San Diego Man Turns Losing His Job into an Educational Game

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A San Diego based game designer has created an easy to learn card game that could quite possibly revolutionize the children's game industry.  Upon losing his job in aviation this past July, Jason Santa Maria decided to pursue a career in one of his great passions in life, game design.  Expediting the release of his first game, Jason launched a Kickstarter campaign http://kck.st/1iFy8uo. In only 9 days, the campaign surpassed its goal, leaving 25 days remaining. 

CLEVER transcends typical learning games via a bold new approach to educational game design that goes beyond the simple one or two-dimensional mechanics found in most games.  CLEVER allows for students to learn in 5 different ways all within one game, using the same cards.  It can be used to teach and reinforce a near comprehensive listing of grade K-4 common core standards including simple math, spelling, category identification, color matching and sequence construction.

In regards to his work, Jason Santa Maria explained, "People enjoy games because they're fun, pure and simple.  Just because one labels a game educational, doesn't give one license to remove the fun. This philosophy is reflected in every aspect of CLEVER's design and is why I believe it has received such a positive response from kids and adults alike." 

In 2010, Santa Maria entered a game-concept design contest held by Microsoft and Frito-Lay.  Out of 1500 submissions, his entry was selected as one of the top three games, going on to become a massive fan favorite receiving more votes than the nearest competitor by nearly 3 to 1.

The feedback on CLEVER from game enthusiasts as well as parents and children who've played the game is that it is a remarkably effective learning tool that is fun, fosters creativity and group learning, and sharpens cognitive thinking skills. 

About CLEVER

CLEVER is the brainchild of San Diego based game designer Jason Santa Maria.  It can be played in a multitude of ways and encourages learning on five levels: categorical & color matching, sequences, spelling and math.  CLEVER is the result of Santa Maria's 30+ years of passion for playing and designing games.  Learn more at http://kck.st/1iFy8uo or by visiting clevercardgame.com.

SOURCE Jason Santa Maria