Video games inspired by Tay Whale sculpture to light up Dundee Waterfront

Video games inspired by Tay Whale sculpture to light up Dundee Waterfront

New video games created by academics and recent graduates from Abertay University will bring a multi-generational gaming experience to the heart of Dundee’s new Whale Song Park.

The suite of six mini-games created by the award-winning Konglomerate Games and supported by Abertay University, InGAME, Dundee City Council and Create Converge will be completely free and playable by anyone who visits the waterfront park, situated near the internationally-renowned V&A Dundee Museum of Design.

Drawing inspiration from the newly installed Tay Whale sculpture by artist Lee Simmons, the games have all been designed with accessibility in mind, ensuring anyone from children and young people through to parents and older people can enjoy the unique experience.

An eye-catching black ‘monolith’ arcade cabinet housing the games will be a permanent feature in the park, giving local residents and tourists another reason to visit an area which already boasts Dundee’s Slessor Gardens and Urban Beach.

Between one and four players can play the games any given time, with the option of playing either individually or with others.

From feeding jellyfish to trawling the water for fish, players will enjoy the colourful and playful feel to the game’s graphics and design.

The cabinet is due to be installed at the park soon, with the games to be finalised and added to the unit in the coming weeks.

Abertay University Computer Arts lecturer Dr Lynn Love, who has led on the project, said: “We’re so excited to be able to share this preview of our mini-games designed specifically for Whale Song Park. We hope these games will help create a bridge from the city’s maritime past to its technological future and we were delighted to co-design this experience with one the city’s most exciting independent games studios, Konglomorate Games.”

Jamie Bankhead CEO of Konglomerate Games added: “It’s been a privilege to work on a project that will entertain Dundonians and visitors to the city for years to come. We hope the games will help bring visitors to the park together and encourage us all to be more social after spending so much time apart.”

Director of InGAME Sean Taylor said: “We were delighted to commission and work on this innovative project and it’s really pleasing to see video games placed at the heart of Dundee’s most vibrant civic space.”