Game Design Challenge
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.
Year levels
Years 3–6
Duration
6 lessons (~45 min each)
Submissions
Submit before 23rd October 2026
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 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
After registering, 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
Australian Curriculum and NSW Syllabus Links
YEARS 3 & 4 SCIENCE AS A HUMAN ENDEAVOUR
AC9S3H01/AC9S4H01 examine how people use data to develop scientific explanations.
AC9S3H02/AC9S4H02 consider how people use scientific explanations to meet a need or solve a problem.
YEARS 3 & 4 SCIENCE INQUIRY
AC9S3I01/AC9S4I01 pose questions to explore observed patterns and relationships and make predictions.
AC9S3I03/AC9S4I03 follow procedures to make and record observations, including making formal measurements using familiar scaled instruments and using digital tools as appropriate.
AC9S3I04/AC9S4I04 construct and use representations to organise data and identify patterns.
AC9S3I05/AC9S4I05 compare findings with those of others and draw conclusions.
AC9S3I06/AC9S4I06 write and create texts to communicate findings and ideas.
YEARS 3 & 4 DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGIES
AC9TDE4P02 generate and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate attributions and technical terms.
AC9TDE4P04 use given or co-developed design criteria including sustainability to evaluate design ideas and solutions.
AC9TDE4P05 sequence steps to individually and collaboratively make designed solutions.
YEARS 5 & 6 SCIENCE INQUIRY
AC9S5I01/AC9S6I01 pose investigable questions to identify patterns and test relationships and make reasoned predictions.
AC9S5I03/AC9S6I03 use equipment to observe, measure and record data with reasonable precision, using digital tools as appropriate.
AC9S5I04/AC9S6I04 construct and use appropriate representations, including tables, graphs and visual or physical models, to organise and process data and describe patterns, trends and relationships.
AC9S5I05/AC9S6I05 compare methods and findings with those of others, recognise possible sources of error, pose questions for further investigation and select evidence to draw reasoned conclusions.
AC9S5I06/AC9S6I06 write and create texts to communicate ideas and findings for specific purposes and audiences, including selection of language features, using digital tools as appropriate.
YEARS 5 & 6 DESIGN & TECHNOLOGIES
AC9TDE6P02 generate, iterate and communicate design ideas, decisions and processes using technical terms and graphical representation techniques, including using digital tools
AC9TDE6P04 negotiate design criteria including sustainability to evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions
AC9TDE6P05 develop project plans that include consideration of resources to individually and collaboratively make designed solutions