Learning can be fun, especially when games are involved. Research from Stanford University confirms that educational games offer unique opportunities for deeper learning experiences.
Educational games are specifically designed to assist students in their studies, providing valuable insights into various subjects. They not only reinforce learning but also enhance essential skills as players progress through the game.
From math and physics to business simulations, educational games cover a wide range of subjects. However, when it comes to biology, the options are often overlooked.
That’s why we’ve curated a list of biology games that can enrich learning. With these games, parents and teachers can effectively convey important biology concepts to their kids and students.
Did you know?
The market of educational games, including those focused on biology, is rapidly expanding. According to a research report, the global market for educational games will exceed $93.5 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 38.6%.
Table of Contents
14. Foldit
This week’s #GameOfTheWeek is Foldit!@Foldit explores the process living beings create the primary structure of proteins. Foldit is an attempt to apply the human brain’s natural three-dimensional pattern-matching abilities to this problem.
Play now!https://t.co/Clnj71vQ1S pic.twitter.com/rfMfOR6FD8
— Games for Change (@G4C) September 9, 2022
Price: Free
Platform: Browser-based
Developed by the University of Washington’s Center for Game Science and the Department of Biochemistry, Foldit leverages the collective problem-solving abilities of players to tackle complex scientific challenges in protein folding and structure prediction.
This puzzle-solving game aims to advance scientific research in the field of protein structure determination. It includes numerous puzzles and challenges, ranging from basic tutorials to advanced scientific problems derived from real protein structures.
You are presented with simulated protein structures represented as chains of amino acids. Your goal is to fold these structures into stable and energetically favorable configurations (using a set of tools provided within the game).
Twist, rotate, and manipulate individual amino acids or entire segments of the protein to optimize its folding pattern.
13. Phylo
Price: Free
Platform: Browser-based
Phylo is all about multiple sequence alignment optimization. As soon as you open the game, you are presented with pattern-matching puzzles that resemble nucleotide sequences of different phylogenetic taxa.
Your task is to optimize the alignment (by matching a maximum number of colors and reducing gaps) and build the highest point value score.
The interesting fact about this game is it represents actual sequencing data from the University of California Santa Cruz Genome Browser.
12. MarcoPolo Ocean
Price: Free
Platform: iOS/ Android
MarcoPolo Ocean offers a fun learning experience for kids interested in marine life. This free puzzle app introduces children to marine vocabulary and different types of vessels in an engaging way.
The app features colorful animations and narration to capture kids’ attention and keep them entertained. Children can dive into the ocean depths or explore shallow areas, discovering and collecting images of different marine species to learn their names.
Moreover, the app includes a puzzle-style shipbuilding activity, allowing kids to explore various types of water transportation while having fun.
11. LeapFrog Explorer Learning Game
Price: $68.99
Available at: Amazon
LeapForg Explorer is an excellent game for learning about marine life and food chains. It offers several engaging mini-games where players identify sea creatures based on their unique characteristics and learn about the food chain.
As players advance through the mini-games, they earn fuel for the bus, which transports them to various locations such as coral reefs, continental shelves, and the open ocean.
Students gain knowledge about water animals using tools like cameras and X-rays. While the game is overall engaging, some stages may be less appealing than others.
10. Bee Dance Game
Price: Free
Available at: Askabiologist
Bees are sophisticated social creatures that are crucial to maintain balance in the ecosystem. Over the years, biologists have learned a great many things about their anatomy and how they work as a team. One such interesting characteristic of bees is the waggle dance.
What’s the waggle dance? It’s a dance honey bees perform after successful foraging to guide colony members to flowers and water sources.
Personally, I was amazed by the level of sophistication bees employ in their daily chores.
9. Spore
Price: $49.99
Available at: Spore
In Spore, you become the creator. You design your own creature and guide it through five stages of evolution: cell, creature, tribal, city, and space. Each stage presents tasks for the player to complete.
You gather resources like food and in-game currency to make purchases and upgrades, helping your creature thrive and expand to conquer other worlds. One interesting feature of this game is its creation mode, where you can design your own in-game vehicles and buildings.
In short, Spore is an excellent game for exploring biological adaptation. While it doesn’t precisely mirror evolution, it effectively conveys important biology concepts and the struggle for survival.
8. Doctor Know
Price: Free
Available at: Askabiologist
Doctor Know offers an enjoyable and educational way for everyone to learn about the groundbreaking inventions shaping the biomedical field and transforming medicine.
The game features state-of-the-art tools that doctors will use in the future, including advanced nanotechnologies and bioinformatics. Players can explore various diagnostic and treatment options, delving into the realm of medicine to learn more about these tools and their applications.
7. Busy Bones
Available at: Askabiologist
Ever wonder what we would do without Bones? Bones are an integral part of our body. We need them to walk, talk, and do almost everything. That’s not all; bones are where blood cells are made, and they have healing properties. So, I guess not much, then.
Busy Bones offers a virtual lab experience where players can explore human bones using different in-game features. They can dissect and examine bones, peel them apart to see what’s inside, and use a virtual microscope to observe even the smallest details.
6. Cell Strike
Price: Free
Platform: Browser-based
Cell Strike lets young students learn about the basic working mechanism of our immune system. The game’s 3D environment simulates how our immune system reacts when pathogens and bacteria attack our body.
Players take the role of the immune system, responsible for sending troops (response cells) to kill bacteria and heal wounds. They have to collect antigens with the response cells, which are used to create more advanced cells to fight more effectively against infections.
Other types of cells that players can use against bacteria are Scouts, engineers, and killers, each carrying different tasks.
While Cell Strike offers valuable learning opportunities, it does have a steep learning curve. Players must actively defend against bacteria, and as levels progress, the challenges become tougher.
5. Labster
STEM educators are driven by a common goal: to motivate students & steer them toward a successful college career and beyond. Labster turns this ambition into a reality where every student has the opportunity to unlock their full potential.
Learn more: https://t.co/0W9ADKSKhr pic.twitter.com/kmiHHe7Ez8
— Labster (@labster) February 8, 2024
Platform: Browser-based
Labster is an advanced virtual lab simulation designed to enhance understanding of complex science topics. Ideal for high school students involved in advanced science studies, it features over 190 biotech simulations.
Through these simulations, students can gain valuable hands-on experience and knowledge about laboratory procedures.
Besides biology, it features 300+ STEM simulations covering various topics, including high school and university sciences. These simulations span subjects like physics and chemistry, as well as specialized fields such as earth sciences and ecology.
4. Crazy Plant Shop
Price: $5.99/ per user
Available at: Steampowered
Crazy Plant Shop is a powerful simulation game that introduces the player to the concept of genetic inheritance. Here players or students take the role of a shop manager, who must breed a specific variety of planets in order to fulfill the customer needs.
To get the right results, they have to mix and breed different plants using their own knowledge of different traits of plants and Punnett square.
For those who don’t know, Punnett square is a simple tool used to predict the outcome of a breeding experiment. To make it intense, money and space management issues are also included, which can be tackled by a suitable strategy.
3. Re-Mission 2
Price: Free
Platform: Browser-Based | iOS
If you’re interested in learning about how the immune system works and the role of white blood cells in a fun and engaging way, then Re-mission 2 is perfect for you. It offers a collection of arcade-style games designed to teach players about medical sciences and different forms of diseases.
While originally intended to help young cancer patients, these games are also valuable for anyone looking to gain knowledge in an enjoyable way. For instance, in “Steam Cell Defender,” players control a nanobot tasked with fighting germs and bacteria by guiding them into white blood cells.
In short, the games are entertaining and promote inquiry-driven learning, making them both enjoyable and educational.
2. Niche – A Genetics Survival Game
Price: $17.99
Available at: Steampowered
Niche is an intense, turn-based strategy game that delves deeply into genetics. In this game, players create their own group of animals through gene manipulation, selective breeding, and other realistic processes.
The goal is to ensure the survival of your animal species at all costs, facing challenges like climate change, predators, and viral diseases.
The game covers various aspects of genetics, such as mutations, genetic drift, natural selection, and sexual selection. These lessons are seamlessly integrated into the gameplay as players work to keep their animals alive and thriving.
With over 100 different genes and four unique biomes, each with its own prey and predators, Niche offers a rich and immersive experience in the world of genetics and survival.
1. Bio Inc Plague Doctor Offline
Price: Free | Unlock all stages for $0.99
Platform: Android | iOS
Bio Inc. Plague Doctor falls into the category of simulation and strategy games. In this game, you take on the role of a biomedical plague doctor and are tasked with creating and managing diseases within a patient’s body.
Unlike its predecessor, Bio Inc. Redemption, which focuses on saving patients from diseases, Bio Inc. Plague Doctor puts you in the shoes of the disease creator.
It has multiple levels, each presenting a different patient with a unique set of medical conditions and risk factors. You can customize and evolve diseases by selecting specific medical conditions, symptoms, and risk factors to target within the patient’s body.
Choose from various disease traits like cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, and infectious symptoms, each affecting the patient’s health in different ways. You must strategically manage and evolve diseases to maximize their impact while avoiding detection and treatment by the medical team.
More to Know
Do biology games require prior knowledge of the subject?
While some biology games cater to players with varying levels of prior knowledge, many are designed to be accessible to beginners. These games often start with foundational principles and gradually introduce more complex topics as you progress.
Advanced games may assume a certain level of prior knowledge and delve into detailed biological concepts, processes, and theories without providing introductory material.
Some games allow you to adjust the difficulty level or access interactive tutorials and supplementary resources, making the learning experience more personalized and accommodating.
What are the benefits of using games for learning biology?
Using games for learning biology offers several benefits that contribute to enhanced engagement, comprehension, and retention of scientific knowledge.
Most games, for instance, utilize interactive and immersive elements (like storyline progression, challenges, and rewards) to captivate players’ attention and sustain their interest in biology topics. They encourage players to make decisions, solve problems, and explore concepts within the game environment.
Some provide immediate feedback on players’ actions, allowing them to assess their performance and adjust their strategies accordingly. This timely feedback mechanism reinforces learning.
Can these games be used in formal education settings, such as schools and universities?
Why not! Biology games can be valuable tools for professional development across various fields, from healthcare and research to environmental science.
Many games simulate real-world scenarios in professional practice. Healthcare professionals like doctors and nurses can use such simulations to practice clinical decision-making and surgical techniques in a risk-free environment.
In the same way, researchers can utilize these games to refine experimental design, laboratory techniques, and data analysis skills.
Furthermore, these games present complex topics in an interactive and user-friendly manner. This accessibility allows professionals in fields like genetics and ecology to explore theories, visualize abstract concepts, and gain deeper insights into intricate biological processes.
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