Education Game

Abstract

Priority Budget Race is an educational game framework designed to teach financial literacy through real-time, order-sensitive budgeting decisions. Players begin with exactly enough funds to purchase four essentials—Water, Food, Shelter, Utilities—in a survival-priority sequence. Correct purchases in order increase player speed by +0.01, while incorrect or out-of-order purchases decrease speed by −0.01. Two characters race continuously around a circular track, with the speed gap visually representing the impact of opportunity cost and decision-making efficiency.

The game’s novelty lies in its curriculum-as-velocity mechanic, strict ordered necessities, and bank constrained to essentials. This transforms budgeting from an abstract scoring activity into a tactile, kinetic experience. The fixed speed delta ensures transparent, predictable consequences, allowing players to mentally simulate outcomes. Visual “dissonance” from the rival pulling ahead externalizes poor prioritization, reinforcing lessons under time pressure.

Core mechanics, state logic, and progression design support direct curriculum integration for grades 4–8, aligning with standards on needs vs. wants, constrained budgeting, and opportunity cost. Telemetry captures player decision patterns for assessment, while optional progression and scenario variants expand replayability. This approach merges financial literacy education with embodied game mechanics, offering an original, high-engagement tool for both classroom and independent learning contexts.