Felix the Explorer – UI Design for a Puzzle Adventure Game

Overview

"Felix the Explorer" is a puzzle adventure game featuring an adventurous cat on a quest to uncover hidden treasures. Designed for a casual gaming audience, the game’s UI aims to provide a visually engaging, intuitive, and immersive experience for players aged 25-65, with a majority being women (65% of the player base).

Problem Statement

Casual puzzle games often struggle with keeping players engaged over long-term gameplay. Without a strong theme, character identity, and UI clarity, players may lose interest or find navigation overwhelming. The goal was to create a seamless, visually appealing UI that enhances the adventure theme while ensuring accessibility and ease of use.

Design Goals & Challenges

🎯 Create a visually captivating UI that aligns with the Indiana Jones-inspired theme.
🎯 Ensure clarity and accessibility for a wide age range of players.
🎯 Design engaging progression elements that motivate continued play.
🎯 Maintain a balance between playfulness and usability without overwhelming players.

Design Solutions

To achieve these goals, I focused on:

✅ Vibrant Toon-Style UI – Crafted a colorful, engaging interface that complements Felix’s playful personality and adventure theme.
✅ Intuitive Navigation – Simplified menus, ensuring easy access to levels, inventory, and settings.
✅ Dynamic Level Progression – Designed a scrollable world map UI to showcase Felix’s journey across different locations every 20 levels.
✅ Reward Feedback System – Created engaging animations and visual cues when collecting treasures, boosting player satisfaction.
✅ Accessible UI Elements – Implemented large, readable fonts and clear touch-friendly buttons, making the game enjoyable across all age groups.
✅ AI-Generated Power-Up Icons – Designed unique power-up icons using AI-assisted tools, ensuring a polished and cohesive visual style while streamlining the creative process.

Impact & Takeaways

By focusing on engaging visuals, clear navigation, and rewarding interactions, the UI enhances both immersion and retention. Players can seamlessly experience Felix’s adventure, keeping them engaged and eager to progress.