Are you ready to be the next Super Mayor?
Selwyn District Council media release: 27th February 2024
Super Mayor is now available to demo on gaming platform, Steam. This cozy adventure game invites players to step into the shoes of a councillor and navigate the intricacies of local governance and was developed in collaboration with the Selwyn Youth Council and Indever Games. It features delightful pixel-art depictions of iconic Selwyn District landmarks.
In Super Mayor, players embark on a journey to solve community issues, engage with residents, and ultimately ascend to the coveted position of mayor. Game developer Ben Childs says the game's focus is on participating in both realistic and hilariously far-fetched Council projects and meaningful decision-making from developing and funding public facilities to resolving weather-related challenges.
“The game is designed to be genuinely challenging and fun while educating players about how Council works and how their vote really matters. Players interact with residents, attend Council meetings, and manage resources, earning ‘supporter points’ to unlock new options and areas within the game,” he said.
The idea came from the Youth Council’s engagement with the young people of Selwyn, that revealed a gap in local government awareness. With the backing of Council, this game presented an innovative approach to connect with youth, ensuring relevance and fostering future engagement.
Chair of the Selwyn Youth Council, Mackenzie Wills says the Youth Council is proud of how Super Mayor has turned out. “We hope the game will raise understanding in the types of work that Council does in the community, and it’s been fun working on ideas to include in its development”.
The Council’s Executive Director of Community Services and Facilities, Denise Kidd, said the Council was eager to support the Youth Council’s efforts in this initiative. “Local government plays a vital role in New Zealand's democracy, providing a platform for residents to voice their opinions on what makes their district or city a great place to live, work, and play. This game will be a valuable tool in engaging our young people and building interest and understanding in local government and Council processes,” she said.
With over 4,000 eager gamers already adding it to their library on Steam, the demo is available now on Windows and Apple computers. You can trial up to an hour of gameplay, with support for both keyboard/mouse and gamepad controller input.
Download the Super Mayor game demo from Steam.
The full version of Super Mayor will officially launch in April 2024 and will be free.