Build Interfaces Players Actually Want to Tap

Most mobile games lose players in the first three minutes. Not because of gameplay, but because the interface confuses them. We'll teach you how to design UI that feels natural from the first tap.

View Program Details
Mobile game interface design workspace showing UI elements and wireframes
8 months

From basics to portfolio-ready work

12 projects

Real UI systems you'll design and refine

Oct 2025

Next program intake starts

We Don't Just Teach Tools

Anyone can learn Figma or Sketch in a few weeks. But understanding why players interact with a button in a specific way? That takes structured practice and honest feedback.

Student working on mobile UI design with feedback annotations

Start with Player Psychology

Before you touch any design software, you'll learn how players scan screens, where they expect controls to be, and why certain color patterns trigger specific responses. This foundation changes everything.

Build Systems, Not Pretty Screens

A beautiful menu screen means nothing if the inventory system confuses players. We teach you to design coherent UI systems that work across dozens of screens while maintaining consistency.

Test with Real Users Early

By month three, you'll be showing your work to actual players and watching them struggle with your designs. It's uncomfortable but essential. You'll learn more from five minutes of user testing than from hours of tutorials.

What You'll Actually Learn

Eight months broken into focused modules. Each one builds on the previous work, so you're always applying what you learned last week to new challenges.

1

UI Fundamentals

Visual hierarchy, spacing systems, grid theory. The boring stuff that separates amateur work from professional design.

2

Mobile-Specific Patterns

Touch targets, gesture controls, thumb zones. Why mobile UI isn't just desktop UI made smaller.

3

Game Genre Conventions

RPG interfaces differ wildly from puzzle games. Learn what players expect in each genre and when to break those rules.

4

Animation & Feedback

How movement and sound confirm player actions. Make every tap feel responsive without overwhelming the screen.

5

Monetization UI

Shop screens, currency systems, progression rewards. Design interfaces that generate revenue without feeling predatory.

6

Portfolio Development

Package your work properly. Present case studies that show your thinking, not just final mockups.

What Past Participants Say

I came in knowing Photoshop but having no idea how to structure a game UI. The module on information architecture completely changed how I approach every screen now. My designs finally make sense to players.

Ashling Fenwick

Ashling Fenwick

Completed program Feb 2025

The feedback sessions were intense. Having your work critiqued by someone who's shipped actual games is different from school critiques. You learn what matters and what's just personal preference.

Bronte Gilchrist

Bronte Gilchrist

Completed program Jan 2025

How the Eight Months Unfold

We've run this program four times now. This structure emerged from watching what actually works, not what sounds good on paper.

Months 1-2

Foundation Building

Theory, principles, and lots of copying existing interfaces to understand why they work. You'll redesign three different game UIs from scratch.

Months 3-4

Original Systems

Design your first complete UI system for an imaginary game. Every screen, every state, every interaction mapped out.

Months 5-6

Specialization

Choose a game genre and go deep. You'll create three different UI approaches for the same game concept, then user-test all three.

Months 7-8

Portfolio Work

Polish your best pieces, write case studies, and prepare materials that actually get you interviews. We review every portfolio before you share it.

Close-up of mobile game UI components being designed Multiple mobile screens showing UI design iterations

Next Intake Opens October 2025

We cap enrollment at 18 participants so everyone gets proper attention during feedback sessions. If you're serious about mobile game UI design, let's talk about whether this program fits your situation.