A Tamagotchi-Style Game for Interactive Thyroid Cancer Care and Education

This work introduces a serious game aimed at enhancing awareness and management of thyroid cancer through gamified learning. It innovates by personifying the thyroid gland into a virtual pet within a Tamagotchi-style game framework. The interactive virtual thyroid comes with different health problems, visual adornments, genders, and age options, all of which are randomly assigned by the game system to personalize the experience. This design aspect enriches the player’s engagement by presenting a variety of scenarios and challenges, enhancing the educational value. Players engage in comprehensive care for their virtual thyroid pet, encompassing health monitoring, treatment decision-making, and overall well-being maintenance. This approach not only narrows the gap between digital entertainment and health education but also introduces a novel channel for disseminating information about thyroid cancer and promoting a ludic understanding of thyroid health management strategies. Furthermore, the game was playtested with thyroid health specialists, resulting in qualitative feedback that underscores the game’s potential as a useful educational tool in the field.