2020 saw the release of two new games to the NGPF Arcade: Money Magic in January and The Bummer! Game in October. The game developers, McKInney, continue to add to their medal count:

• The investment game STAX was named a 2020 Webby winner in the Public Service, Activism, and Social Impact category
• Shady Sam collected a Wood Pencil at this year’s D&AD Awards, which honor the world’s best in advertising and design category
• 2019 saw PAYBACK win a Webby in the Education Games category and Shady Sam earning a Bronze from the London International Award (LIA). 

Wondering which NGPF Arcade games got the most plays in 2020? Envelope, please...

The top 3 remained consistent from 2019 with Money Magic edging out Shady Sam for the #4 spot and Cat Insanity falling off the list for the first time. Our new insurance game, Bummer!, is off to a great start and should contend for the top 5 in 2021: 

1. Spent [Budgeting]
2. STAX [Investing]
3. Payback [Paying for College]
4. Money Magic (NEW!) [Budgeting]
5. Shady Sam (#4 in 2019) [Credit]

What about the Interactive Library's Best of 2020. Here's the top 5:

1. Online Bank Simulator
2. How Much Salary Do You Need to Buy a House in a Given City? 
3. Is It Better To Rent or Own?
4. Will Your Job Be Done by a Machine?
5. Tie: What Kind of Spender Are You? and How Do You Manage Your Time?

Want a preview of what's coming in 2021? Spoiler Alert: A game focused on entrepreneurship with a target release date of May...stay tuned. 

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.