In Sweden, where balance and harmony—lagom—are deeply valued, exhibitions are not just about information; they’re about experience. Adding interactive games to your booth is a modern way to increase footfall, spark curiosity, and leave a lasting impression.
In this article, we’ll introduce 15 exhibition game ideas across four engaging categories for HI Tech and Industry Scandinavia fair. Whether your goal is brand awareness or meaningful interaction, these ideas are designed to resonate with Swedish audiences who appreciate thoughtful, playful encounters. Our team is here to support your implementation.
1) Physical Games
When people visit an exhibition, they often appreciate light physical activity—something fun, energizing, and not too complicated. In a society that values simplicity and movement, physical games can be a perfect way to break the ice and attract attention. These games don’t require deep thinking, but they do get people involved—ideal for creating a vibrant booth. For example, take a look at this activation we ran:
1. Exo-Skeleton Stomp
Concept: Players step into a lightweight exo-skeleton frame (think of a small harness with mechanical “legs” or attachments) and compete in a 90-second stomp challenge on a reactive floor pad. The harness adds a futuristic look and a sense of powered motion.
How It Works: The floor pad lights up in randomized spots, and participants must stomp the lit spots before time runs out. The exo-skeleton structure provides support and ensures onlookers can’t easily replicate the system at home.
Why It’s Exciting: It combines a physical workout with a sci-fi twist, aligns with the hi-tech vibe, and draws spectators in with its dynamic movement and glowing effects.
Exo-Skeleton Stomp
2. Magnetic Maze Race
Concept: A large vertical maze board is fitted with magnetized “industrial pods.” Players guide these pods through the maze by maneuvering a powerful magnet on the back side of the board.
How It Works: The goal is to reach the end of the maze in under two minutes. The strong magnets and intricately designed labyrinth require precision and speed.
Why It’s Exciting: The specialized magnetic system prevents easy duplication, and the crowd loves the tense race to beat the clock. It subtly references industrial manufacturing, where precision is key.
Magnetic Maze Race
3. Giant Gear Shift
Concept: A massive mechanical gear system is set up, and participants have to rotate or shift these oversized gears into the correct configuration before time runs out.
How It Works: Each gear has a unique shape and tooth pattern. Players must physically lift and fit them into place in sequence. A built-in sensor lights up when the gear arrangement is completed correctly.
Why It’s Exciting: Watching people wrestle with big gears in a hurry is visually striking, and it ties perfectly into the engineering and industrial theme of the fair.
Giant Gear Shift
2. Knowledge-Based Digital Games
These games work well when placed on a digital stand in your booth and can also be extended to your website, social media, or internal communications. In Sweden, digital interaction is expected to be seamless, accessible, and informative. Knowledge-based games are great for educating visitors in a fun way—and they’re easy to adapt for two-player competition. Here’s a sample from one of our past projects:
4. Sustainable Factory Firewall
Story & Theme: Picture a state-of-the-art facility focused on clean manufacturing. Two characters—a rookie technician and a senior engineer—discuss how to protect the plant’s “Eco-Energy” system from contamination.
Falling Items & End Line:
Placeholders: The items dropping from the top might be “Eco-Pods.” Good Eco-Pods (marked with green icons) contain renewable resources and data for efficient production. Bad Eco-Pods (marked with red hazard symbols) contain contaminants or misinformation about green processes.
End Line: At the bottom is the “Control Console” that secures the eco-friendly production line. Any bad Eco-Pod that lands there compromises the plant’s operations.
Act of Shooting: Players operate a “plasma purifier” aimed at burning away the red hazard pods.
Why It’s Meaningful: It educates players about correct vs. incorrect facts regarding sustainable manufacturing. Missing a bad pod or destroying a good one triggers a “contamination” event or meltdown, respectively—instantly ending the game. This ties knowledge testing to an industrial eco-theme, making it both fun and informative.
Sustainable Factory Firewall
3. Skill-Based Digital Games
If your goal is to boost engagement while maintaining a challenge, this format is ideal. Visitors try to beat a high score, track their own progress, and climb the leaderboard. This game style aligns well with the Swedish love of fair competition and personal improvement. A transparent leaderboard motivates people to participate again and again. Check out this example:
5. Hill Climb Racing
Statistics & Gameplay:
Over 500 million downloads worldwide.
Players control a vehicle over hilly terrain, trying not to flip over or run out of fuel.
Why It Fits: The physics-based element resonates with engineering and mechanical design themes. By rebranding the vehicle as a futuristic industrial rover, it connects perfectly with a hi-tech fair and underscores the idea of testing new industrial equipment on rugged terrain.
6. Stack
Statistics & Gameplay:
Over 50 million downloads globally.
Players tap the screen to stack moving blocks as precisely as possible. A perfectly timed tap ensures a neat stack, while any misalignment causes the block to shrink for the next layer.
Why It Fits: The concept of precision alignment in “Stack” mirrors the need for exact engineering and assembly in tech and industrial processes. A custom booth version might feature futuristic metallic blocks or factory-like conveyor belts.
7. Geometry Dash
Statistics & Gameplay:
More than 100 million downloads and a strong community of players.
A rhythm-based platformer: you tap or click to avoid spikes and other obstacles.
Why It Fits: Its techno soundtrack and geometric visuals already feel industrial. With a branded level featuring machinery backdrops and gear-inspired obstacles, it becomes an attention-grabbing, skill-intensive experience that matches the fair’s high-energy environment.
8. Machine Assembly Race
Concept: Players drag and drop components onto a conveyor belt to assemble a small “micro-machine” as quickly as possible. Each correct part aligns automatically, while any mistake clogs the line.
Gameplay & Timeframe: The game ends when all correct parts are placed or when time (90 seconds) is up. Minor mistakes slow the belt, forcing players to optimize speed and accuracy.
Why It Works: It mirrors real-world assembly lines and highlights efficiency—a perfect reflection of modern manufacturing processes.
Machine Assembly Race
9. Precision Welding Simulator
Concept: The screen presents a virtual metal plate with spots that need quick, precise “touch welds.”
Gameplay & Timeframe: Each weld point lights up momentarily, and the player must tap at the right time. A fraction of a second off results in a weak weld (scored as incomplete).
Why It Works: It showcases the importance of precision in industrial fabrication. A dramatic spark animation draws crowds.
Precision Welding Simulator
10. Robot Arm Balancing
Concept: A 2D or 3D robotic arm picks up objects of different weights. The player controls the arm via quick taps or swipes to keep it balanced while stacking items.
Gameplay & Timeframe: Each object must be placed in a designated zone in under two minutes. Tilting too far or dropping an item ends the session immediately.
Why It Works: It references robotic automation—a huge part of modern industry—and it’s an entertaining test of steadiness and reflexes.
Robot Arm Balancing
11. Circuit Board Debug Dash
Concept: A stylized circuit board is shown, with “bugs” (tiny glitch icons) suddenly popping up. The player must tap them fast to “solder” or “patch” each glitch.
Gameplay & Timeframe: The glitch icons appear increasingly faster over 90 seconds. Missing too many or tapping random, harmless circuits ends the round.
Why It Works: It’s a playful nod to software/hardware debugging in high-tech environments. Viewers enjoy the frantic pace and the immediate feedback (lights and sounds) with each successful fix.
Circuit Board Debug Dash
12. Laser Cutter Challenge
Concept: Players trace the outline of machine parts on-screen with a “laser cutter” tool. Smooth, accurate tracing yields a higher score. Deviate too much, and the part is “ruined.”
Gameplay & Timeframe: Multiple parts appear in quick succession, each more complex, until the 2-minute clock expires or the player fails a cut.
Why It Works: Laser cutting is a staple of modern manufacturing. Seeing a digital simulation with bright laser beams, sparks, and real-time scoring is both visually striking and thematically apt.
Laser Cutter Challenge
4. Chance-Based Digital Games
This format works best when your brand is already well-known, and you want to create excitement. If your product or service is unfamiliar, we don’t recommend starting with this type. Swedes often value fairness and transparency, so be sure your chance-based games feel lighthearted and fun—never gimmicky. Here’s how we’ve used it in the past:
13. Industrial Wheel of Fortune
Overall Design Twist: Instead of a classic color wheel, use a large on-screen “gear” that spins. Segments can look like metallic panels, complete with LED-lit sections.
Gameplay: Visitors press a big, illuminated “Spin” button on a touchscreen kiosk. The gear spins rapidly and slows down to reveal a prize or discount.
Why It Fits: The gear aesthetic reinforces the industrial vibe, and the LED lights can incorporate the fair’s branding.
Industrial Wheel of Fortune
14. Jackpot Press
Overall Design Twist: A digital slot machine re-imagined as a specialized press or stamping machine. Instead of fruit icons, use icons for industry (e.g., gears, circuit boards, robotic arms).
Gameplay: A single pull or button press sets the reels (stamping blocks) in motion. They randomly align to reveal if the participant has won.
Why It Fits: The stamping animation can look like a press quickly punching metal panels into place, paralleling industrial manufacturing processes.
Jackpot Press
15. Steel Ball Drop
Overall Design Twist: A virtual Plinko board with pegs shaped like miniature pistons, rods, or gears. The ball is a shiny steel sphere that bounces through an array of mechanical pins.
Gameplay: The player taps to release the ball from the top, and it bounces down into one of several prize slots at the bottom (labeled with various promotional rewards).
Why It Fits: The metal-pegs-and-ball aesthetic complements the fair’s industrial theme, while the unpredictability of the ball’s final landing amplifies the excitement at the booth.
Steel Ball Drop
Conclusion
Exhibition games are more than just fun—they’re strategic tools to engage visitors, communicate your message, and differentiate your booth. In a culture that values subtlety and meaningful interaction, gamification offers a respectful and impactful way to connect. We invite you to explore your options by filling out our Exhibition Game Design Form for HI Tech and Industry Scandinavia fair. You’ll receive a free one-hour consultation and get to see some of our latest creations. Let’s design something unforgettable together.
