The Blokhuispoort, the former detention center in Leeuwarden, is a centuries-old, unique building that truly captures the imagination. An imposing gate, dark corridors and cells, the courtyard where prisoners went for fresh air: a visit to the Blokhuispoort is one you won’t easily forget.

Project goal

Let 400 of Leeuwarden’s visitors each week experience what it feels like to be imprisoned in the Blokhuispoort, thereby raising historical awareness.

Blok Out

A former custodian has lost his memories. They are hidden in every nook and cranny of the Blokhuispoort. Not visible to the naked eye, but fortunately you can discover them with your phone’s camera. Will you be able to find them all and unravel the mystery of the Blokhuispoort?

You catch the first memories yourself. The game continues in the monumental Blokhuispoort. The hunt for the memories takes you through the entire complex: sometimes the memories have to be caught, sometimes a puzzle has to be solved, and sometimes a question has to be answered.

Blok Out was an innovative attraction that brought the history of the Blokhuispoort prison to life. With phone in hand, players learned about the history of the Blokhuispoort in a special, interactive tour of the Blokhuispoort. The game could be played independently by visitors aged 8 and up, was easy to play for those without game experience, and was offered in Dutch, Frisian, German and English. The game lasted about 1.5 hours.

Availability

From 2018, the game was available to download via the app stores on mobile devices. The game was designed to be played while walking around in the Blokhuispoort.

Greenhabit

Creating a new, healthy habit typically takes around 12 weeks, and while that’s a significant commitment, it can often feel challenging, exhausting, and sometimes even dull. But what if changing your habits didn’t have to be boring? With Greenhabit, learning about health becomes a fun and interactive adventure that keeps you motivated and engaged.

An exciting journey

As you embark on your Greenhabit journey, you’ll receive a mix of messages, small and big challenges, and plenty of rewards for your efforts. These rewards range from points and badges to real-life surprises like store vouchers. You’ll also experience the adventure with a buddy, someone you choose at the start of the program who will help motivate and inspire you throughout.

By combining fresh content, exciting challenges, insightful progress tracking, and sharing experiences with your buddy, Greenhabit makes it easier than ever to embrace a healthier lifestyle.

Focusing on 5 key elements

Greenhabit is built around five essential elements, all of which play a role in finding balance and achieving overall health. Each day, you’ll focus on:

• healthy food
• exercise
• relaxation
• positive thinking
• social environment

After twelve weeks, these five elements will become a natural part of your routine, helping you to find balance in your body’s weight, energy, and rest.

Collaboration and support

The Greenhabit method was conceived by Chantal and Mark Linders, and has been translated to a game in collaboration with Grendel Games. The program has also been supported by a network of Greenhabit ‘pearls,’ local partners who provide players with healthy rewards like fresh regional vegetables or relaxing foot massages.

Get started today

Employers are already using Greenhabit to improve the health and well-being of their teams. If you’re an employer looking to boost your team’s health, you can register for the Greenhabit program today. Visit greenhabit.nl for more information.

Why Garfield?

The Grendel team wanted a relatable, fun character that children would love. Garfield, the world-famous cat known for his love of junk food and lounging, seemed like the perfect fit. When Tim approached Paws, Inc., the company founded by Garfield creator Jim Davis, the idea was met with enthusiasm. With permission secured, the team began developing a game where Garfield takes center stage.

Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle

Tim explains: “Garfield is hugely popular with kids. He’s not perfect—he loves lasagna, pizza, and hates exercise—which made him ideal for our approach. We didn’t want to create a game that told children what to do. Instead, we used humor and light-hearted gameplay to help young people learn about nutrition and healthy habits in an engaging way.”

Support from a Health Innovator

The Friesland Zorgverzekeraar health insurance company joined the project to support its development. Foppe Hemminga, innovation manager at the company, explains: “We’re focusing more on illness prevention, especially among children. If trends continue, over 30% of income will be spent on healthcare by 2040—up from the current 16% for the average Dutch citizen. According to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), half of healthcare expenses are lifestyle-related. Teaching children about healthy habits benefits everyone: it improves their long-term health while helping us control healthcare costs.”

The Story: Garfield vs. Hot Dog

The game, titled Garfield vs. Hot Dog, follows Garfield, his owner Jon, and their loyal dog Odie as they travel the globe battling Hot Dog, a villain intent on conquering the world with his fast-food empire. Players complete missions and fun mini-games to reverse Hot Dog’s unhealthy influence, taking back neighborhoods, cities, and entire countries one step at a time.

Mini-Games with a Purpose

Garfield vs. Hot Dog features five cities and seven mini-games, each focused on a specific learning objective—such as understanding the impact of sugar or discovering the joy of exercising with others. The first city, New York, is available as a free download, allowing players to try the game before exploring more. Designed for children aged 6 to 11, the mini-games gradually increase in complexity to match their development.

A Scientifically Validated Game

The game was developed in collaboration with leading scientists and experts in fields such as nutrition, behavior, obesity, healthy living, and video game design. Partners included researchers from Belgrade, Israel, and Utrecht University. Tim adds: “This close cooperation ensured that our game is not only fun but also scientifically validated to help kids adopt healthier lifestyles.”

The idea for this math game was developed by Ate de Boer and Marjon Huisman of Rekengames B.V., inspired by the ‘Rekenmuurtje’ (Math Wall) method. The Math Wall organizes exercises into layers, or ‘bricks,’ where each layer builds on the one below. Children focus on strengthening their understanding of the foundational layers before moving on to more complex challenges. Skipping steps can lead to difficulties with advanced exercises, making this step-by-step approach essential.

An Evidence-Based Learning Method

The Math Wall technique was developed by education experts Wolter Danhof and Piet Bandstra to support children who struggle with arithmetic. Both experts played an integral role in creating the educational foundation for Garfield’s Count Me In.

Track Progress in Real Time

While children enjoy the game, parents and teachers can monitor their progress through an intuitive dashboard. Teachers can review performance at both the class and individual levels, while parents can track their child’s achievements in detail.

The Story

Garfield’s friends have been captured by mischievous space dogs! Determined to save them, Garfield hops into his spaceship and heads to the planet where his friends are held captive. There, he encounters curious creatures with numbers on their bellies. Garfield discovers that solving math problems with the help of these creatures brings him closer to rescuing his friends.

Personalized Learning for Every Child

Every child learns differently, and the game adjusts to match the player’s unique pace and skill level. As they improve, they’re introduced to new planets with fresh challenges and slightly more difficult exercises. Each planet offers exciting math puzzles, and the level of difficulty increases gradually. The game is won when all planets are explored, and all of Garfield’s friends are safely rescued.

Collaborative Development

Garfield’s Count Me In was created by Grendel Games in collaboration with educational advisors Wolter Danhof and Piet Bandstra. The game was commissioned by Rekengames B.V., and Grendel Games is officially licensed to use the Garfield character, making learning both effective and entertaining.

Awards

Garfields Count me gained a Silver Award in 2018 at the Inernational Serious Play Congress

Availability

Garfields count me in underwent a visual redesign for the publisher Lexima and is now available in Dutch as Rekenheld.

https://lexima.nl/programma/rekenheld

But Gryphon Rider is the opposite of boring! This game was specifically designed for young clients rehabilitating after Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), who have to perform multiple balance exercises. Young clients can play the game at the rehabilitation centre and at home with family members or friends. The technology behind Gryphon Rider automatically keeps track of all the data, giving the rehabilitation therapist insight into the client’s rehabilitation process.

How does Gryphon Rider work?

Gryphon Rider transports players into beautifully designed worlds. The game is just as appealing and challenging as other high-quality entertainment games. Riding on the back of a Gryphon, the player goes on an adventure in an enthralling fantasy world. The children operate the game by moving their body. For example, they steer the Gryphon by leaning to the left or right. The client’s movements are captured by a Kinect (a camera that detects movement, linked to a gaming console). The Kinect measures the client’s movements and translates them inside the game into instructions for the Gryphon.

Anyone can play Gryphon Rider

Clients can play Gryphon Rider at the rehabilitation centre or at home. The game can automatically perform any arm, leg or balance function a child is not (yet) capable of, enabling anyone to play the game. This means the client can also discover the amazing world of Gryphon Rider together with family members and friends.

“Gryphon Rider can be customized for every individual client.”

Maaike Brienne, therapist at rehabilitation centre RMC Groot Klimmendaal

Gryphon Rider: customized for individual clients

Every rehabilitation process is unique. That’s why the skills in the various components of the game can be set beforehand to the appropriate level for the client. The pace of rehabilitation can be adjusted too. After a client has played Gryphon Rider, they can save the game and continue next time at the level they previously reached. This flexibility makes Gryphon Rider suitable for all clients of all levels.

Data collection during the game, locally and remotely

While the young client enjoys playing the game, the Kinect detects their movements and pose. These data are automatically processed into graphs. This enables the therapist to supervise and direct the client while they play. If the client plays Gryphon Rider at home, the therapist can follow the rehabilitation remotely and determine whether the client needs to come to the clinic for extra supervision.

Gryphon Rider Partners

The game was designed as a result of requests from and in collaboration with rehabilitation professionals. The staff at Grendel Games know how to build appealing, exciting games, but they’re not rehabilitation specialists. That’s why we asked rehabilitation professionals as well as rehabilitation clients to assist in the development of Gryphon Rider. Their expertise gives the game content and ensures the rehabilitation is effective. Our additional partners who were involved in the development, funding and ultimate realization of Gryphon Rider:

Project goal

Reduce pain intensity by at least 30% for Dutch adult chronic pain patients who have used the game, for a period of 6 months after they use the game

Reducept

A journey through the body

Reducept is a serious game designed for patients to help manage their chronic pain as well as educate them on how pain originates. By providing this unique combination of gaming and education, patients are more able to manage their chronic pain, even after the game has ended. Through amazing visual graphics, patients will go on a journey through their body and they can be emerged within the experience virtual reality offers. By playing different games, patients learn different techniques that they can use to manage their chronic pain. The goal is to control pain through education. Added bonus: it is fun to play!

Partners

Reducept is developed together with Margryt Fennema, health scientist and digital healthcare innovator, and Louis Zantema, medical psychologist. Their aim is to provide treatments that are accessible to everyone through gaming.

Availability

Reducept is currently available for Pico G2, Android and iPhone. The game can be downloaded directly from their respective stores. Patients can also obtain the game with a pre-installed set made available by their therapist or practice. You can find more information on the official website.

Many people use a lot of water during specific times of the day, particularly in the morning and evening. These peaks often align with daily routines such as taking showers, doing the dishes, or using washing machines. Concentrated periods of high water demand put extra pressure on water systems, requiring pumps to work harder and consume more energy. To address this issue, Vitens, a forward-thinking water provider, sought to encourage customers to spread their water usage more evenly, saving both energy and costs.

Vitens knew from experience that changing customer behavior can be a significant challenge. This inspired them to explore an innovative approach: using a game to foster change. “We approached Grendel Games,” says Micha van Aken, business development manager at Vitens. “It was the first time we’d used a game to influence behavior. The Grendel team was excited to take on the challenge and quickly came up with creative ideas.”

A Thoughtfully Designed Game

The result was the Wijk & Water Battle, a collaborative game aimed at promoting sustainable water usage. The project included an app, a website, and a Facebook page to engage users across multiple platforms. “Grendel Games is fantastic at visualization, which gave the game its unique appeal,” Micha explains. “They also brought in behavioral scientists to ensure the game was both fun and effective.”

How It Works

The objective of Wijk & Water Battle is to provide participants with insights into their water and energy consumption, ultimately encouraging them to change their habits. The pilot launched in the autumn of 2015, involving children from two primary schools in different neighborhoods of Leeuwarden. Over three months, the children teamed up with local residents in a “battle” to reduce peaks in water usage, successfully spreading consumption more evenly throughout the day.

The Story Behind the Game

In the game, whimsical water creatures live in the local water network, but their tiny homes are frequently flooded due to high water consumption during peak hours. Schoolchildren and residents join forces to help these creatures by reducing water use at critical times. Participants track their progress using a smart meter and an app, making it easy to see the impact of their efforts. As they change their habits, the creatures experience less flooding, creating a rewarding and meaningful connection between the game and real-world behavior.

Through this innovative collaboration, Vitens and Grendel Games demonstrated how gamification can inspire positive change, fostering greater awareness and more sustainable water usage habits in the community.

YIMBY (Yes In My Back Yard) is an innovative and engaging tool that empowers citizens to shape their neighborhoods and public spaces. This interactive game allows users to assess, adapt, and create designs that are not only community-focused but also resilient to challenges like heat stress, drought, and flooding. The goal is simple: design a climate-resistant, vibrant public space with active input from those who will use it most.

Why YIMBY?

YIMBY bridges the gap between community members and organizations, enabling faster, more collaborative development of public spaces. By incorporating user-driven design and clear guidelines provided by local organizations, YIMBY helps create spaces that improve quality of life while reducing long-term social and environmental costs.

How Does It Work?

YIMBY invites citizens to participate in every step of the design process. Users can:

• Explore: View, rate, and comment on designs created by neighbors and organizations.
• Design: Create their ideal public space using a variety of elements like trees, paths, greenery, or even parking spaces.
• Test: Run simulations to see if the design can withstand extreme weather conditions, ensuring resilience to heatwaves, droughts, and heavy rainfall.

With its 3D interface, YIMBY brings designs to life, allowing users to view their creations from every angle and refine them for maximum impact.

Making a Difference Together

Whether it’s a park, playground, or a lively street, YIMBY turns community aspirations into actionable designs. And the best part? Top-rated designs could become a reality, transforming neighborhoods into more livable and sustainable spaces.

Take part in shaping your environment. With YIMBY, the future of public spaces is in your hands!

One innovative way to enhance neighborhood resilience to extreme weather is by empowering residents to transform their gardens into climate-proof spaces through a fun and interactive competition.

The Concept: The Garden Battle
In the Garden Battle, residents participate in a digital twin city—an online platform where the entire city, including streets and homes, is represented as a virtual model. Participants can locate their own street and home, claim their garden, and get started on redesigning it to be as climate-proof as possible.

The competition allows residents to compete individually and as a community. Neighbors vie for the best garden design, while neighborhoods compete to see who can create the most climate-resilient environment. Whether it’s the city center or the suburban districts, the challenge brings communities together to build a greener, more resilient future.

The Goal
The primary objective is to encourage residents to collectively reimagine and redesign their outdoor spaces in ways that improve climate resilience—not just virtually, but in their real environments as well.

How the Game Works
Garden Battle is designed for easy participation, with short, engaging sessions played either indoors or outdoors. Players can experiment with their virtual gardens, exploring aesthetic ideas while considering climate resilience. The game presents challenges like extreme rainfall, prolonged drought, and intense heat, allowing players to test their designs under simulated conditions.

Players gain valuable insights into how their design choices affect their garden’s ability to withstand these conditions. The game even links directly to real-world solutions—participants can view and purchase items to implement their designs in their own gardens. Through integration with ARCgis, the game highlights the climate resilience of neighborhoods, motivating players to turn their digital designs into reality.

Beyond Private Gardens
The game also allows participants to redesign public spaces in their neighborhoods. These designs can be shared with others and reviewed by local authorities, enabling broader community impact.

How It’s Distributed
The game is accessible on laptops, desktops, or tablets, making it easy for residents to participate. By combining individual competition with collaborative neighborhood goals, the Garden Battle encourages a shared sense of responsibility for creating sustainable and climate-resilient environments.

The Impact
The Garden Battle inspires residents to take proactive steps toward making their outdoor spaces better equipped to handle extreme weather events. It fosters awareness, creativity, and action, ultimately contributing to greener, more pleasant neighborhoods that are resilient to the challenges of climate change.

This approach not only educates residents but also enables them to make meaningful changes in their environments—proof that climate resilience begins right at home.