Immune Defense
Deals with biology // body systems // cells // disease
  phagocytes // antibodies // pathogens // bacteria // viruses // parasites // T-cells // B-cells // white blood cells // proteins
Intended for middle school // high school // university
Available on Windows // Mac
Cost free
   
Developed by Molecular Jig Games (external)
Website at https://melanieanns.itch.io/immune-defense (external)
Play this game!
on its own website

Immune Defense

A two-dimensional real time strategy game in which the player commands the immune system at the molecular level.

The demo version of Immune Defense is available for "Pay what you want" at MolecularJig.com. Immune Defense is designed based on our research with the game Immune Attack that showed lots of learning and gains of confidence. You can read more of our research at MolecularJig.com/research.

Players learn practical molecular cell biology by using cells, signals and receptors as tools: Receptors

  • 3D shape matters
  • Bind to signals
  • Cause cellular behaviors when they bind
  • Cellular behaviors do not occur in presence of signal if receptor is absent
  • Receptors are proteins
  • Signals

  • Move randomly, cannot “find” the receptor
  • Only bind to receptors they match shapes with
  • Signals can be proteins
  • Cells

  • Cannot locate the bacterium unless signal and receptors function
  • Will move in the wrong direction if a signal binds a receptor on the wrong side
  • The wrong receptor will not work: if cell is missing a receptor, the cell is missing a function
  • Research on Immune Defense in on going. Would you like to help? Contact us at Molecular Jig Games.



    Video of Immune Defense


    Screenshots of Immune Defense

    Real Time Strategy getting hectic.  Three different kinds of bacteria are in the wound, how will you catch them all in time? Zoomed out, we can see a large area we are responsible for. Zoomed in, we can see the state of our cells.  Select cells to change their receptors, click on bacteria to see how to catch them. The database provides game play tips and neat, real life pictures. Play now!  Go to [Molecular Jig Games!](http://Molecularjig.com)

    Scorecards

    Expert Reviews
    By scientists and teachers
    We don't have any expert reviews yet for Immune Defense.
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    Player Reviews
    By everyone else (and you!)
    14 / 15
    Fun
    4 / 5
    Learning
    5 / 5
    Science
    5 / 5

    Player Reviews

    Yersinia Pestis

    Yersinia Pestis
    Player

    I will start this review off by stating that the last time I played this game was about a year ago (give or take). I think I played it around the time Covid19 started spreading throughout the world, and everyone was talking about vaccines and all that, and it made me curious - why exactly do we need vaccines? What is a virus, what is the difference between it, a bactera, protozoa and so on, and how does the body go about fighting it?

    So I watched a few YouTube videos and searched ENDLESSLY for an immune system game so I could better comprehend how it works, and ended up running into this game. I was immediately hooked! I remember learning how cells actually moved, how white blood cells have a bunch of different receptors around them, which help differentiate self from 'other' and also helps differentiate different types of 'other'. I learned how inflamation plays an important role in the immune system and how it can also be dangerous for your body as a whole, how Neutrophils can only fight for so long before they have to go kamikaze on the enemies, I learned so many things!

    So I will be eternally grateful for this game, it sparked my interest in the immune system and I have since watched AS MANY YouTube videos as I could on the subject (whether they were intended for medicine students or not), I even bought a book on it.

    So, if you're at all curious how your body fights infections, this is definitely a good place to start - 10/10 would recommend and will play again!

    EDIT: Rated 4 on fun because I got stuck on a level and never really got to play with other cells aside from Neutrophils and Macrophages, and it sounded like I should have been able to, I ran into some complications trying to unlock that,but perhaps it's related to the fact I got stuck on a level? Unsure, will leave an update next time I play it.

    Fun rating: 4 out of 5

    Learning rating: 5 out of 5

    Science rating: 5 out of 5

    Total:

    14 / 15

    This review has 0 comments.


    e

    August 12, 2019

    siennawatts

    siennawatts
    Player

    the game is not bad, I saw it for the first time https://www.youtube.com/ on and became interested

    Fun rating: 4 out of 5

    Learning rating: 4 out of 5

    Science rating: 4 out of 5

    Total:

    12 / 15

    This review has 0 comments.


    Education and fun

    January 4, 2019

    jrock

    jrock
    Player

    I really enjoyed how I can attack other cells. I enjoyed how you can buy other cells and upgrade them. I also enjoyed how the white cells work together with the other white cells as teamwork. I wouldn't change anything about this game, because I like the game the way it is, and it is very helpful ,and educational when it comes to biology, physics, and all sciences. I would tell my fellow peers, and classmates, and my teachers that you should definitely play this game, because it is not just for fun it helps you learn, and work through strategies, and I recommend that teachers should use this website for special games like immune defense when it comes to science. I believe that immune defense is one of the best strategy games I ever played. It's a well done made game.

    Fun rating: 5 out of 5

    Learning rating: 5 out of 5

    Science rating: 5 out of 5

    Total:

    15 / 15

    This review has 0 comments.


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