10 eLearning Games Ideas

An idea is only as good as its implementation. So in this article, we will list several eLearning games that not only had great ideas behind them but were done well and turned out to be profitable.

How Belitsoft Can Help

• Learning game development. If you have an idea of a game-based learning program, we can assist you with all the technical matters from game design to coding and post-launch support. We can do it for PCs, web, and mobile platforms.
• Quality assurance. We can independently test your game and ensure it is stable and works as it should.
• Game art. We can create stunning visuals to impress both you and your players.
• Consulting. We can share our experience with you so your game reaches its academic and business goals.
• Support. After the game has been launched we can handle all your maintenance and expansion needs.

1. Extraas

Extraas is not a single game, but a whole game-based platform, designed to efficiently teach Dutch and mathematics to the school students.

This platform is designed to be fun and engaging and thus improve the knowledge retention rate. Each game motivates the user to answer correctly and quickly. For example, in the “Powers of 10” making the right choice means the player’s car goes faster than the competitors’ vehicles and finishes first, giving the user that endorphin rush.

In addition to being fun and effective, Extraas helps users prepare for a number of exams that the Dutch students need to pass.

Extraas is web-based and makes money through subscriptions. There are four plans:

• 1 month - 12.95 EUR
• 3 months - 35.95 EUR
• 6 months - 69.95 EUR
• 12 months - 99.95 EUR

This platform has launched only recently but has already got over a thousand customers who praise it and rate it a 9.6/10.

For more information on Extraas see the showcase in our portfolio.

2. Ticken

Ticken is a top-notch touch-typing course that uses several games to reinforce what the user has learned during lectures and exercises.

The egg-catcher game.

Ticken utilizes a proprietary teaching method that allows learners to increase their typing speed to 140 characters per minute after only 15 hours of training. This is done by introducing effective exercises and having users type actual words almost immediately, instead of dwelling on the nonsensical letter combinations. After a few lessons, the learners can play games to unwind and reinforce what they’ve studied at the same time.

The shark game.

Ticken is a SaaS platform and earns money by selling access to the course. There are four packages:

• The basic course costs 79.95 EUR
• The basic course + a Skinny Typehelp keyboard cover cost 89.95 EUR
• The basic course + a typing test that grants the learner a certificate costs 99.95 EUR
• The basic course + test and Skinny Typehelp cost 106.35 EUR

Ticken has become a huge success with over 111,000 satisfied customers. Its average rating is 8,7/10. See our portfolio showcase for details on TET development.

3. TET

TET (Theorie Examen Trainer) is a web-based driving theory course. It includes training specific to the cars, motorcycles, and scooters

The core of the training program consists of mock tests that have questions similar to the real thing. If the user answers wrongly they get an explanation of the correct answer and the reason for it. Then the question gets shuffled among the others and reappears later so the learner can try again and get it right.

Besides, the intersection negotiation rules are taught through a mini-game.

TET is a SaaS platform that sells subscriptions. There are four packages:

• Access for 1 month costs 19.95 EUR
• Access for 2 months costs 29.95 EUR
• Access for 4 months costs 39.90 EUR
• Access for 6 months costs 59.85 EUR

The driving course has proven to be 8 times more effective than classroom-based training or similar DVD-based courses. As a result, more than 22,000 people have already purchased and completed TET. The average rating for it is 8.2 out of 10.

See the showcase in our portfolio for details on how we helped our customer bring TET to life.

4. Dragonbox Elements

Dragonbox Elements is a learning game that, in the words of its developers, “secretly teaches kids geometry”.

“Elements” sends the player on a quest to defeat the evil dragon Osgard and save the island, but this is a well-thought-out motivation system. The game is based on Euclid’s “Elements” and uses a narrative and several puzzles to teache players the basic theorems and axioms of geometry.

Dragonbox Elements is intended mostly for children age 8 and up but is played by everyone including people over 40.

This game is sold via application markets. It costs USD 4.99 on AppStore and 4.39 on PlayMarket.

Dragonbox Elements has over 10k downloads on PlayMarket. Although the exact install figures aren’t available, the success of the game can be extrapolated from the number of reviews: 77 on AppStore and 391 on PlayMarket. The ratings are also good: 4.4 and 4.6 respectively.

5. Pacific

Pacific is a learning game designed to improve leadership skills.

Unlike many other game-based eLearning products, Pacific is intended for corporate training. It targets both managers and common employees and allows them to practice teamwork, motivation, conflict resolution, and other similar skills. It is available in 11 languages: Spanish, English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, and Turkish.

The game uses a narrative approach. The plot revolves around a group of people (players) surviving in a plane crash on an uninhabited island and having to build a hot air balloon to escape. There are 6 modules, each focusing on a different part of the plot and aspect of leadership.

The game proved to be popular among its target audience. Companies who bought it include high-profile corporations like Fujitsu, MAN, Bombardier, and LG.

6. My Herc Don’t Work

This game helps train Canadian airforce technicians to repair aircraft engines. It is focused on the Lockheed C-130 Hercules (“Herc”).

My Herc Don’t Work is designed to simulate real-life interactions with both the airplane and other people who might help in determining the problem (e.g. pilots). So it includes interviews as well as technical tasks. Also, the player has to conduct research using the same resources he’d have available in reality.

The game was purchased by the Canadian military and has been featured in the “Military Logistics Forum” magazine.

7. CodeMonkey

CodeMonkey is a game-based platform that teaches children programming.

The games are mostly puzzles that can be solved by writing code in actual programming languages (e.g. Python and CoffeeScript). There are seven courses that target different age groups, teach different skills, and focus on different languages. Some of them are compatible with Common Core standards, as well as CSTA and UK Computing Programme.

CodeMonkey has a free trial option as well as two kinds of subscriptions.

Teacher options include the School, District, and After School plans with varying perks. The pricing is custom, you have to reach out to the developers for a quote.

Parent options include two plans: Parent and Home School. The first one costs USD 4.95/month and offers 1 child and one parent account as well as progress tracking feature and support. The second one is 9.95/month and allows for 3 child/1 parent accounts, provides solutions to all courses, and gives access to a classroom dashboard and support.

CodeMonkey has received over USD 2 million in venture funding. Now it is available in 15 languages and has 3.5 million registered users across the globe. In Israel, it is also a part of the "National Coding Olympics" organized by the country’s Ministry of Education.

8. Ruby Rei

Ruby Rei teaches players foreign languages while they follow the titular character and help her complete her quest.

The game is fully animated and has many language options, although most of the users play it to learn English. It is available for Windows, iOS, and Android and teaches reading, writing, listening, and speaking through over 600 interactions: puzzles, chats, etc. Although not perfect, it provides a fun environment for studying.

The developers have several ways to monetize Ruby Rei. The first two levels are free, but the full game costs USD 3.39. They also have separate pricing plans for teachers. The cheapest one costs USD 17.50 per license per year and includes Ruby Rei for Windows and Chromebooks, as well as interactive exercises, animated stories, teacher’s book, and installation support. The more expensive one costs 18.95 per license per year and includes online community access and tech support. The top-shelf platinum plan needs to be discussed with the devs and gives additional support perks.

Ruby Rei had over 10k installs on Android alone, and a 3.6/5 rating on both major application stores.

9. Kerbal Space Program

A cult classic among the learning games, KSP puts the user in charge of a space program of an alien race and lets him design and launch spacecraft.

The game is designed to teach players about celestial mechanics and rocket science in a fun and engaging way. It has great possibilities out of the box, and its huge modding community continues to expand on the features. So far the player can build and tests aircraft, rockets, satellites, space stations, rovers, and much more. It has received praise from both the players - the reviews on Steam are overwhelmingly positive - and the professionals alike. It was endorsed by NASA and Elon Musk himself for providing a reasonably accurate simulation of spacecraft.

KSP is available on PC, Mac, and Linux and requires a one-time purchase. The pricing differs by region, and there are add-ons available for an additional cost.

10. Factorio

Factorio is a game that teaches an instinctive understanding of supply chains and production through building automated factories.

The game’s graphics might be simple, but 2 million sales over 8 years show that there is definitely something behind the scenes. The player starts by chopping wood and mining ore manually and eventually starts to create production lines that allow for making more and more complex goods - from mechanical arms to defensive turrets to defend against hostile aliens.

Though the game is still in early access (expected to release in full by the middle of August 2020), it has already gathered a large fanbase and a vibrant modding community. The reviews on Steam are overwhelmingly positive.

Factorio is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.