Pitch

Many children around the world think it is okay to litter, which is contributing to all kinds of environmental issues. Trash Dash is an addictive, tablet-based superhero game, that educates players on the proper disposal of trash. The more bottles, paper, and other trash the player disposes of, the more points they wins. Trash Dash is a fun, interactive way to learn about the difference any one person can make by removing litter from the environment.

Reward System

The reward system is a great way to get kids to want to do something. In Trash Dash, when trash is collected, points are earned. A high score page will also be included. This adds a competitive aspect to the game which makes it more fun.  Whoever collects the most trash, gains the most points, and gets on the highscore page.

Obstacles 

In Trash Dash, you are not only picking up trash, but you are avoiding cars and other obstacles. Adding these challenges contribute to the addictive power of Trash Dash, as players want to repeat levels to anticipate and avoid all obstacles and raise their score.

Character 

The main character is a superhero named Hodari. Hodari is based off of a Kenyan character named Makmende. Makmende stops people from doing bad things. In Trash Dash there is a Matatu littering trash. Hodari (the player) is following it collecting as much trash as he can. Much like Makmende, Hodari is trying to stop people from doing bad things.

Technical Requirements 

The Trash Dash prototype was created with a combination of Game Maker 8 and Balsamiq Mockups. For future versions of the game, development will be completed using Unity. The game is predominantly an action game, with drag and drop functionality in the bonus levels.

Visual Development 

The visual look of Trash Dash is cartoon-y without being overly imaginative and zany. While the main character is a super hero, factors such as gravity are not overlooked and still play a factor in the user-experience. Most of the animations are sub-par at best with pixelation marrying a few of the assets and sprites. If the creators had more time they would certainly have improved the quality of this, possibly adding different styles of the character doing different things as opposed to standing still.