Apocalypse Go: A Mobile Game

Can you survive the end of the world?

The what

Apocalypse Go is a tap to survive apocalyptic simulator based on the continental US and on the podcast Letters to Humanity. End of the world scenarios are divided into sections of the US, where players can unlock and level up areas. This mobile app has a simple, spooky analog feel, with a color palette and styling like the podcast cover art.

The how

The final design of the app stays true to the original sketches, highlighting the strength of the concept and the beauty of its simplicity.

The dashboard of this simulator has an info card with the objective of the game, while the selected area in the US changes color, indicating which scenario will run.

Design process

Developing a mobile experience for a purely audio topic was definitely challenging, but the idea of a tap to survive mobile game saved the day. With this game idea in mind, I knew that I wanted to create an engaging experience without it being too overblown or complicated.

Apocalypse Go has a minimalistic, yet analog feel that has been created by using the same color palette, fonts, and line art styling as the podcast cover art, with the exception of the teal Fira Code that indicates this app is a simulator and also contributes an analog feel to a mostly sleek, simple design. The muted color tones, rounded boxes and fonts, and placing of the text help the app feel “full” without overcrowding pages. I also chose a streamlined, smooth design instead of the gritty undertone that most apocalyptic games seem to have.

When a scenario has been selected, another info card appears about the event or how to survive it. Here players can choose to follow through or return to the main menu. The title above the card also helps the user know which simulation will be running and what level they have achieved.

The “Tapping” page shows a mid-simulation example of a game in progress. Teal levels above and the circle timer indicate how well the player is succeeding. Badges to the left can help boost the users survival rates when tapped on, but they aren’t easy to earn. The grey floating arrows are feedback, indicating that tapping is occurring, while the growing red radar circles indicate the impending disaster. Fun, red flavor text in the top right adds to the urgent feel of the app, indicating how the scenario is affecting the population at large.

Due to the minimalistic nature of the game, I chose to have an easy to access menuon the top right of all the pages instead of a classic navigation bar.

At the end of every simulation there is a Simulation Report that lists the overall survival rate achieved during the game. It also displays what badges have been earned and gives the players an option to try again or move to a different simulation.

When all simulations have been unlocked, their colors and levels are displayed, and the app no longer has a blank feel to it.

The why

Strategic approach

With a topic based off of a purely audio medium, I had to walk a fine line of creating an experience that would add to my topic and be valuable to my audience. Past ideas such as a “bunker finder” or “bunker tour” seemed to take away from the direct podcast experience. Deciding to keep the mystery of the podcast alive and wanting to create a product my listeners would actually enjoy, I settled on a tap to win apocalypse simulator that would also host facts on how to survive certain end of the world scenarios.

The prototype for this app goes through the player’s journey and helps us understand what it might feel like to play

Publishing strategy

The app benefits users with information about various different apocalyptic scenarios, tips to survive, and hints towards the ongoing podcast. There are tap to survive games such as pandemic related games that exist but none with the exact concept or styling as this app. As a mobile game, its function is to tap away boredom and entertain, while being a companion experience to the podcast itself.

The conclusion

Though the concept of creating an companion app to a podcast is kind of out there, Apocalypse Go hits all the right notes of informing, entertaining, and benefiting the user in a minimalistic yet analog styled “tap to win” simulator.

Experience the prototype here.