Why Platformers Are ADHD Superpowers (And How My VR Game ‘Bubbles’ Blew My Friend’s Mind)
Dopamine, platformers, and VR: Discover why games like EndeavorRx work—and how ‘Bubbles’ became a sensory-friendly ADHD miracle. 💊
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As a doctor/ developer hybrid with a brain that’s 60% caffeine, 30% chaos, and 10% undiagnosed ADHD traits (thanks, med school burnout). I’ve spent years studying ADHD, coding apps, gaming experiances, and bouncing between Zoom calls like a pinball.
But nothing prepared me for the lightbulb moment I had during Global Game Jam 2025 , when I accidentally created a VR experience for ADHD—and learned why platformers aren’t just “games” for neurodivergent brains. They’re survival tools .
The Story Behind "Bubbles": A Hot Mess of Code and Chaos
Let me set the scene: It’s 3 a.m. during Game Jam. I’m surrounded by empty energy drinks, a half-broken VR headset, and nine test players with ADHD who’ve agreed to try my prototype. The game? Bubbles —a serene VR world where you pop floating orbs to the rhythm of ambient music. Simple, right?
Wrong.
One tester, a 16-year-old named Mars., spent 20 minutes hypnotized by a single glowing bubble. Another, a 30-year-old teacher named mr S, kept shouting, “I Got one" while swimming through a neon ocean. My code was smooth compared to the time i worked on, the music kept sync in the VR, and I was this close to crying in the bathroom. But then it happened:
S, who’d struggled to focus on homework for years, stayed locked in for 45 minutes straight.
That’s when I realized: This isn’t just a game. It’s a brain hack.
Hazem Abbas
Why Platformers Are ADHD Catnip (And Why the FDA Approves Them)
Let’s get nerdy. Games like EndeavorRx (for kids) and EndeavorOTC (for teens/adults) aren’t just “fast” because it’s fun. They’re engineered to match how ADHD brains process dopamine. Here’s the tea:
- Dopamine Disco : ADHD brains have wonky dopamine receptors. Platformers spam your reward system with coins, jumps, and ka-ching sounds every 5 seconds. It’s like tricking your brain into thinking, “OMG, I’M WINNING AT LIFE!”
- Real talk: My tester Sam called EndeavorOTC “Adderall but with dragons.” Accurate.
- Short Attention Spans? More Like Short-Level Mastery : Platformers chunk tasks into bite-sized levels. Perfect for brains that panic at the thought of a 2-hour Zoom meeting.
- Storytime: I once watched my friend Alex (ADHD, software engineer) rage-quit a 30-minute tutorial for The Legend of Zelda but crush 50 levels of Super Mario Run in one commute.
- Hyperfocus Meets Hyperactivity : Ever tried to meditate with ADHD? It’s like herding squirrels. Platformers let you move while you focus—jumping, dodging, solving puzzles. Your body’s busy; your brain finally chills.
Hazem Abbas
The Gender Gap in ADHD Gaming (And Why My VR Game Blew Up)
ADHD is a chameleon. Boys often get diagnosed for hyperactivity (think: jumping off couches). Girls? We’re “daydreamers” (thanks, internalized misogyny). This shapes game design:
- EndeavorRx = Bright, fast, loud . Targets boys who vibe with action.
- Bubbles = Calm, sensory-friendly, exploratory . Targets girls/women who melt down if a game’s too intense.
Case in point: During testing, my 9 players included 5 women. One, a 22-year-old artist named Lila, whispered, “I’ve never finished a game before. This feels like my brain’s getting a hug.” Cue my ugly-cry face.
The Science of Speed: Why FDA Games Feel Like They’re on Meth
EndeavorOTC moves at light speed . Enemies spawn fast, timers tick faster. Why? Because ADHD brains thrive on threshold stimulation . Too slow = boredom (cue TikTok scrolling). Too fast = panic (cue existential crisis). These games balance the edge of “challenging” and “I’m not crying, you’re crying.”
Personal experiment: I tried EndeavorOTC on Adderall. Suddenly, I was Neo from The Matrix . Without meds? I died 17 times in 10 minutes. Lesson: Games + meds = superhuman focus. Games alone = “why is the floor lava?”
Lessons from My 9 Test Players (And Why You Should Care)
These legends taught me more about ADHD than med school ever did:
- Music is Medicine : Lofi beats = focus. Bass drops = rage-quit. Pro tip: My tester Jamie now uses Bubbles’ soundtrack to study. “It’s like Adderall, but my mom doesn’t yell.”
- Sensory Overload is Real : Bright colors = good. Flashing lights = instant meltdown. Story: I coded a “glow worm” into Bubbles. Tester Mu screamed, “IT’S A DEMON!” and hid under the table. R.I.P. glow worm.
- Failure is a Feature : ADHD brains hate “losing,” but quick retries turn frustration into fuel. Fact: Mu failed a Bubbles level 3 times… then beat it while laughing maniacally. “I’m a chaos wizard!”, and it was a simple gaming experience, that i finished in 3 hours or less.
My Big Ask: Let’s Make Games That Get ADHD
After this wild ride, here’s what I’m screaming into the void:
- Design for Dopamine : Reward small wins. Think “level up” sounds, not essays.
- Flexibility is Key : Let players adjust speed/visuals. ADHD isn’t one-size-fits-all.
- Normalize Neurodivergent Joy : Games aren’t “therapy”—they’re fun . My VR game isn’t “curing” ADHD. It’s letting people escape, focus, and feel powerful .
Hazem Abbas
Final Thought: ADHD Brains Are Magic (And Games Are Our Spellbooks)
Creating Bubbles taught me that ADHD isn’t a “deficit.” It’s a superpower trapped in a world that moves too slow. Games like EndeavorRx and my VR experiment are just the start.
So to every dev reading this: Let’s stop making “serious” tools for ADHD. Let’s make magic . And to everyone with ADHD: Your brain isn’t broken. It’s just waiting for the right game to light it up.
P.S. Shoutout to my test players. You’re why I code. And to Jamie: I’m billing you for the therapy couch I cried on. 💙
Hazem Abbas
Hazem Abbas
