Game Design Constraints as a Driver for Educational Games

Constraints are a driver for creativity in game design. You've heard it before—but what about educational games?

I've made enough educational games to understand the power of constraints. Creating game-based learning is an Obstacle Course Race for designers: technology limitations (schools using Chromebooks or simple tablets), fitting curriculum standards, keeping the audience in mind, ensuring age-appropriate content, etc. And the final boss of game-based learning? Turning educational content into a game in a way that makes it both engaging and essential to the gameplay.

My solution is in the first sentence of this post. I treat constraints as a catalyst for creativity, taking inspiration from games built on the same principle—like "Human Resource Machine" or "Colobot", where limitations shape mechanics, encourage problem-solving, and lead to unique gameplay experiences. In educational games, the same approach applies: embracing constraints forces innovative design solutions that make learning both engaging and essential to the game itself.