Global Gamers Challenge Hack: How We Created a Game to Help the Planet

When we saw the announcement for the Global Gamers Challenge, we didnʼt hesitate to join.

For us, it wasnʼt just about taking on the challenge of creating a new game but also contributing to sustainable development and environmental awareness. As a team of software developers and nature lovers, we felt that we could do something meaningful for the planet, which desperately needs protection from pollution.
The idea of creating a game that teaches children how to sort waste had been on our minds for a while, and thanks to this hackathon, we finally brought it to life.

 The Global Gamers Challenge is an 8-week contest for creating sustainable games, organized by Flutter and Global Citizen. Inspired by the mission of the UN to protect the planet through play, we eagerly took part to show how games can inspire positive environmental change. For us, this was more than just a contest— it was an opportunity to make a difference for the planet.

We are hiking enthusiasts, and over the years, weʼve noticed increasing pollution in our favorite spots. Despite our efforts to clean up after ourselves and others, the global battle against litter requires more attention. This led us to the idea of creating a game that teaches kids the importance of waste sorting and 5 We Can Develop IT Blog encourages respect for the environment. We believe that through games, we can instill good habits and raise a generation with strong environmental values.

Hedgehog Eco Dash is an exciting mobile strategy game where players help adorable hedgehogs carry fruits and sort trash along the way. The game starts with simple levels, but as players progress, obstacles in the form of unsorted trash block the hedgehogs' path. Players must not only assist the hedgehogs but also correctly sort the trash to clear the way.

We chose hedgehogs as the main characters because they symbolize the environmental problems caused by pollution. As players advance through the game, the levels become more challenging, requiring more attention and strategic thinking. But with every level completed, the players take one step closer to a cleaner world.

 In the game, players guide the hedgehogs as they gather fruits and navigate obstacles. The hedgehogs can pass items to one another, sort the trash, and deliver resources to designated points. The better you sort the waste, the more points you earn. But be careful—sorting incorrectly or delivering trash to the wrong location results in penalties. Your goal is to help as many hedgehogs as possible reach their destinations while scoring as many points as you can.

We built the game using Dart, Flutter, and the Flame game engine. While we were familiar with Flutter and Dart, this was our first time working with Flame, which presented a significant challenge. Flame is a powerful tool, but the lack of a visual editor for development made the process more difficult. However, we managed to overcome these challenges and created 16 unique levels with mechanics that make the game engaging for both beginners and experienced players.

Our biggest challenge was Flameʼs lack of a familiar development editor like Unity or Unreal Engine. We faced difficulties in adding game objects, but with the help of documentation and our technical expertise, we solved the problems.

We are proud of what we accomplished:

• Flexible game mechanics that keep the game fun for both new and experienced players.
• A multiplayer mode that enhances the gameplay and attracts a wider audience.
• Unique level designs—16 different stages, each with its own tasks and mechanics.

We implemented animations, character movement logic, and achievement systems. We also integrated popular libraries like GetIt for dependency injection and Shared Preferences for local storage. Although we initially planned to use the BLoC architecture, we decided to focus on delivering the game concept and postponed its implementation.

Even though we didnʼt win the hackathon, the experience was incredibly valuable for us. Weʼre proud to have taken a step toward creating a game that can make the world a little better.

If youʼre interested in our project or have an idea for a software development project, weʼd be happy to offer a free consultation. Our team is ready to bring your ideas to life with the highest standards of development.

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