Who knew that piecing together colorful blocks could help you avoid a life of crack dens and track marks? Evidently, a group of UK researchers. In a recent study, Tetris was found to reduce the "strength, frequency and vividness of naturally occurring cravings." While the study focused primarily on fatties -- or, more professionally worded, folks with an addiction to food -- we assume that the addiction-curbing qualities aren't limited to fiends of the uncontrollable munching variety; vein-hunters, shoppers, sex-driven lunatics and, hilariously, video game enthusiasts all make for potential candidates.

 "This study provides the first laboratory test of this hypothesis in naturally occurring, rather than artificially induced, cravings -- participants who had played ‘Tetris’ had significantly lower craving and less vivid craving imagery."

Not only was the study successful, with findings suggesting that cravings were reduced by up to 24 percent, it was done so without using craving induction procedures. No pills, injections, tricks or scams were utilized to fool the bodies of cupcake-users into desiring or rejecting those sweet, sweet calories. Instead, it was video games.

“It doesn’t have to be Tetris, it could be anything visual,” Jackie Andrade, a psychology professor at Plymouth University told NBC, proving to millions of naysayers around the world that video games can be beneficial beyond the realm of interactive entertainment.

My take: I would probably be well over 300 pounds if it wasn't for gaming. I become too invested in the experience to eat, and thus shed calories while staring at a monitor for hours on end. It's the perfect -- albeit horribly unhealthy -- diet. While my doctor, parents, fiance and friends all believe that there's more to life than dying over, and over again in Dark Souls II, there's finally some substance to my "video games are good" argument.