During our research, study participants created digital games using Scratch, Twine, and Bitsy software with the assistance of our research team. To play the games, please download the games in .html format, which can run in your web browser. The accompanying synopses are study participants’ first-person descriptions of their games. All names have been anonymized and/or are pseudonyms for purposes of confidentiality and privacy.
Shooting Hoops Going Back and Forth by Barb (Scratch, 2022)
“My game is a basketball game, and you shoot hoops because everybody goes through hoops when dealing with the (healthcare) system. You will shoot the hoop and see what your score is (by two points). If you land on a certain spot, you can either go backward or forward. And when you do this, the other part of the game, it’s the Snakes and Ladders part…When you are on low income or disability, it’s harder for you to navigate the (healthcare) system…When you are addicted, people look at you differently. It’s like a barrier…Every time we turn around, we have to shoot through hoops. And we have to go through different barriers to get what we need.” Barb
How to Play:
Use the arrow keys to move the basketball around, and spacebar to shoot.
Road to Recovery by Nirvana (Bitsy, 2022)
“I’ve created three rooms and my first one, which is my entrance, is full of pills and blind basses. And they’re all over the room. And they’re all very easily accessible. And with each one, I get that pop-up saying—so all these drugs and alcohol are all accessible to me, and just in the state of euphoria, and eliminating all my thoughts. Then you go into the second room, and there’s less. But my kids are also in this second room. And they’re offering me help and to keep going towards my passion for recovery. So, I have fewer things in the second room. And once you find your way out of that second room, you go into the third room, and I have found the 12 steps of recovery. And I must go through each step. Each step will tell you what it is, and you must go through each step to get to the end of the game, which is my spiritual (journey).” Nirvana
How to Play:
Press “down” on the arrow keys to start the game. From there, control the heart by using the arrow keys to move.
Untitled by Chad (Twine, 2022)
“My game is based on my past regarding the pain meds. If you don’t take care of your body and do what’s right, you know you are going to either end up in a pine box or you’re going to succeed. It’s difficult, but life is difficult no matter what way you look at it and hopefully, the game will help other people open their eyes…” Chad
How to Play:
Use the mouse to select which option you would like to choose – options are in blue text.
Untitled by Doktr (Scratch, 2022)
“My game shows the day-to-day life of someone doing drugs…Nobody wakes up in the morning and says ‘Yeah, that’s cool, let’s beg for money or go steal stuff’. But people still do it anyway.” Doktr
How to Play:
Use the mouse to click through the game.
adventures of Nae Nae & Lil Reggie by Nae Nae (Bitsy, 2022)
“(The game is about) things that are challenging that you have to get through to get to the actual goal that you want to get to, like addiction. You have to go through certain things to get to your final goal of staying clean.” Nae Nae
How to Play:
Press “down” on the arrow keys to start the game. From there, control the heart by using the arrow keys to move.
My Life by Kevin (Twine, 2022)
“My addiction, my disease takes over my life. I have no regard for family members, I don’t care what I do to get what I need. I will manipulate and do whatever it is. So, my game is based on that because a situation that happened to me recently was the last time I used.” Kevin
How to Play:
Use the mouse to select which option you would like to choose – options are in blue text.
Bunches of Bananas by Big Bags (Scratch, 2022)
“My game shows how long the journey is with addiction and eventually recovery. It will take you to many different places you never expected to go to.” Big Bags
How to Play:
Follow the instructions on the screen.
Streetcraft by RubenGray (Bitsy, 2022)
“The game (is) about the process of scoring drugs on the streets and selling drugs on the streets. And just the whole scene, how that evolves, how people carry themselves, and how the process is of procuring substances in a controlled environment. I just made mazes like an oblivion screen where you start off in oblivion, and you go through a door and you got pure drops, or you get medicine and you go through doorways, and go through more and get more. But then you have to get back to oblivion…You become in a void, I guess. It’s a metaphor for taking drugs.” RubenGray
How to Play:
Press “down” on the arrow keys to start the game. From there, control the heart by using the arrow keys to move.
Disorganized by Madison (Twine, 2022)
“A day-in-the-life of addicts. And just navigate how our brains process what options we have throughout the day, whether it’s an addict who’s using or an addict who’s been clean for years or months. Just like a little person running around and having these options and just having voice bubbles pop up, but showing in the game what would be going through our mind, and then they would have no choice but to choose whichever way to go.” Madison
How to Play:
Use the mouse to select which option you would like to choose – options are in blue text.