Gamification

For many students, the cost of education has placed a four-year college degree out of reach.

The Challenge: Our client wanted a way to reach high schoolers through innovative, non-traditional methods.

My Solution: I created Degree Dash, a micro-game using game mechanics to promote a state program that made earning a college degree more accessible.

Designed in the style of retro 8-bit party games popular on smartphones and tablets, Degree Dash featured two rounds of play, with the goal of collecting graduation caps to unlock access to the golden university.

• Round one: The game mechanics were set so that the graduation caps were out of reach.

Round two: Players were given a California Community College “Power-Up,” which made it easier to capture graduation caps, earn points, and unlock access to a four-year university.

The game became a centerpiece of a grassroots high school and community college tour across California, combining fun, nostalgia, and interactivity to communicate a serious message: community college can be a powerful pathway to a four-year degree.

Digital Director / Creative Director: Zaqary Whitnack
Developer: Three29