Making Minigames

Discover the hidden gems that lie within the World of Us game.

GAME

2 MINS READ

DATE

MAY 17, 2024

AUTHOR

World of Us

The World of Us Info editorial team comprises a global network of creative minds, makers, writers and industry experts. The team strives to research with enquiry and openness at its core, while constantly searching for opportunities to exchange knowledge and expand as a community.

“Mama, Papa, I have come up with a new game. Do you want to play it with me?”

In youth, life is a game. We make games to pass the time, to explore the world around us, and to collaborate with others. The games we create are shaped largely by where we are. In warmer climates, playing outside inspires the rules and boundaries of games. Where it is often cooler, games are created in more contained, indoor spaces—though imaginations can still run free. Our surroundings, culture, and history shape the way we come up with these games and their rules. We learn right from wrong and how to play fairly. With these skills we are preparing for life as adults—even if we don’t realise it at the time.

Our mission at TALES has always been to create space and help tell the stories of those who want to be heard. When we began creating the World of Us game we knew that showcasing myths and histories through games could help reach and engage the younger generation and their curious minds. Who better to create these games than young people themselves? In 2021, TALES began hosting workshops, inviting bright young minds to come together to write, design and create their own minigames—based on the world as they know it.

From these workshops we saw an amazing opportunity.

We wanted to give young digital creators their own platform to highlight their work and the tales of the localities we work in. So, we made sure to keep developing their ideas so that even more people can learn from their stories. Whether they had a great idea or if they had the tools to build their digital journeys, we were able to support in sharing these incredible worldviews and talents. Minigames are, quite simply put, smaller games found within a larger game. By creating these games within the World of Us Game we are able to tell more stories throughout the journey.

In this series—Making Minigames—we are going to take you through how we have brought these ideas to life, who are the creative minds behind the games, and the local myths and histories that inspired them.

All the games we’ll talk about will be available to play in the Wandering Isles inside WoU. Follow the series to find out how you can play along and support young game designers in the process. The first game we’ll be sharing is Amana. Stay tuned.

...