Games Guide

What Are the ImpactMojo Games?

ImpactMojo offers 12 interactive economics games that teach development-relevant concepts through strategic decision-making and simulation. Each game takes 10–20 minutes to play and covers a specific economic concept — from game theory to market failures to collective action.

These aren't quizzes or flashcards. They're interactive simulations where your decisions have consequences, and the concepts become clear through play rather than lecture.

All 12 games are free, browser-based, and require no login.

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The 12 Games

Collective Action & Cooperation

Game	Concept	What You Learn
Public Good Game	Free-rider problem	Why people under-contribute to shared resources, and what mechanisms sustain cooperation
Commons Crisis Game	Tragedy of the commons	How communication, monitoring, and sanctions help communities manage shared resources like water, forests, or fisheries
Cooperation Paradox	Game theory	Why cooperation yields better outcomes but individual incentives push toward competition — Nash equilibrium and Pareto efficiency in action
Prisoners' Dilemma Game	Strategic interdependence	How trust, reputation, and repeated interactions overcome cooperation failures

Markets & Decision-Making

Game	Concept	What You Learn
Opportunity Cost Game	Tradeoffs	How every choice has a cost — the next-best alternative you gave up — and how this shapes policy decisions
Risk & Reward Explorer	Behavioural economics	Risk preferences, expected utility, prospect theory — why people make seemingly irrational choices under uncertainty
Bidding Wars Game	Auction theory	How different auction formats affect prices, why winners sometimes overpay (winner's curse), and how procurement works
Information Asymmetry Game	Asymmetric information	Adverse selection, moral hazard, and signalling — what happens when buyers and sellers know different things

Systems & Scale

Game	Concept	What You Learn
Network Effects Game	Network economics	How value multiplies as more people join, critical mass dynamics, and why some platforms dominate
Externality Game	Market failures	Hidden social costs and benefits — pollution, education spillovers — and why markets alone don't solve them
The Real Middle	Inequality dynamics	Wealth distribution, income mobility, and the precarity of middle-class status in India
Econ Concepts Puzzle	Mixed economics	Economic reasoning through puzzles and brain-teasers covering supply/demand, game theory, and market structure

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How Educators Can Use the Games

As Workshop Openers

Play a game at the start of a session to introduce a concept experientially. Participants engage with the idea before you explain the theory — this creates curiosity and gives them a shared reference point for discussion.

Example flow:

1. Play the Public Good Game (10 minutes)

2. Debrief: "What happened? Why did contributions drop?" (10 minutes)

3. Introduce the formal concept of public goods and free-riding (15 minutes)

4. Discuss real-world applications in their programmes (15 minutes)

As Classroom Activities

Games work well projected on a screen for group play. Have the class vote on decisions together, or split into teams and compare outcomes.

Good pairings:

• Public Good Game + Commons Crisis = comprehensive view of collective action

• Information Asymmetry + Externality = understanding market failures together

• Prisoners' Dilemma + Cooperation Paradox = deep dive into strategic thinking

As Self-Study Assignments

Assign 2–3 games as pre-work before a workshop. Ask participants to write a one-paragraph reflection: "What surprised you? How does this concept show up in your work?"

For Debrief Discussions

After any game, these questions work well:

• What strategy did you use? Did it change over rounds?

• What surprised you about the outcome?

• Where do you see this dynamic in your development work?

• What mechanisms could change the outcome?

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Getting Started

1. Visit the Games section on impactmojo.in — scroll to the Games showcase or find them in the catalog

2. Start with Public Good Game or Prisoners' Dilemma — these are the most intuitive entry points

3. Play each game yourself first before using it in a workshop, so you can anticipate participant questions

4. No login or download required — games run in any modern browser on desktop or mobile

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Tips

• Games are designed for adults, not children. The framing, language, and complexity are pitched at development practitioners and university students.

• Debrief is where learning happens. The game itself creates the experience; the discussion afterward creates the understanding. Always budget time for debrief.

• Play multiple rounds. Most games reveal deeper dynamics on second and third plays as participants adjust their strategies.

• Connect to real programmes. After playing the Commons Crisis Game, ask: "Where in your WASH programme do you see a commons dilemma?" This transfer step is essential.