MAT KILAU SIDE SCROLLER RPG GAME: AN INNOVATIVE GAME-BASED LEARNING FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE EDUCATION

Abstract

The integration of cultural heritage into digital technologies presents new opportunities for innovation in both education and entertainment. This paper introduces Mat Kilau Side-Scroller RPG Game, an educational role-playing game (RPG) designed to revitalize history learning through interactive storytelling and gameplay. The project addresses the challenge of low student engagement in history subjects by embedding the story of Mat Kilau, a Malaysian national hero, into an immersive 2D side-scroller format that blends entertainment with educational objectives. The game was developed using the ADDIE instructional design model and implemented with the Unity game engine, incorporating sprite-based animation, narrative-driven mechanics, and an intuitive interface suitable for younger learners. A pilot study involving 30 primary school students was conducted to evaluate the game’s usability, engagement, and educational value. Results indicate that the majority of participants found the game interesting, easy to understand, and effective in enhancing their knowledge of Mat Kilau’s history. The innovation of this project lies in combining localized cultural storytelling with modern game design principles, demonstrating how computer science can support heritage preservation and digital literacy. Beyond its educational application, the game highlights potential for commercialization in the edutainment sector, providing an alternative pathway for integrating cultural narratives into digital platforms. This work contributes to the fields of Human-Computer Interaction, Mobile Game Development, and Computing Education, offering a replicable framework for developing culturally relevant educational games. Future work will expand the game’s scope to include adaptive difficulty, multiplayer interaction, and immersive technologies such as AR and VR, thereby deepening learning engagement.