Wealth Quest

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Inspiration

We wanted a game that feels cozy and familiar, but quietly builds real‑world money skills. Many kids learn about money too late or in abstract ways, so we created a friendly city and a relatable routine where small choices feel meaningful. The goal was to make financial literacy feel less like homework and more like a story they’re part of.

What it does

Wealth Quest lets players explore a city, meet scenarios, and make spending, saving, and investing decisions. Their choices affect their progress, insights, and future preparedness, with simple, kid‑friendly feedback. It’s designed for a younger audience, so concepts like stocks, budgeting, and saving are explained in plain language and reinforced through play.

How we built it

We built the game with a React + Next.js front end and Phaser for the top‑down world. A lightweight state system tracks player choices, balances, and milestones, and popups guide the learning moments. The design uses pixel art, clear UI, and short, friendly text to keep the experience approachable and focused.

Challenges we ran into

Balancing fun with learning was the hardest part. We wanted choices to feel impactful without overwhelming younger players, and we needed the UI to be clear but not cluttered. Getting movement, collisions, and popups to feel smooth in a mixed React/Phaser setup took careful coordination, especially when adding new features quickly.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud that the game feels playful while still teaching real concepts. The choices and feedback create a sense of agency, and the city setting makes financial decisions feel like natural parts of daily life. Most importantly, we built something kids can enjoy while quietly building skills that matter.

What we learned

We learned that clarity and kindness in UX matter just as much as mechanics. Small wording changes can make complex topics feel safe and understandable. We also learned how to bridge a rich game loop with real educational outcomes without sacrificing the joy of exploration.

What's next for Wealth Quest

We want to expand the world with more locations, storylines, and long‑term goals, plus richer feedback on how choices affect the player over time. We also plan to add more mini‑lessons on investing and saving, parent/educator tools, and accessibility improvements so more kids can learn and play comfortably.