Akoha’s Room to Read Community Challenge

Check out Akoha, a game based on the idea of ‘paying it forward’ – do something nice for someone else and ask them to do the same. Akoha uses cards with good deed missions printed on them, you pass them on and can follow their path through the world on the Akoha site.

In addition to being fun and making you feel good, Akoha has partnered wtih Room to Read to sponsor the construction of a school library in Nepal.

What if playing a game could make the world a better place? Playing Akoha missions can be fun and meaningful. As part of our play testing phase, we’ve adopted a school project with Room to Read. (more…)

Cartoon Network Game Creator

In an effort to get lots of little notes off my desk, I’ve just spent a few minutes playing with the Cartoon Network’s Game Creator. Heard about it in episode 5 of the Games in Libraries podcast.

I confess, I’m really pathetic at playing video games, but I did have fun creating my own VERY easy game. And I found another really easy one that was right up my beginner level alley.

Creating a game involves 6 easy steps: including picking a character, a background, goals, barriers and more. Once you’ve tested your game to make sure it actually can be won, you can submit it to be approved for inclusion with other games. Other people can play it and rate it. And you can invite your friends to play too.

There’s lots of information for parents, a help section and short tutorial on building a game, which I appreciated, but suspect isn’t needed by most kids.

There was a very short commercial when first visiting the site, but it was short. Only suggestion I would have is provide some way to embed a game on a blog or web page.

Just call me Mighty Zeus Llama from now on!

Games