VR Magic Bongos is a virtual reality game with the learning goal of helping the player improve their inhibitory skills by playing a song on a set of 4 bongos. Each time a bongo highlights, two different characters can appear on top of it, defining if the bongo should be played or not. The color in the bongos when highlighted determine the hand the player should use to play each bongo, having to match the color of the stick with the color in the bongo.

Emotional design plays a significant role in the game since it is used for feedback and to engage the player. This is represented by the whole environment changing based on the performance of the player, having a darker environment and lower music if not hitting the bongos with the correct character and a greener and louder music if they hit the ones with the correct character.

User testing and iterations based on players feedback were key throughout the whole process. The game was playtested with a total of 80 users, resulting in a crucial impact on the final game.

Design document

Design blog

Role: UX Designer, Game Designer & Creative Technologist

Advisors: Jan L Plass, Bruce D Homer
Collaborators: NYU CREATE Lab, Children's Museum of Manhattan