Challenge
Game Design Challenge
Students design and pitch a mobile science game — learning systems thinking, creative design, and how science becomes play.
Student teams work through six digital lessons to develop a complete mobile science game concept. They define their science topic, design gameplay mechanics, and create a pitch deck judged in a national competition with public voting. A genuine STEAM challenge for Years 3–6.
Register for FreeYear levels
Years 3–6
Duration
6 lessons (~45 min each)
Submissions
Dates TBC
Prize
National recognition + public voting
What students do
- Learn how science concepts can be turned into engaging game mechanics
- Define a science concept or experiment as the basis for their game
- Design game objectives, obstacles, and rewards
- Create a complete game concept including visuals and a gameplay description
- Complete a Game Design Challenge slide deck documenting their process
- Submit the game concept to the National Game Design Challenge for public voting (optional)
The science behind it
The Game Design Challenge integrates science with design and technology thinking. Students don’t just play games — they think about what makes a game teach something. This requires them to understand science concepts deeply enough to communicate them through game mechanics.
Aligned to both the Science and Design and Technologies strands of the Australian Curriculum for Years 3–6, the challenge develops systems thinking, creative problem solving, and the ability to communicate science ideas to a general audience.
Access Lessons via the Arludo Science Portal
Create your free teacher account to access all six Game Design Challenge lessons, download lesson plans, and share lesson links with your Team Captains.
Get started freeHow the Game Design Challenge Works
Discover
Students explore what makes a great mobile science game — the science concept, the gameplay mechanics, and how players learn while they play.
Design
Teams define their game concept: science topic, objectives, obstacles, rewards, and visual style. The Team Captain leads the digital lesson process.
Pitch
Teams complete their Game Design Challenge slides and submit their concept. Top entries advance to public voting in the National Game Design Challenge.
A Genuinely National Competition
The National Game Design Challenge puts student work in front of a real audience. Shortlisted teams are announced publicly, the top 10 finalists are determined by public vote, and the top 3 winners are celebrated nationally.
- Shortlisted teams announced publicly
- First round public voting to determine top 10 finalists
- Second round public voting to select top 3 winners
- Winners featured on the Arludo website and across social media