Game direction & UX
Kākāpō Run
On the Edge 2020–2024
A little bird with a big mission. An accessible mobile adventure that turns an endangered species’ story into a reason to keep playing.
- App store rating
- 4.5+
- Featured title
- Apple
- Social engagement uplift
- 30%+
Play with a purpose
I pitched, directed and designed Kākāpō Run for conservation charity On the Edge. Players guide the flightless New Zealand parrot through different biomes towards Sanctuary Island, avoiding predators and discovering its conservation story.
Accessible, memorable, meaningful
The endless-runner format combines quick, approachable gameplay with feather collecting and facts about the species. I shaped game and UX design, creative direction and the connection between play and conservation.
Taking an idea all the way to launch
Working with an external team in Costa Rica, I managed the product lifecycle, budget, scope and client relationship. Agile working helped us collaborate across time zones and deliver on time and within budget. The game earned Apple featuring, hundreds of thousands of organic downloads and an uplift in the client’s social engagement.
A closer look
