Deep beneath the ocean floor, science bot Rovee guides players through three expeditions with the International Ocean Discovery Project. Players drill core samples, compare layers, and test hypotheses to uncover Earth's history. These casual free-to-play mini-games blend point-and-click exploration in 3D environments with multiple-choice questions, mineral collection, and matching challenges focused on ocean core science.
The suite covers Mysteries of the Core on land plant fragments far offshore, Deep Dark Life on microbes thriving inside rocks, and Die-no-saur linking dinosaurs to plankton extinctions. All draw from current scientific data, including discoveries from the Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations. Players of all ages, from 12 to 40s, enjoy the approachable single-player format that teaches real ocean drilling insights.
Deep beneath the ocean floor, what discoveries are possible? Join
science bot Rovee on 3 expeditions with the International Ocean
Discovery Project. Drill core samples from below the ocean floor,
compare the layers, investigate hypotheses, and piece together
dramatic stories of life on Earth.
Stores from the Cores is a suite of 3 single-player mini games about
deep ocean core science. The games feature multiple choice questions,
exploring 3D environments with science bot Rovee via point and
click controls. Collecting mineral samples for scientific research, and
matching games that all teach players about deep ocean core science.
“It’s like a fun game and you can learn from it.” Age 12
The mini games are the following:
Mysteries of the Core
Why are bits of land plants found in cores drilled from
under the sea floor far from shore?
“It's a colorful, interesting story, connected to what science is finding out.” Age 40
Deep Dark Life
How are microbes able to live inside rocks hundreds of feet below
the sea floor? Find out what the Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations
has discovered.
“I never thought of microbes at the bottom of the sea. I thought it was a
dark place with nothing going on.” Age 40s
Die-no-saur
What do dinosaurs and plankton have in common? What happened
on Earth when dinosaurs, plankton and lots of other life went extinct?
“Ocean drilling means…getting samples from the ground to play back
history to find out what happened.” Age 14
Accuracy
These games are based on current scientific data. HOWEVER, we did add googley eyes to the microbes.
Funding from
This project is funded through National Science Foundation Award #1515856 and the Center for
Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations.
