Inspiration
As someone who watched peers struggle with student debt and poor financial choices post-grad, I wanted to create a risk-free way to learn money management. The goal was to make financial literacy engaging—no boring textbooks, just real-life decisions that mirror the ups and downs of adulthood in the US and Europe.
What it does
It’s a life-simulation game where players navigate from age 22 to 72, making budgeting, investing, and life event decisions. Track net worth, credit score, and quality of life; face unexpected events like job loss or windfalls; and see how choices shape your financial future—all while learning core financial concepts.
How we built it
I started with mapping the 50-year timeline (6-month increments) and financial calculation logic (net worth, credit score). Built the frontend with React for responsive design (desktop/mobile) and the backend with Node.js/Express to handle player data. Used MongoDB for storing progress, leaderboards, and teacher dashboards, and integrated historical market data to power investment mechanics.
Challenges we ran into
Balancing realism with playability was tough—too much complexity would overwhelm players, too little would reduce learning value. Also, ensuring financial calculations were accurate (compound interest, risk/reward) while keeping the UI intuitive. Syncing real-time leaderboards and teacher dashboard data across devices added technical hurdles.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Creating 12 distinct endings (from Financial Ruin to Early Retirement Millionaire) that reward diverse decision-making, building a fully accessible UI (WCAG 2.1 AA), and designing a teacher dashboard that makes the game usable as a classroom tool—something educators have already expressed excitement about.
What we learned
I deepened my understanding of financial modeling and how to translate complex concepts into simple, actionable gameplay. I also learned the importance of accessibility in educational tools and how to balance user experience with accurate real-world financial logic.
What's next for this project
Expand career path options, add challenge modes (e.g., "living on a fixed income"), integrate more localized financial scenarios (e.g., EU tax structures), and build out the educational resource library with more video tutorials and interactive glossary features. We’re also exploring partnerships with high schools to pilot the classroom version widely.
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