Two Computer Science students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST), have won the student category of the MTN DigiFest 2026 Game Developer Championship with a puzzle game that combines problem-solving and storytelling.

Isaac Appiah-Quansah and Derrick Makafui Zevor, competing as Team Sankofa, emerged as winners among five student teams that presented their games to a panel of judges in the final.

The championship featured a student division for university developers and an industry division for developers with games already on the market.

Team Sankofa’s game allows players to unlock stories by solving daily puzzles. It features nine categories covering themes such as nature, tourism, food and sports, with a homepage designed as a map through which players progress as they complete challenges.

A multiplayer feature allows users to challenge friends to puzzle races, selecting a puzzle and competing to solve it first.

The game also includes an Explorer section, where users can access puzzles beyond the daily challenge, and a library that stores unlocked stories. Players can share these stories on social media platforms, including WhatsApp and Snapchat.

The developers said the social feature was central to their design, allowing players to connect while enjoying a relaxing puzzle-solving experience.

For winning the student category, the team received a MacBook Pro laptop, vouchers and food packages. The students are also expected to receive further training and attend a boot camp to refine their skills and develop the game.

They said feedback from the judges would guide improvements as they work to introduce additional features and enhance the player experience.

Story: Edith Asravor