Game: Design in Line

A playful journey through the collection

The online game is available for free via the following link
—no download required:

Start the Game

Explore objects of the collection – Learn about design parameters

“Design in Line” is an interactive browser game (for PC/tablet) for ages 14 and up, in which players must identify commonalities among objects from the collection of Die Neue Sammlung – The Design Museum and correctly categorize them. The game uses a playful approach to teach key design principles and raise awareness of design issues:

What in our surroundings is designed?
How different can chairs and cameras look?
Why is something red?
Which materials are typical for certain objects?
When do you use images, and when do you use text on posters?

The game fosters an awareness of design as a creative process and conveys criteria for “good design”—from functionality and aesthetics to the target audience. It sparks curiosity about design in everyday life and can serve as an impetus for museum visits or in-depth discussions.

Endless fun for everyone

Players can choose between graphic design and product design. The game mechanics are designed so that the approximately 300 objects are constantly rearranged—ensuring that “Design in Line” offers variety and long-lasting fun.

The challenge increases as more empty spaces appear. If you get stuck, you can ask the colorful mascot Smik for help. Brave players can jump right into Pro Mode with three rows and five empty spaces.

The accessible gameplay mechanics, based on the “drag & drop” principle, guarantee fun for a wide range of users. During game development, special attention was also paid to strong color contrasts, easy language, minimal text, and the needs of neurodivergent users. For example, animations and sound effects can be manually turned off in the menu.

Start the Game

Use in the classroom

Accompanying materials for “Design in Line”

“Design in Line” was developed with and for schools. It is primarily aimed at 8th and 9th graders. Thanks to the “Newcomer” game mode, which lasts about 10 to 15 minutes, it can be easily integrated into lessons.

For teachers, “Design in Line” is particularly well-suited as an introduction or for in-depth exploration in art, technology, or social studies classes. The accompanying materials cover a variety of topics and difficulty levels. They include suggestions for hands-on activities and a glossary in simple language. The materials can be downloaded free of charge for use in schools:

Available only in German
Maskottchen Spiel aus Farbflecken übereinander mit Augen.

Article

Never without the Users!

After nine months of development, Die Neue Sammlung launched the beta version kicking off a multi-week testing marathon. Testing took place throughout December, from morning to evening—in classrooms and in the museum library:

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Interior shot of a classroom. A teacher in a denim jacket leans over a table where two students are playing a game on tablets.
Teacher Nadine Schünzel with two students from Dominikus-Zimmermann-Realschule in Günzburg.
Photo: Die Neue Sammlung

  • Project Management:

    Caroline Fuchs & Frauke Maria Petry, Die Neue Sammlung

    Concept & Design:
    Playing History

  • Support:

    Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst