Pupils' mathematical skills, attendance and punctuality are actually improved by playing Nintendo's Brain Training at school, a study claims.
The research contradicts earlier claims that computer games have little educational benefit.
Until now, researchers were divided on whether such mind-testing games did any good, with some suggesting that children would be better off sticking to traditional learning such as from books.
But a study by Scottish academics, to be published in the British Journal of Educational Technology, now says the games have proved their effectiveness.
The study, carried out by Derek Robertson, of the educational quango Learning and Teaching Scotland, and Dr David Miller of Dundee University, suggests that the increased use of games systems in Scottish schools is bringing real benefits.
The pair held a trial involving more than 600 children in 32 of the country's most deprived schools, where they believed the technology could bring about the most change.
Primary-age pupils in half of the schools taking part in the study were given a Nintendo DS with Dr Kawashima's Brain Training game - while pupils at the other schools did not use the game.
The trial found that the children who played the Nintendo for 20 minutes every morning for nine weeks improved their score on a 100-question mental arithmetic test by 50%.
They also significantly improved the time it took for them to complete the test, with the benefits particularly noticeable among the lowest-achieving children.
And teachers said instances of lateness and truanting dropped during the trial.
Mr Robertson said he believed the country was leading the world in using the technology in education.
"One of the biggest things for me was that I didn't anticipate the emphasis on self-improvement as opposed to beating someone else's score," said Mr Robertson, national adviser for emerging technologies and learning at LTS.
"We got countless stories from teachers about how children focus on how they can get better.
"There's also evidence about enhanced collegiality in the group. Children become really supportive of each other."
The researchers hope their work will give local authorities the confidence to invest in such games.
Although computer game systems are becoming commonplace in schools, there have been questions about whether they are anything more than an entertaining diversion for pupils.
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