Water Games

Water Games is a joint initiative of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and the Centre for Systems Solutions to celebrate the World Water Day.

We have collected and described a number of different games addressing different water challenges. These games differ with respect to time required to play, a number of participants, type (computer, board, or role-play).

We hope that you find a game that you can use and organize a session for other participants that you invite.

UN Water 22 March World Water Day logo
Centre for Systems Solutions
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
UN Water 22 March World Water Day logo

World Water Day

Water Games is a joint initiative of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and the Centre for Systems Solutions to celebrate the World Water Day.

We have collected and described a number of different games addressing different water challenges. These games differ with respect to time required to play, a number of participants, type (computer, board, or role-play). We hope that you find a game that you can use and organize a session for other participants that you invite.

We would be delighted to hear from you more about your experiences - please share with us descriptions and pictures from your event!

Water games

Forest@Risk

Forest@Risk

Disaster risk. Mobile and PC. Multiplayer. 1-2 hours. Interactive online game that introduces players to the sustainable management of natural resources, and how important are internal agreements and trust in order to achieve this goal. Strategic and leadership skills.
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About that Forest

About That Forest

Biodiversity. Mobile and PC. Multiplayer. 1-2 hours. Participants take the role of people living in the forest. Strategic and leadership skills.
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Lords of the Valley

Lords of the Valley

Biodiversity. Mobile and PC. Multiplayer. 2 hours and more. Role-playing simulation game that takes place in the valley of the river exposed to unexpected droughts and floods. Training in risk management, strategy development, decision making, conflict resolution, collaboration.
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Games4Sustainability

Marine Spatial Planning challenge 2050

Policy making process. Simulation. 1-2 hours. The Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) Challenge 2050 is a computer simulation-game focused on maritime spatial planning.
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Games4Sustainability

Flood Control Game

Water control. Board game. 30-60 minutes. The goal of the game is to help regional governmental bodies communicate better and let them practice making decisions under stress and based on conflicting information. Education in flood preparedness.
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Catchment Detox

Catchment Detox

Water control. Flash game. 30-60 minutes. Players have to figure out how to be successful in managing a river catchment and creating a sustainable and thriving economy. Workshops about water contol.
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FloodSim

FloodSim

Water control. PC game. About 30-60 minutes. Control of flood policy in the UK for three years. Educational material in schools, universities, training for employees (government, insurer or NGO).
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Run the river

Run the River

Water control. Smartphone game. About 15-30 minutes. The Game combines elements of the natural water cycle with the challenges of balancing water use between various water consumers including the river mouth, wetlands, farms, towns and cities. Suitable to be used as part of school lessons.
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Paying for Predictions

Paying for Predictions

Climate policy. Simulation. 1-2 hours. Make individual and collective decisions, with consequences as Red Cross Red Cresent workers who face changing risks. The game illustrates potential and limitations of seasonal forecasts for the humanitarian sector.
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Sai Fah

Sai Fah! The Flood fighter!

Disaster preparedness. Smartphone game. About 30-60 minutes. Guide a child called Sai Fah through typical scenarios that arise during floods as he tries to find his mother. Training in improving awareness level.
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Fish game

The Fish Game

Enivironmental policy. Flash game. Less than 15 minutes. Use of a lake’s common resources. Teaches how to use environmental sustainably.
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Games4Sustainability

Upstream-Downstream

Climate change. Simulation. 1-2 hours. Upstream-Downstream focuses on climate-related information in decision-making at the community level. Decision-making training.
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We would be delighted to hear from you more about your experiences - please share with us descriptions and pictures from your event! We can publish it on our blog like the posts below!

Posts about water games

Flood Resilience Game

How game can help flood-prone communities

The Flood Resilience Game is a simulation designed to help flood-prone communities to discover strategies which improve flood resilience.
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World Water Day

Games at the World Water Day

We believe, we can reinforce the key messages of World Water Day 2016 – “Better water, better jobs” – using serious games.
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Re-hydrate all Water Bears!

‘Serious’ Water Bears

Water Bears game proves to be a great tool in teaching about systems thinking and systems approach. It is a good step in making games a tool for education.
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Collective water management is very important issue!

How to save water with games

IFPR proves you can save water with games. In India and Colombia, communities learn about water management with the use of simulations.
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Lords of the Valley

Can you become the next Lord of the Valley?

Learn how to be sustainable with new Lords of the Valley board game. Understand the importance of biodiversity and become Lord of the Valley.
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International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and the Centre for Systems Solutions promote and apply the systems approach, in research and policy, in order to understand and solve complex problems at different scales. Serious games are innovative, participatory tools that can support finding solutions for important water problems. They can also support education on water issues in an engaging and accessible way.