`Functional games` combine fun with education

The 16th U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change was held from Nov. 29 through Dec.10 in Cancun, Mexico. At a side event hosted by UNESCO and UNICEF, the Korea Creative Content Agency showcased “eco-friends,” an environmental education game jointly developed by the U.N. Environment Program National Committee for Korea.

The game is about building an environment-friendly city by planting trees and setting up greenhouses and roads. Rewards are given for completion of the city’s construction.

Children can easily understand the importance of environment protection through the game. More than 130 international agency staff, children and officials in charge of environmental education for young people said the game is an excellent tool for environmental education.

Functional games help children enjoy a sound and leisurely life as they resolve the side effects of excess absorption in games.

These games are also gaining increased attention. Functional games are a combination of entertainment, education and training. People can take a health checkup or a driver’s license test and solve tricky math problems at home while playing these games.

More functional games are being developed. In other countries, they are used not only for youth education but also for military drills and medical treatment.

According to the content agency, the global market for functional games is worth 5.1 billion U.S. dollars and will rise to 9.1 billion dollars by 2012. The U.S. functional games market, the biggest in the world, has increased seven-fold from 50 million dollars in 2005 to 360 million dollars this year.

Korea’s functional games market is likely to grow from 200 billion won (173 million dollars) this year to more than 340 billion won (294 million dollars) by 2012.

bluedot@donga.com