuck inside.
What?
No, you can just take off the headsets, like, anytime you want.
Ah.
Well, that's not very dramatic.
Okay, fine.
Oh, no.
Something happened and now you're all stuck in virtual reality.
Oh, boy.
And now the only way out is to win the game.
Right?
Yeah.
If you complete the game it should reset the database and the code and stuff and I'll be able to get you out of there.
Oh, goodness.
The stakes are so high.
I know, right?
We have to finish the whole game?
Uh, yeah.
To begin, everyone needs to say, start game.
Ah, okay, fine.
Start game!
See you dudes on the other side.
Welcome to Gamer Grit.
Level one, memory maze.
Memory maze?
Hey, Ross, look over there.
You see that?
Yeah, it looks like a giant five by five grid of lights.
Yeah, look, the instructions are written down here.
It says each of those lights is a different color and they're going to come up in a specific order.
Your job will be to repeat back the order in which the colors came up.
Oh, I get it.
It's like Simon Says.
Hey, Fingerling.
What?
Don't you play that Simon Says video game all the time?
I don't know.
Did Simon say?
This must be the level that's based on the short-term memory test that researchers from Western University did on gamers.
Really?
Yeah.
The researcher found that gamers performed significantly better in memory challenges like this one than non-gamers.
Oh, you hear that, Fingerling?
Looks like all those hours of Simon Says are finally going to pay off.
I always knew they would.
So, how do you start the level?
Simon Says, start.
I guess like that.
Okay, now, let's see.
Looks like red blue blue yellow green green green, red blue.
Okay Fingerling, now all you have to do is repeat those colors back again.
You got this, Thomas Fingerling.
Yeah, you got this.
Alrighty, let's see here.
There was red, blue, blue, yellow, green, green, green again, red, and blue.
Angerling, you made it through level one.
I didn't doubt you for a second.
I did.
Level two, loading.
Welcome to level two, Odd One Out.
Odd One Out?
Is this one about sorting socks or something?
Because I have a lot of odd socks, but I'm not very good at sorting them.
So someone else is going to have to do this level.
I don't think this has anything to do with socks, Dennis.
I bet this is the level that's based on the part of the study that tested reasoning skills.
Look, Mindy, do you see those five doors in front of you?
Yeah, it looks like each of them has a picture on it.
Right, and if this is anything like that brain study, one of those pictures won't belong with the rest.
I bet we have to go through the door that has the picture on it, which is the odd one out.
Wait, isn't this sort of like those spot the difference puzzle games that you do before you go to bed at night?
Guy Raz.
You're right, Mindy.
Okay, so why don't you take the lead with this one?
Good idea, Mindy.
Okay, let's see here.
What pictures do we have on the doors here?
This one over here has a red triangle.
And I see a blue diamond on this one.
Oh, that middle door has a purple circle on it.
And this one has a green triangle.
And that far door has a blue circle.
Um, okay, think, Guy Raz, think.
Which one is the odd one out?
Hmm, okay, let's see.
Triangle, diamond, circle, triangle, circle.
Oh, is it the colors?
Maybe we have to go through the green door.
Why would we have to go through the green door?
Because I like green.
No, I don't think it's that.
Well, could it be the shapes?
Maybe, they're all different apart from...
Wait, I've got it.
You do?
Yes, that's it.
It's the diamond door.
Are you sure, Guy Raz?
Yes, look, there are two circles and two triangles, but only one diamond.
That's definitely the odd one out.
Okay, if you say so.
Grandma G-Force?
Yeah?
Kick in that door with the diamond on it.
With pleasure.
You got it right.
Yeah.
Now we get to move on to level three.
Level three.
Think fast.
Think fast?
What was that?
Oh!
Mindy, something just hit me.
What is going on?
I think this is the final level, Mindy.
What did that robot say that this level was called?
I believe she said it was called...
Think fast.
This must be the level to do with reaction times.
What are you talking about, Guy Raz?
In the study, researchers found that gamers had much faster reaction times and processing speeds than those that didn't play video games.
Processing speeds?
What does that mean?
Yeah well, processing speeds are how long it takes your brain to notice something, understand what it is and decide what to do, and then send a message to your body to react.
Ah, like these balls that are coming at us.
How fast it takes for us to notice that it's a ball, see it coming towards us and then jump to dodge it.
So close.
Exactly.
Just like a sprinter can train to run faster, your brain can train to react faster, too.
Ha-ha!
Dodged another one.
So what do we have to do to complete this level?
Well, it might have something to do with that big timer up on the wall there.
Oh, look!
It's counting down from 15, 14, 13, 12, 11... Dennis!
Now it says 15 again.
14.
Just reset.
I think all you need to do is avoid getting hit by any balls for 15 seconds.
I think you're right, Mindy.
Easy.
Yeah, this is gonna be easy.
Easy peasy.
This might be harder than we thought, Mindy.
Okay, everyone, focus.
Use those gamer reactions to dodge those balls.
You got it, Mindy.
Don't tell me what to do.
And jump watch out.
Duck, i got it, can't catch me.
Dennis, watch out, i see it.
I see it dodge that ball like a pro.
Good job hey, guy right there jump.
Whoa, that was a close one.
We're almost there, everyone.
Just five more seconds watch out Game over.
Congratulations on completing Gamer Grid.
Mindy, we did it!
We beat the game!
Yes!
Great job, everybody!
All right, little digi-dudes.
I knew you could do it.
Uh, can we leave now?
Please!
Yeah, get me out of here, Game Bloblin'.
Okay, okay.
Let me just run the extraction protocol.
And... Hold on.
This might tickle a little.
That's weird.
Welcome back, everyone.
Did you, like, dig the game?
How long were we gone for?
A year?
Two years?
Three years?
What year is it?
Relax, little dude.
It's only been like 15 minutes.
Oh, well, thanks to our gaming skills, we were able to beat the machine and get out of there.
Yeah, who knew that playing video games would actually come in handy?
Yeah, short-term memory, problem-solving skills.
Don't forget about all them digital dodgeballs.
That's right, the faster reaction times and processing skills.
Now, where's that squirrel who chewed through the wires?
Oh, that reminds me.
I have some, like, stellar news for you.
What?
I made a new friend.
The squirrel.
There he is.
I knew he'd come back.
No, you did not.
Oh, come here, little squirrel.
That's a good squirrel.
Yeah.
Little dude's been chilling here with me for the last 10 minutes.
Security, open up.
We know you're hiding rodents in there.
So I locked the door to the store.
Give us the squirrel, and then let us play a cool game.
Oh, no.
What are we going to do?
I'll hold them off.
Hope they like penny sandwiches.
Don't worry.
I'll go deal with security while you all head out the back door, OK?
Really?
You'd do that for us?
Duh.
A gamer in need is a friend indeed.
We've got you surrounded, and we want to play a retro 2D platformer.
Yeah, with beanbag chairs and chips.
Yeah.
Now get out of here, squirrel dude.
Go live a full life.
We will, video game goblin.
We will.
All right, let's go.
Right behind you, Tommy.
Right on.
Wow in the World will be right back.
Grownups, this message is for you.
That's it.
Back to the show.
Hi, thanks for calling Wow in the World.
After the beep, get ready to record.
Hi, Mindy and Guy Ross.
My name's Cora, and I'm from Louisville, Kentucky.
And my wow in the world is that Australia's Great Barrier Reef can be seen from space.
Bye.
Say hi to Reggie, Thomas Fingerling, Grandma G-Force, and Dennis for me.
Love your show.
Bye.
Hi, Mindy and Guy Ross.
I'm Adele, and I am nine years old.
I live in Arnold, Maryland.
My wow in the world is that sweat Actually, he's calling you down.
Bye.
Hi, Mindy and Guy Ross.
My name is Julian, and I'm from Lake Forest, Orange County.
And my wow in the world is that, if you measure from the ocean floor, Mauna Kea is taller than Mount Everest by nearly a mile.
In total, Mauna Kea is 10,210 meters tall, and Mount Everest is...
It's 8,848 meters tall.
Hi, Mindy and Guy Ross.
My name is Nev and I live in Pasadena California, and my wow is that Goliath Tarantula is the size of a dinner plate.
Hi, Mindy and Guy Ross.
My wow is that if an earthquake happens on Mars, it's called a Mars quake.
Bye.
Hi, Mindy and Guy Ross.
My name's Elliot, and I live in Edmonton, Canada.
And my wow in the world is that butterflies taste with their feet.
Hi, Reggie and Dennis and Thomas Fingerling and Grandma G-Force.
Howdy!
End of messages.
Grownups, if you like Wow in the World, you can listen early and ad-free right now on Wondery Plus.
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Thanks for listening to this episode of Wow in the World.
If you're a kid with a big wow to share with us, call our wow hotline at 1-888-7-WOW-WOW for a chance to be featured at the end of the show or an upcoming episode of Two.
What's in a Wow?
And while you're at it, why don't you head over to Apple Podcasts and tell us what wows you about our show by leaving a review?
You just might hear your reviews-y read by Dennis on WeWow on the weekend.
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With that, you'll get year-round mailings, weekly activities, birthday cards, and more.
On Tinkercastcom.
You can also shop our Wow Shop, get tickets for upcoming live events, find our books and learn about all the other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast.
Once again, that's Tinkercast.com.
Wow in the World is written by Mindy Thomas and Tom Van Kelken with contributions from me, Guy Raz.
Original sound design and music editing is done by Tyler Thole, with help from our senior production director, Jed Anderson.
You can also hear Jed Anderson in the voices of Dennis Thomas Fingerling, Reggie and many of the other silly characters you hear on our show.
This episode also features the voice talents of Lizzie Fralick.
Thanks, Lizzie.
Jessica Bode keeps our facts straight as our fact checker and Meredith Halpern-Ranzer powers the wow at Tinkercast.
Our theme song was composed and performed by three-time Grammy nominees, the Pop-Ups.
Find them at thepopups.com.
Special thanks to our team, including Kit Ballinger, Rebecca Caban, Dr Natasha Crandall, Kenny Curtis, Kristen Yang, Thuy Mac, Erica Medina, Henry Moskal, Jody Nussbaum, Ali Paksima, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa, Anna Zagorski and all of the other tinkerers at Tinkercast HQ.
Grownups, you can follow Wow in the World on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at Wow in the World.
And our email address is hello at Tinkercast.com.
Thanks for listening.
Find episodes of Wow in the World every Monday, Two What's in a Wow every Friday, and We Wow on the Weekends with Dennis every Saturday and Sunday, right here in the Wow in the World podcast feed.
Until then, keep on wowing!
Wow in the World was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.
