ChemChallenge: A Video Game for Teaching and Studying Thermodynamics Featuring In-Game Currency, Shopping, Customization of Laboratory, and Photochemistry

Digital learning and gamification make studying chemistry more exciting and engaging. Interactive digital tools allow students to understand the fundamental concepts of chemistry more easily. However, the application of this knowledge is hampered by the lack of user-friendly chemistry simulators, in which students could apply their knowledge in a creative way. This work describes the development of the application software─ChemChallenge. This software is intended for use primarily by undergraduate students studying chemistry and chemical engineers. The goal of the game is to design reaction equations that describe spontaneous chemical reactions. The application software has many features of video games, such as a developed reward system, that is based on principles of thermodynamics, customization of player’s chemistry laboratory, and in-game currency. These features make the gameplay less linear. As such, multiple solutions to the same task are possible. A case study of using ChemChallenge to teach thermodynamics at the undergraduate level is described.