serious game
development in Africa
by: Ngnaoussi E. Christian
We all want to learn. But how can we make it more
engaging both for the teacher and the learner? How to
learn better? The best way to do it is through a game. Keep
on reading and find out why developing mobile video game
can be a solution to provide more access to education in
Africa.
A QUICK BRIEF ON SERIOUS GAMES
Serious Games are pedagogical games designed to
educate, train and inform. These entertaining games for
learning, have attracted obvious attention in the field of
education, medical sector, and public institutions.
They are characterized by various elements, such as goals,
rules, restrictions, interaction, challenge, feedback, rewards,
and competition.
SOME AFRICAN GAME
DEVELOPERS
They are supposed to be an effective and
efficient instructional strategy for teaching and learning as
they involve competition and are organized by rules and
restrictions to achieve a certain educational goal. For
instance, competition stimulates the will to win and help
students to stay focused on the learning activity.
Some of them have taken the lead by
developing games that go beyond folkloric
echoes into having modern social
relevance. Maliyo’s mobile game Mosquito
Smasher isn’t just a satisfying time-killer but
also keys into a serious health problem.
A READY MARKET FOR AFRICAN GAMES
The potential of mobile serious games in the African market It “aimed at raising awareness of malaria,
is huge, especially because of high investment returns, a and sensitizing people about the need to
relative ease of development, the ability to attract many cultivate good hygiene habits” says Obi,
different users and their applicability in real life. African cofounder of Maliyo Games
video game developer should cooperate with the corporate
In Africa, mobile devices and smartphones
training and education industry.
are the most convenient and affordable
African W video
developer
W W . I S game
LANDS
- M A G A Z I N can
E . C turn
O M smartphones into
platform used to access content.
another instrument to further improve learning efficiency.
Through smartphones and mobile devices (tablets, iPads, Educational games are thus an innovative
etc.) the development of skills and soft skills will be easier instructional strategy to achieve learning
and more affordable than ever before in Africa. more effectively.
www.africanchangemakers.org