A customized throw-back video game may offer a surprisingly futuristic path to stroke recovery.

In a new study, Northwestern University scientists developed a 90s-style video game to help chronic stroke survivors regain lost arm function. While wearing a small device on their impaired arm and using a laptop computer, players use their arm muscles to complete tasks such as flying a helicopter around the screen to hit a moving target. The muscle retraining helps separate the brain’s uncoordinated movement signals, enabling muscles to work independently again.

After six weeks of the game-based therapy, chronic stroke survivors improved arm function by as much as 7.8 times as much as those in the control group. This video shows the difference before and after therapy. They also kept improving even after stopping the therapy. Being able to play the game at home allowed for better access to the therapy and increased reps. Participants performed more than 300 reps per day compared to normal physical therapy in a clinic where they might get only 30 reps three days per week, said co-corresponding author Dr. Marc Slutzky.