RRI.CO.ID, Surabaya - Indonesia's Surabaya City is developing a location-based online game to encourage youth engagement with environmental conservation. The game innovation will be launched at Surabaya Mangrove Botanical Garden on Saturday, July 25, 2026.

The web-based game called mangrovethrone.com combines technology, education, and outdoor activities. It is designed to encourage students to explore the mangrove area while learning about environmental issues.

Head of the Surabaya Regional Research and Innovation Agency (Brida) Agus Imam Sonhaji, explained the purpose behind developing the game during a statement in Surabaya on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. He said the innovation aims to encourage children to be more active while learning about environmental conservation.

"Children today like playing games, but they usually sit in their rooms for hours. This is unhealthy. Through this game, children are encouraged to play outside, especially at the Mangrove Botanical Garden, where the air is fresh and good, making children healthier." he said.

The game features three animal kingdoms inspired by local mangrove ecosystems. Players help the kingdoms collaborate against virtual monsters representing real environmental problems, including plastic waste, medical waste, and air pollution.

Developer of mangrovethrone.com David Hermansyah said the web application format was chosen to ensure accessibility across different devices. Players can collect animal characters, complete educational quizzes, and interact with the mangrove environment.

"We did not create an Android or iOS application because different gadgets have different capabilities. We created a web application so users can simply access the website and start playing." he said.

The game adopts concepts from popular location-based and virtual pet games while promoting environmental learning. Surabaya plans to expand similar interactive technology to other educational and tourism areas in the city.