Media Mechanics designed an online companion game to the children’s television series Monster Math Squad. Math-based problem-solving games and puzzles were designed for an iPad app that incorporated animation and encouraged interaction by the user.

DHX Media wanted three engaging, interactive online games designed that would encourage young fans of their math-based show, Monster Math Squad, to learn math skills while playing the games with their parents. The TV show taught pre-school and young school-aged children basic concepts in geometry, math, and physics using silly monsters as their guide, and the app would expand upon those skills.

DHX Media’s goal for the app was to act as an extension of the show, a lead to other games on the website, and a promotion to watch the show for game-only users. The quality and look of the game had to match that of the show to ensure the two could support one another, regardless of where the user first became engaged with the brand.

Having worked on similar games for DHX Media and related companies in the past, we were a natural fit. Our background in designing engaging graphics and animation for other clients made us the right choice for this project.

It was important that the games be designed to be appropriate for the children watching the show so we began by consulting with the pedagogical experts who had worked on the show. They created game concepts for us that framed our strategy for the design.

We created storyboards for the interface and user flows describing how the game would work with animation. Once the strategy and approach were approved by the client, we created higher definition designs to resemble the completed interface. Extensive testing was conducted to ensure the apps ran smoothly and appealed to the target audience before they were released.

These award-winning games were available for download on Apple’s App Store for the duration of the TV series. They proved to be a successful companion piece to the show, matching the show’s content in look, feel and voice, and helping to increase user engagement with the show’s learning-based content.