What are some short and long term advantages to playing video games?

Short term: adrenaline from games (whether they be puzzles, sports, video games, etc.) increases blood flow to your brain and entire body, pumping you full of oxygen and endorphin. You will probably experience heightened awareness, elated mood and an increase of short-term energy.

Long term: cognitive function increases, you will get better at problem solving/hand eye coordination and other skills depending on the type of games you play.

Disadvantages in the short term: prolonged use can cause eye strain, headache, muscle cramping, increased appetite and difficulty focusing.

Disadvantages in the long term: prolonged use can cause weight gain, loss of muscle mass, chronic headaches, eye issues, seizures, poor posture resulting from loss of core strength (see: loss of muscle mass) can lead to muscle cramps, joint disorders and back problems, difficulty remembering... The jury is kind of out on this one. People haven't been playing video games as much as we do now long enough for people to study it.