(culture, healthy relationships, media literacy) | Lucas Vially | France
(teen dating violence, bystander awareness) | GP Touch | Thailand
(healthy relationships) | Sandra Lara Castillo | England
(gaslighting, bystander awareness) | Luciano Sgarbi | England
(resilience) | Eloise Best | England
(consent, healthy relationships) | Jared Sain | USA
(culture, healthy relationships) | Crescent Tea Studios | Portugal
(consent) | Another Kind | Belgium
(resilience) | Robin Ghosh | Canada
| , Community Pillar Grant, Penny Arcade (2010) , Trailblazer, Break the Cycle (2014) , Media Mover Award finalist, TAG Digital Media & Entertainment Industry (2016) , Games for Change Awards finalist, "Most Significant Impact" (2019) , Jungle Jam, Dreamhack Anaheim (2020) , Torchbearer, DeKalb County, GA (2020) , GEE Educational Games Award finalist (2021) , GEE Educational Games Award finalist (2021) , Top 50 Nonprofit Program, Classy Awards finalist (2022) , Games for Change Awards finalist, "Best Learning Game" (2022) , Everytown Survivor Network Grant (2022) |
| : "Video Games Against Violence...", : "Video games created to change...", : "Consent and Sex on Screen in Post #MeToo Era", : "Games to Educate Teens About Dating Violence" : "El Paso ISD Collaborates...", : "Call of Moral Duty - Making Games for Change", : "Best of Indie Games", : "Games Doing Good...", : "Video games really can prevent violence" |
| Wow, thank you! All support is greatly appreciated. As a registered charity, donations are exempt to the full extent allowed by law.
Sponsorship opportunities as a prize sponsor or media sponsor are available. Please contact at: contact (at) JenniferAnn (dot) org. |
Entry Information
How do I get started?
Game pitches for the Critical Thinking Game Design Challenge were due by March 19, 2023. However, the 2024 game design challenge is coming February 2024 with the topic of connectedness . Visit the website for the connectedness video games for the latest info.
Who is allowed to enter?
Anybody age 13+ at the time of entry is eligible to enter (except in countries or regions where prohibited). Officers, employees, and immediate family members of Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing are prohibited from entering the game design challenge.
Can I enter more than once?
Sorry, but no. Make sure and enter your best game because you only get one chance to enter each year!
What are the technical requirements?
Round One of the contest only requires submitting the text of your proposed game narrative. If you are selected as a Finalist you will receive all necessary information for Round Two, including any technical requirements for your final game entry. There are some notes in the Critical Thinking Game Pitch Submission section, including some technical suggestions and limitations. Our intention is to be as flexible and supportive of as many different formats as possible but we do need to be able to reliably judge the games and, in the event that it is a winning game, be able to: modify the game; make the game available through various channels; possibly translate the game into other languages; and also to provide support for game players. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask us.
What are the content requirements?
As with all of our game design challenges no violent content is permitted in the game entries. Games should be age-appropriate for those ages 11 and up.
How long do I have to enter?
Registration was from March 7, 2023 through March 19, 2023. The Finalists were notified by March 30, 2023 and had until June 30, 2023 to submit their finished game.
Do you accept group entries?
Yes - please just identify a primary contact person when you submit your game pitch on the Round One submission form.
Where can I learn more about critical thinking?
Visit the About Critical Thinking section for information and resources about critical thinking.
How can I keep up to date about the contest info?
Register for our newsletter to be notified about our next game design challenge. You can also follow the Critical Thinking Mastodon account at: games.ngo/@CriticalThinkingGames . Finalists will be invited to join our Discord server.
Judging and Selection Process
What criteria will be used for judging?
Round One of the contest will be judged based on the creativity of your proposed game pitch and the potential for that idea to be developed into a compelling video game which will help players: be more aware of the importance of critical thinking; be better informed about critical thinking skills; have strategies to strengthen skills associated with critical thinking; and as a result, be generally better at making informed decisions and become more self sufficient.
Judging details and scoring rubric for Round Two were distributed to all Finalists at the time that they were notified of their Finalist status.
Information about the judges, including their bios, will be added to the contest website June 2023.
Critical Thinking Games: Official Rules
No purchase necessary to enter or win. Void where prohibited. Entry in this contest constitutes your acceptance of these official rules.
The 2023 Life.Love. Game Design Challenge (the " Contest ") is designed to encourage participants (" Entrant(s) " or " You ") to use their creativity to create their own video game that helps players of the game: be more aware of the importance of critical thinking; be better informed about skills supporting the use of critical thinking; have strategies to strengthen skills associated with critical thinking; and feel more empowered through the use of critical thinking, especially for those players in the approximate age range of 11 - 22 years of age (the " Target Age Group "). Life Love Publishing and/or its representatives will select Finalists (" Finalists ") from those eligible entries submitted in Round One. Finalists will be eligible to participate in Round Two and will submit completed games. Judges will choose the winning entries from the Round Two eligible Finalist submissions and prizes will be awarded in accordance with these Official Rules (these " Rules ").
- BINDING AGREEMENT : In order to enter the Contest, you must agree to the Rules. Therefore, please read these Rules prior to entry to ensure you understand and agree. You agree that submission of an entry in the Contest constitutes agreement to these Rules and that you may not submit an entry to the Contest and are not eligible to receive the prizes described in these Rules unless you agree to these Rules. These Rules form a binding legal agreement between you, Jennifer Ann's Group, and Life Love Publishing with respect to the Contest.
- ELIGIBILITY : To be eligible to enter the Contest, an Entrant must: (a) be 13 years of age (or older) at time of entry; and (b) have obtained a parent's or legal guardian's prior permission if under the age of majority (" Minors ") in their jurisdiction. Minors who enter must have the written consent of a parent or legal guardian in order to be eligible to receive any prizes, as described in Section 8 of these Rules. Contest is void where prohibited by law. Employees, interns, contractors, and official office-holders of Jennifer Ann's Group, Life Love Publishing, and any affiliates, and their respective directors, officers, employees, advertising and promotion agencies, representatives, and agents (" Contest Entities ") are ineligible to participate in this Contest.
- SPONSOR : The Contest is sponsored by the Jennifer Ann Crecente Memorial Group, Inc. d/b/a Jennifer Ann's Group(" Jennifer Ann's Group " or " Sponsor "), a Georgia non-profit corporation (501 c(3)) with principal place of business at 2554 Drew Valley Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, 30319, USA. (EIN: 20-4618499) .
- CONTEST PERIOD : The contest period is from March 7, 2023 through August, 2023. Round One of the Contest begins on March 7, 2023 and ends on March 19, 2023 at 11:59pm Eastern Time (ET) Zone (GMT-4) (" Round One Contest Period "). Round Two of the Contest begins on March 30, 2023 and ends on June 30, 2023 at 11:59pm Eastern Time (ET) Zone (GMT-4) (" Round Two Contest Period "). All dates are subject to change. Winning Games will be announced in August or September, 2023.
- HOW TO ENTER : NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. To enter the Contest, visit the Contest website located at https://CriticalThinker.games (" Contest Site ") during the Contest Period and follow the instructions that appear in the "Critical Thinking Game Submission" section. You will be requested to complete an official entry form (" Entry Form ") with all requested information, including your responses, or "game pitch", to the questions about your proposed critical thinking game (" Game Narrative "). Entry Forms can only be submitted by Entrants. Those Entrants notified by Jennifer Ann's Group that they have been selected to proceed to Round Two of the Contest (" Finalists ") shall participate in Round Two of the Contest by submitting their completed game entry (" Completed Game "). LIMIT ONE (1) GAME NARRATIVE PER ENTRANT IN ROUND ONE. Subsequent entries will replace, and be treated as, the initial entry. Any submission not meeting the aforementioned criteria will be disqualified. Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing accepts no responsibility for submissions lost, delayed, damaged, defaced, or mislaid, howsoever caused. All entries will be deemed made by the Entrant submitted at the time of entry. LIMIT ONE (1) COMPLETED GAME PER FINALIST IN ROUND TWO. Subsequent entries will replace, and be treated as, the initial entry. Any submission not meeting the aforementioned criteria will be disqualified. Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing accepts no responsibility for submissions lost, delayed, damaged, defaced, or mislaid, howsoever caused. All entries will be deemed made by the Entrant submitted at the time of entry.
- They must not contain any depictions of violence.
- They must not be derogatory, offensive, threatening, defamatory, disparaging, libellous or contain any content that is tortuous, slanderous, discriminatory in any way, or that promotes hatred or harm against any group or person, or otherwise does not comply with the theme and spirit of the Contest.
- They must be unique creations that have not been previously published and will remain unpublished until after the contest has ended.
- They must not contain content, material or any element that is unlawful, or otherwise in violation of, or contrary to, any applicable federal, state, or local laws and regulations including the laws or regulations in any jurisdiction where the entry is created.
- They must not contain any content, material, or element that displays any third party advertising, slogan, logo, trademark, or otherwise indicates a sponsorship or endorsement by a third party or commercial entity. For Round Two Finalists, text acknowledgements are acceptable in the Completed Game entries; additionally, Jennifer Ann's Group will supply a graphic image identifying Jennifer Ann's Group as the game's sponsor; the image will be placed at an appropriate location as part of the Finalist's Completed Game entry.
- They must only contain text, graphics, audio, designs, and game mechanics that entrants have proper rights to use (e.g. works in the public domain; original creations by the entrant; third-party works with rights granted by rights owner).
- They cannot contain any content, element, or material that violates a third party's publicity, privacy, or intellectual property rights.
- During the Contest Period, the Sponsor, its agents and/or the Judges will be evaluating the Entries to ensure they meet the Entry Requirements. The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any Entrant who submits an entry that does not meet the Entry Requirements. Incomplete entries or entries not complying with these Rules are subject to disqualification.
- potential educational value of the proposed game to discuss, demonstrate, or otherwise engage players about critical thinking and its importance, especially for those in the Target Age Group
- potential entertainment or otherwise compelling value of the proposed game
- potential of the proposed game to increase awareness about critical thinking and its importance
- potential of the proposed game to encourage discourse about critical thinking and its importance
- potential of the proposed game to persuade game players about critical thinking and its importance
- potential of the proposed game to help players identify critical thinking skills and learn how to strengthen those skills in order to help the player become more adept at using critical thinking
- game elements of the proposed game
- adherence to the Game Narrative , Entry Requirements , and these Rules .
- educational value of the game to discuss, demonstrate, or otherwise engage players about critical thinking and its importance, especially for those players in the Target Age Group
- entertainment or otherwise compelling value of the game
- potential of the game to increase awareness about critical thinking and its importance
- potential of the game to encourage discourse about critical thinking and its importance
- potential of the game to persuade game players about critical thinking and its importance
- potential of the game to help players identify critical thinking skills and learn how to strengthen those skills in order to help the player become more adept at using critical thinking
- game elements
- adherence to the Game , Entry Requirements , and these Rules .
- Round One Finalists Finalists will be notified on or before March 30, 2023 by email.
- Potential Winners Potential winners will be notified August 2023 by email.
- Decisions of the judges are final and binding. In the event there are not enough eligible entries, not all prizes will be awarded. If a potential winner is unable for whatever reason to accept their prize, then Life Love Publishing reserves the right to award the prize to another entrant.
- Notification of Potential Finalists / Winning Game(s) : Becoming a Finalist / Winning Game is subject to validation and verification of eligibility and compliance with all the terms and conditions set forth in these Rules. If a potential Finalist is disqualified for any reason, a replacement Game Narrative Entry entrant might be chosen as a potential Finalist. If a potential Winning Game is disqualified for any reason, the Completed Game that received the next highest total score will be chosen as the potential Winning Game. The potential Finalist(s) / Winning Game(s) will be selected and notified by email.
- If a potential Finalist does not respond to the notification attempt within three (3) days from the first notification attempt, then such potential Finalist may be disqualified and an alternate potential Finalist might be selected from among all eligible Game Narrative entries received based on the judging Criteria described herein.
- If the Entrant of a potential Winning Game does not respond to the notification attempt within three (3) days from the first notification attempt, then such potential Winning Game may be disqualified and an alternate potential Winning Game will be selected from among all eligible entries received based on the judging Criteria described herein.
- Except where prohibited by law, all Prize Winners will be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability and Publicity Release and provide any additional information that may be required by Sponsor. If required, Prize Winners must return all such required documents via fax (or as otherwise instructed) within forty-eight (48) hours following attempted notification or such potential Prize Winners will be deemed to have forfeited the prize and another potential Prize Winner may be selected based on the judging Criteria described herein.
- In the event the potential Prize Winner is a minor, their parent or legal guardian must sign the documents and return them as described herein. All notification requirements, as well as other requirements within these Rules, will be strictly enforced. Determinations of Judges are final and binding. All Prize Winners, including any parent representatives, agree to keep the Completed Game strictly confidential between time of submission and the Completed Game's final launch by Life Love Publishing.
- PRIZES : The entrant of the Winning Game will be eligible to receive a minimum of $3,000 (USD) prize money. An announcement about the Winning Game(s) will be displayed on Jennifer Ann's Group's game portal JAGga.me website and itch.io page for the remainder of 2023. All Non-Winning Finalists will be eligible to receive a minimum of $100 (USD) prize money upon submitting their completed game in accordance with these rules. Some Non-Winning Finalists may also have their games published on the JAGga.me website and/or itch.io page. A total of $10,000 (USD) in prize money will be distributed among all Winners and Finalists, subject to the minimum prize monies described above. Distribution of prize money will be announced when the Winning Games are announced. Additional Winning Games might be selected from among the Finalists. Further details regarding prize distribution will be provided to winners in the prize acceptance documents but will be approximately four (4) to six (6) weeks after Sponsor's receipt of prize acceptance documents from winners. All entrants receiving prize money are considered prize winners (" Prize Winners ") for purposes of these Rules.
- TAXES : Prize Winners are responsible for any federal, state, and local tax consequences and for compliance with all governmental reporting and payment requirements. Winning funds will be sent in U.S. Dollars via cashier's check through Postal Mail or via PayPal (at the option of the winners).
- GENERAL CONDITIONS : At the time of submitting a Completed Game all Round Two Finalists will also electronically provide to Life Love Publishing all source files and components necessary to re-create the Completed Game ("Source Files"). Life Love Publishing and/or Jennifer Ann's Group may use these Source Files to publish the Completed Game to marketplaces; provide language translations; update content; develop derivative works; and / or to localize such game for other countries at Life Love Publishing and/or Jennifer Ann's Group's sole discretion.
- INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS : All Prize Winners give Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing the right to the Entrant's name, voice, picture, portrait, and likeness for advertising and promotion purposes without further compensation, where permitted by law. All Prize Winners also give their consent to Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing and to those whom they may authorize, to photograph, film, videotape, and/or to use a photographic / digital reproduction of their entry with or without their name, to identify them by name, and/or to quote or record statements made by them, for any editorial, promotional, marketing, or other purpose broadly related to the mission of Jennifer Ann's Group ("violence prevention"). This consent does not extend to the purposes of endorsement of product or service advertising for any unrelated third parties. As a condition of receiving their prize, Prize Winners must grant Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing the non-exclusive, royalty-free, licensable, assignable rights to all: completed, object, and source files; necessary media files; and associated intellectual property rights of their entry for purposes of publishing, promotion, marketing, research, creation of derivative works, and internal use.
- WARRANTY AND INDEMNITY : Entrants warrant that their entries are their own original work and, as such, they are the sole and exclusive owner and rights holder of the submitted Game Narrative / Completed Game and that they have the right to submit the Game Narrative / Completed Game to the Contest and to grant all required licenses. Each Entrant agrees not to submit any Game Narrative / Completed Game that: (a) infringes any third party proprietary rights, intellectual property rights, industrial property rights, personal or moral rights or any other rights, including without limitation, copyright, trademark, trade names, industrial designs, patent, trade secret, privacy, publicity or confidentiality obligations; or (b) otherwise violates applicable international, state, federal, or local law. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Entrant indemnifies and agrees to keep indemnified Sponsor and its agents and subsidiaries at all times from and against any liability, claims, demands, losses, damages, costs, and expenses resulting from any act, default, or omission of the Entrant and/or a breach of any warranty set forth herein. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Entrant agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Sponsor and its agents and subsidiaries from and against any and all claims, actions, suits, or proceedings, as well as any and all losses, liabilities, damages, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees) arising out of or accruing from: (i) any Game Narrative / Completed Game or other material uploaded or otherwise provided by Entrant that infringes any copyright, trademark, trade secret, trade dress, patent, or other intellectual property right of any person or defames any person or violates their rights of publicity or privacy; (ii) any misrepresentation made by Entrant in connection with the Contest; (iii) any non-compliance by Entrant with these Rules; (iv) claims brought by persons or entities other than the parties to these Rules arising from or related to Entrant's involvement with the Contest; (v) acceptance, possession, misuse, or use of any prize or participation in any Contest-related activity or participation in the Contest; (vi) any malfunction or other problem with the Contest Site in relation to the entry and participation in the Contest by Entrant; (vii) any error in the collection, processing, or retention of entry or voting information in relation to the entry and participation in the Contest by Entrant and in the voting process; or (viii) any typographical or other error in the printing, offering, or announcement of any prize or winners in relation to the entry and participation in the Contest by Entrant.
- ELIMINATION : Any false information provided within the context of the Contest by Entrant concerning identity, mailing address, email address, ownership of right, or non-compliance with these Rules or the like may result in the immediate elimination of the entrant from the Contest.
- INTERNET AND DISCLAIMER : Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing are not responsible for any malfunction of the entire Contest Site or any late, lost, damaged, misdirected, incomplete, illegible, undeliverable, or destroyed entries due to system errors, failed, incomplete or garbled computer or other telecommunication transmission malfunctions, hardware or software failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, typographical, or system/human errors and failures, technical malfunction(s) of any telephone network or lines, cable connections, satellite transmissions, servers or providers, or computer equipment, traffic congestion on the Internet or at the Contest Site, or any combination thereof, including other telecommunication, cable, digital, or satellite malfunctions which may limit Entrant's ability to participate. Jennifer Ann's Group is not responsible for the policies, actions, or inactions of others which might prevent Entrant from entering, participating, and/or claiming a prize in this Contest. Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Rules will not constitute a waiver of that or any other provision. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify Entrants who violate the rules or interfere with this Contest in any manner. If an Entrant is disqualified, Sponsor reserves the right to terminate that Entrant's eligibility to participate in the Contest.
- RIGHT TO CANCEL, MODIFY, OR DISQUALIFY : If for any reason the Contest is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Contest, Jennifer Ann's Group reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Contest. Jennifer Ann's Group further reserves the right to disqualify any Entrant who tampers with the submission process or any other part of the Contest or Contest Site. Any attempt by an Entrant to deliberately damage any web site, including the Contest Site, or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest is a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing reserve the right to seek damages from any such Entrant to the fullest extent of the applicable law.
Critical Thinking Game Design Challenge: Submit Your Pitch
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COMMENTS
Sudoku. Sudoku is a popular math critical thinking game that requires players to fill in blank squares with the correct numbers in order to complete a 9×9 grid. This game encourages critical thinking because it involves finding patterns and using logic to solve the puzzle. Some benefits of playing Sudoku include:
BrainGymmer: Brain training games for all cognitive skills!
Brainzilla - games for your brain
7. Brainstorm. Critical thinking is all about making decisions based on analytical observation and this game allows individuals to brainstorm and find answers to challenging questions. In this game, the players need to answer questions that come on the screen by choosing the correct answer from the given options.
The student must rotate, flip, turn, or overlap the cards in order to get the dots on both cards to match up. This game is great for building and practicing logical thinking, spatial reasoning, and problem-solving. With 60 different puzzles to match up, On the Dot is a game that can stay in your bins for a long time!
Our logic puzzle games are designed to challenge your ability to analyze situations, make decisions, and solve problems effectively. By regularly playing our deductive reasoning games, you'll enhance your capacity for critical thinking, which is invaluable in both personal and professional contexts. Our KenKen puzzles cater to a diverse range ...
Rover Control - This creative, single player coding game teaches basic programming skills through critical thinking puzzles in which a rover must go through various start to finish challenges.. Rush Hour - A classic, single player game, Rush Hour utilizes logical thinking as you work to get an ice cream truck out of a rush hour traffic jam.. Rook - This four player card game is another ...
Critical thinking can be a difficult skill to hone, but with some practice and a fun incentive, you can be thinking deeper in no time. That's where online games for adults come into play, challenging players to rely on their abilities to analyze, reflect, use emotional reasoning, consider multiple interpretations, and more.
Games for Building Critical-Thinking Skills - Common Sense
Group games are ideal for developing critical-thinking skills. The link between critical thinking and one's education is obvious - you can't learn well unless you think well. Critical thinking is the ability to look at problems in new ways, to analyse how parts of a whole interact with one another and to interpret information and draw ...
There are many educational critical thinking games you can play at home that help kids improve their skills! We've gathered a few we love: 1. I Spy. This classic guessing game encourages analytical thinking and problem-solving skills (like deduction) as your child searches for specific objects based on clues. Plus, it's highly portable!
Critical Thinking Games & Activities for Kids - MentalUP
Critical Thinking Games | Play Online at Coolmath Games
Critical thinking skills help us solve problems, make good decisions, and understand the consequences of our actions. In this blog, we discuss five of our favorite games to improve critical thinking skills and sharpen the mind. 1. Chess. Chess is the most widely played board game of all time. Your goal in chess is to get a checkmate by getting ...
3. Zoom. Zoom is a classic classroom cooperative game that never seems to go out of style. Simply form students into a circle and give each a unique picture of an object, animal, or whatever else suits your fancy. You begin a story that incorporates whatever happens to be on your assigned photo.
Pick Your Candy. This online reasoning game improves reaction control, focus, and divided attention skills. PLAY NOW. These free and online thinking games for kids helps improve their logical thinking skills and supports the development of logic, reasoning, planning and arithmetic skills.
Considering how different perspectives and resources play into this quandary is a powerful thought exercise that can help you develop your critical thinking skills. Egg Rescue Another hands-on critical thinking exercise, the egg rescue is a resurrected science class favorite in which your team has to develop a method of protecting an egg that ...
Minefield Team-building games for critical thinking is a time-honored exercise that has been shown to foster better communication and a sense of trust among participants of all ages. It requires the construction of an obstacle course as well as the grouping of the students into different teams. Students take turns navigating the "minefield ...
Critical thinking exercises like the ones we shared here play a crucial role in fostering intellectual growth and preparing learners for the complexities of the modern world. Through group discussions, debates, and problem-solving tasks, learners are encouraged to question assumptions, examine multiple perspectives, and seek evidence-based ...
11 Activities That Promote Critical Thinking In The Class
2. Dare to be different. A Dare To Be Different game. This brain game focuses on using out-of-the-box thinking to come up with solutions to challenges. It encourages the use of critical reasoning to come up with an unconventional solution to a basic concept.
17. Magic Square Puzzle. The magic square puzzle is a great thinking game that consists of square blocks filled with various letters. It will test your logical thinking skills as you have to find the square blocks that consist of some letters and use a combination of them to form a whole number. 18.
Finalists were notified by March 30, 2023 if their proposed game pitch was selected to move on to Round Two of the contest. For Round Two, Finalists were given until June 30, 2023 to design, develop, and complete their critical thinking game. The finished critical thinking games will then be reviewed and scored to determine the winner.