This jam is now over. It ran from 2025-03-30 18:10:05 to 2025-04-01 18:05:38. View 5 entries
We love arcade games because they focus on the essentials—just like good science. That connection got us thinking: can arcade games communicate scientific phenomena?
Students and faculty from Pace University and Parsons School of Design came together to find out. In the Phenomenal Arcade game jam, teams selected scientific phenomena and built arcade games with two core goals in mind: the games had to be fun, and they had to offer a clear learning outcome.
The results? A set of unique arcade games, all loaded into a single cabinet designed to travel—ready for museums, schools, universities, and public spaces. Each game tackled a different scientific idea, using the fast, focused format of arcade play to spark curiosity and communicate complex concepts.
Along the way, we also explored bigger questions: Can games represent science with authenticity and still be engaging? Will curators and scientists support this kind of play-based engagement? And how might projects like this help game design students discover career paths beyond the traditional video game industry?
The answers are still unfolding—but one thing’s clear: the jam proved that arcade games can do more than entertain. They can teach, connect, and travel.
No submissions match your filter