Ribbon Hero for Microsoft Office

Tired of Guitar Hero, and DJ Hero, and Rock Band Hero, and Flailing Wildly Hero games for your console? Ready to try a fresh new challenge, that might actually provide some real world skills, unlike frantically mashing colored buttons? Try your hand at Ribbon Hero for Microsoft Office!

“Ribbon Hero is a game for Word, PowerPoint, and Excel 2007 and 2010, designed to help you boost your Office skills and knowledge. Play games (aka “challenges”), score points, and compete with your friends while improving your productivity with Office.” Just what you’ve been waiting for!!

The history behind Ribbon Hero is actually pretty interesting.

Ribbon Hero, in part, was born from a speech I gave back in October 2007 on applying the design lessons of Super Mario Bros. to application design. I made the following bet:

• If an activity can be learned…
• If the player’s performance can be measured…
• If the player can be rewarded or punished in a timely fashion…
• Then any activity that meets these criteria can be turned into a game.

Not only can you make a game out of the activity, but you can turn tasks traditionally seen as a rote or frustrating into compelling experiences that users find delightful.

Via Mark Pilgrim.

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