About this project
We wanted to create an immersive mobile experience which diverted away from the puzzle and time based gaming mechanics at the time - games like Tiny Tower and Candy Crush. Taking the most fun aspects of those games and combining it with Animal Crossing, a game which focused on building relationships, led to the creation of Kuma San.
The problem
How can we ensure users, who are used to fast-paced and instantly gratifying games, would accept this new mobile gaming experience?
Research & Sketching
We researched what aspects of Animal Crossing and Tiny Tower were most interesting - this including witty dialogue and the ability to build and customize.
We sketched out our title character in various art styles - coming to the conclusion that pixel art would be a timeless trend.
Mapping & Wireframes
Over multiple sessions, we brainstormed the user flow and features for the game. What should the onboarding process look like? How will users be able to navigate between all the features? How can we develop and manage assets given our technical limitations and deadlines?
We sketched and ideated for a good week on a whiteboard and worked as a team to review low fidelity wireframes.
Prototypes & Usertesting
We built out our prototypes and headed off to local cafes and college campuses, with Kuma swag in hand, to answer the following questions:
1. Was the interface intuitive? Not exactly. CTAs weren’t clear enough - so we added drop shadows.
2. Was the concept and gameplay of Kuma San interesting? “How can I interact with him?” was a question we ended up addressing in the title screen and onboarding flow.
3. Was the artwork appealing? Yes! People responded extremely well with one user calling it, “charming without being too cute.”
The final design
The app was launched with the ability to customize, shop, interact, and play mini games. It was one of our largest releases that I am the most proud of.
Main takeaways
Besides learning how to design an intricate and immersive mobile gaming experience from start to finish, I learned that providing a sense of delight was extremely important to me. Our team was able to give birth to a sassy little bear who would provide friendship for people of all backgrounds and ages. Seeing the look of joy wash over the faces of user testers as they met Kuma San (translated from Japanese to “Mr. Bear”) was one of my proudest moments.