Play. Learn. Grow

Making learning fun,
meaningful and
engaging.

A puzzle-based learning game that turns everyday screen time into play that develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Play Decimators See How It Works

About Decimators

Learning that
feels like play.

Kids are already on screens. Decimators turns that time into an experience that matters: game-first learning that makes maths feel engaging, useful, and rewarding.

Designed for learning to happen organically from play and discovery. Built to develop confidence, sharpen thinking, and make progress feel like winning.

Ages 5-10
Web-based, no download required
Supports numeracy, logical reasoning, focus, and problem solving

"Kids are addicted to Maths!" - Future Teacher

Who We're Built For

Different lenses. One goal.

For Parents

"This is meaningful screen time"

Your child develops real cognitive skills through structured, engaging play that actively supports their growth.

For Educators

"This supports learning without replacing it."

Designed to complement classroom environments, reinforcing cognitive development through structured, purposeful play.

For Partners

"A scalable edtech platform with a focused universe"

An education technology platform at the intersection of edtech and gaming, building measurable cognitive capability through an expanding game universe.

The Opportunity

We live in a multimodal world.

The technology and tools to create rich, meaningful learning experiences already exist. At scale. Accessible to anyone with a screen.

That means we have the means to build learning pathways that are engaging, stimulating, and customisable to each learner. The question is not whether it is possible. It is whether we choose to build it well.

The Problem

A growing gap in numeracy and engagement

Children are spending more time on screens than ever, but almost none of it builds real cognitive capability. At the same time, maths anxiety and numeracy gaps are widening globally.

1 in 3

Students report feeling helpless in maths

Across 65 countries, one in three students reported feeling helpless when solving maths problems. Maths anxiety impairs working memory and compounds over time, making early intervention critical.

OECD PISA, 2013

5 hrs+

Daily screen media for children aged 8-12

Children aged 8 to 12 average 5 hours 33 minutes of screen media per day. The majority of this time is passive. The opportunity to redirect it is enormous.

Common Sense Media, 2021 (ages 8-12)

56%

Primary school children below maths proficiency

56% of primary school children globally do not reach minimum proficiency levels in mathematics. Numeracy gaps formed early compound throughout education and into adult life.

UNESCO UIS, 2017

"Maths anxiety is not a reflection of ability. It is a response to the environment. Change the environment, change the outcome." - Decimators (internal position statement)

Five Core Themes

The evidence base

The research underpinning Decimators can be grouped into five themes, each supported by peer-reviewed and institutional studies.

Children Are Already in Digital Environments

Digital media and screen-based interaction are now central to childhood development. Mobile devices are deeply embedded in daily life, with online video and interactive content dominating children's screen time. The opportunity is to make that time cognitively meaningful, not to compete with it.

Rideout & Robb, 2020; 2021

Game-Based Learning Improves Maths Outcomes

Educational games positively influence mathematical learning, academic motivation, and cognitive performance among primary school learners. Key mechanisms include immediate feedback, progression, curiosity-driven play, and intrinsic motivation, all embedded in Decimators' design.

Chizary & Farhangi, 2017

Emotional Experience Shapes Mathematical Performance

Maths anxiety emerges as early as first and second grade, and directly reduces working memory capacity during problem solving. Children with high working memory are often the most negatively impacted. Low-pressure, rewarding environments reduce avoidance and build lasting mathematical confidence.

Ramirez et al., 2013

Multimodal Learning Deepens Engagement

Children learn most effectively through multiple modes simultaneously: visual, auditory, and feedback-driven interaction. Digital learning environments that activate multiple senses increase participation, support repeated practice without classroom pressure, and create more immersive learning experiences.

Li et al., 2023

Cognitive Development Has Long-Term Social Impact

OECD research confirms that education strongly influences economic and social outcomes, and that modern economies increasingly require higher-order cognitive skills: problem solving, reasoning, and adaptability. Educational systems are shifting from measuring participation to measuring competencies.

OECD, 2011

Further Evidence

Recent research reinforces the same conclusions

A body of newer institutional and peer-reviewed research continues to validate the core principles behind Decimators' methodology.

UNESCO · 2023

The Technology in Education Report argues that digital learning is most effective when interactive, purposeful, and cognitively engaging, not simply increased screen exposure. Supports Decimators' positioning as meaningful technology.

OECD (2019) · Learning Compass 2030

Emphasises problem solving, adaptability, creativity, and cognitive flexibility as the foundations of future-ready education. Validates Decimators' focus on higher-order thinking over rote recall.

Hui & Mahmud, 2023

A systematic review of 56 peer-reviewed articles found that game-based learning positively influences mathematical knowledge, skills, achievement, attitude, motivation, interest, and engagement. 82% of studies examined used digital game formats.

Citations

Research References

Harvard-style citations for the research underpinning this work.

Chizary, F. & Farhangi, A. (2017) 'Efficiency of Educational Games on Mathematics Learning of Students at Second Grade of Primary School', Journal of History Culture and Art Research, 6(1), pp. 232-240.
Hui, H.B. and Mahmud, M.S. (2023) 'Influence of game-based learning in mathematics education on the students' cognitive and affective domain: A systematic review', Frontiers in Psychology, 14, article 1105806. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1105806
Li, X., Zhang, X., Zhao, Y., Zhang, L. and Shang, J. (2023) 'Exploring the role of learning through play in promoting multimodal learning among children: a pilot study in Chinese first-tier cities', Frontiers in Psychology, 14, article 1103311. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1103311
OECD (2011) Education at a Glance 2011: OECD Indicators. Paris: OECD Publishing.
OECD (2013) PISA 2012 Results: Ready to Learn - Students' Engagement, Drive and Self-Beliefs (Volume III). Paris: OECD Publishing.
OECD (2019) OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030: OECD Learning Compass 2030. Paris: OECD Publishing.
Ramirez, G., Gunderson, E.A., Levine, S.C. & Beilock, S.L. (2013) 'Math Anxiety, Working Memory, and Math Achievement in Early Elementary School', Journal of Cognition and Development, 14(2), pp. 187-202.
Rideout, V. & Robb, M.B. (2020) The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Age Zero to Eight. San Francisco: Common Sense Media.
Rideout, V. & Robb, M.B. (2021) The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens. San Francisco: Common Sense Media.
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2017) More Than Half of Children and Adolescents Are Not Learning Worldwide. Fact Sheet No. 46. Montreal: UNESCO UIS.
UNESCO (2023) Technology in Education: A Tool on Whose Terms? Paris: UNESCO.

Decimators World · Core Experience

DECIMATORS

Decimators' first flagship experience focuses on numeracy. At its core, it is a mathematics-powered retro arcade shooter that transforms gameplay into measurable skill development.

As players progress, they build numeracy and cognitive agility while strengthening visuomotor coordination, attention control, and confidence through structured challenge.

Play Decimators

The Story

Black holes are spawning.
They decimate everything.

Decimators are friendly but unstable aliens. The decimators got sick while travelling through space. Black holes started growing on their bodies.

Shoot space eggs at the black holes to cure them. Over-shooting causes more black holes. Cure them before they become unstable and decimate everything.

How to Play

Save the aliens.
Save the world.

Shoot Eggs

Aim and fire eggs at the black holes on the decimators.

Count Carefully

Each decimator has a specific number of black holes that need to be cured.

Don't Overshoot

If you over-shoot, they grow more black holes and become unstable. Danger!

Educational Value

Decimators is designed to combat maths anxiety by making basic numeracy fun and engaging. By building numeracy skills covertly during gameplay, we help players develop an intuitive and enjoyable relationship with mathematics.

Our Approach

The learning is invisible. The results are not.

Every design decision in Decimators follows one principle: represent the maths through the mechanic, not on top of it. Players are never aware they are learning. They are trying to win. The development happens as a consequence of that.

Access

Plans for every learner.

Choose the plan that fits. Each subscription unlocks full adaptive gameplay, progress tracking, and a personalised dashboard.

Educator

From R600/mo

20–100 students. Class scoreboards, student progress, and adaptive maths difficulty.

Parent

From R70/mo

2–Up to 5 Children. Individual progress tracking and parent portal access.

Player

R40/mo

Single player access. Full game, all levels, personal leaderboard. Coupons accepted.

Get Started

Ready to play?

Experience Decimators, where every shot is a maths problem solved.

Play Decimators Read Our Approach

Making learning fun, meaningful and engaging.

Learning thatfeels like play.