SOLS-RUNNER: My first educational game with AI to learn about Summer Solstice

A developer created SOLS-Runner, an educational narrative puzzle game for the June Solstice Game Jam that teaches astronomy concepts through a story about a young runner's journey of growth. The game uses Phaser and React, features a World Saturation system where puzzles restore color, and includes a Gemini Crystal AI Tutor powered by Google's Gemini 2.5 Flash to provide educational explanations. The project demonstrates how AI can be integrated into gameplay to enhance learning.

This is a submission for the June Solstice Game Jam SOLS-Runner is a narrative puzzle adventure inspired by the June Solstice and the idea that growth often comes through periods of darkness, uncertainty, and change. Players take on the role of Leo, a young runner who feels disconnected from the world around him. During an evening run through Greenwood Park, he discovers a mysterious cosmic crystal that challenges him with a series of puzzles centered around astronomy, balance, and seasonal change. As each challenge is solved, the world gradually regains its color. The gray landscape transforms into a vibrant environment, visually representing Leo's journey from stagnation toward hope and self-discovery. The game combines storytelling, environmental progression, educational puzzles, and AI-assisted learning into a short experience that can be completed in a single sitting. The core message of the game is simple: Just as the Earth moves through cycles of darkness and light, people also move through periods of uncertainty, growth, and renewal. The demo video showcases: GitHub Repository: https://github.com/HungH206/sols-survivor https://github.com/HungH206/sols-survivor Live Demo: https://sols-runner-640174174409.us-central1.run.app https://sols-runner-640174174409.us-central1.run.app I intentionally kept the scope small so that I could create a polished and complete experience within the game jam timeline. The game was built using: Phaser was used to manage gameplay scenes and world interactions, while React handled interface elements such as challenge panels, dialogue systems, and puzzle interactions. One of the central mechanics is the World Saturation system. The game begins in a nearly colorless state. Every successful puzzle completion increases world saturation and transforms the environment. This visual progression reinforces both the solstice theme and Leo's emotional journey. The puzzles introduce astronomy concepts such as: To make the experience more interactive, one of the puzzles was redesigned into a Caesar cipher / Enigma-inspired challenge where players rotate encoded letters to reveal the correct answer. A custom Gemini Crystal AI Tutor was added to provide educational explanations after puzzle completion. Players can ask the crystal why an answer is correct, why alternative answers are incorrect, and how the concept relates to seasons, light, and balance. The game sends requests through a secure server endpoint that communicates with Gemini 2.5 Flash, ensuring API keys remain protected. Google AI played a significant role throughout the project. During development, Google AI Studio was used for: In the final game, Gemini powers the Gemini Crystal AI Tutor, an in-game learning assistant that provides contextual explanations for puzzle answers and transforms educational content into an interactive experience. Rather than using AI solely during development, I wanted AI to become part of the gameplay itself. One of the game's challenge sequences is inspired by classical cryptography and codebreaking concepts associated with Alan Turing's work. The Caesar cipher / Enigma-inspired puzzle encourages players to decode hidden messages while learning about astronomical concepts related to the solstice. This mechanic serves as a small tribute to Turing's contributions to computing, cryptography, and problem-solving. This was an exercise in balancing creativity with scope. I began with a much larger vision involving multiple locations, expanded puzzle systems, and additional mechanics. During development, I learned that reducing scope often leads to a stronger final experience. By focusing on a single environment, a clear emotional journey, and a small set of polished mechanics, I was able to create a complete game that aligns closely with the theme of the jam. SOLS-Runner is ultimately a story about movement. Not just the movement of the Earth around the Sun, but the movement people experience as they navigate uncertainty, growth, and change. Sometimes the longest journey begins with a single step into the unknown.