🌍 SDG Quest
Game Guide
Welcome, Future Leader. You've just been appointed to lead global sustainable development. The Sustainable Development Goals were set by the United Nations in 2015, with a deadline of 2030. But progress has stalled. Six critical goals are falling dangerously behind.
Your mission: get them back on track before December 2030.
The game starts at today's date on your computer. If you're starting in December 2025, you have roughly 60 months. Starting in mid-2026? Perhaps 54 months. Every month counts — the clock is already ticking.
📊 Understanding the Scores
SDG Quest uses a scoring system from 0 to 100 to help you visualise the state of the world. These aren't precise measurements — they're indicative scores that represent how well each dimension of sustainable development is doing.
Think of them like a health indicator:
0 – 30
Critical condition, crisis imminent
30 – 50
Struggling, needs attention
50 – 70
Stable but fragile
70 – 100
Thriving, sustainable trajectory
The scores help you see at a glance which areas need your attention and how your choices shift the balance.
⚖️ The Three Pillars
Everything in this world rests on three interconnected pillars, shown as meters at the top of your screen:
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Planet — The health of our environment. Climate stability, clean air and water, thriving ecosystems. This is your most vulnerable pillar, starting at around 38 out of 100.
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Equity — Social justice and inclusion. Are the poorest being left behind? Are women and minorities included? This starts at around 52.
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Prosperity — Economic wellbeing. Jobs, growth, and opportunity. This starts at around 58.
Every decision you make affects these pillars. Some choices help one while hurting another. The challenge is finding the right balance.
🎮 How to Play
You'll tackle six priority missions, each focused on a different SDG. For each mission, you'll be presented with four possible approaches — labeled A, B, C, and D.
Before choosing, you can consult your three advisors:
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Terra — sees everything through the lens of planetary health
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Themis — advocates for equity and social justice
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Oikos — focuses on economic prosperity
Each advisor will analyse all four options and recommend the one that best serves their pillar. Listen to all three, then make your choice. There's rarely a perfect answer — that's the point.
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Preview before you decide. You can see the projected impacts and cascading effects of every option before committing. Hover over or select a choice to see how it will affect all three pillars — and how it might ripple out to influence other SDGs.
⏱️ Time is Precious
You must complete all six missions before December 2030.
The time remaining depends on when you start playing — check the timeline display to see how many months you have left.
Each choice takes time to implement:
Fast choices (4–6 months)
Save time but often have severe trade-offs
Balanced choices (7–9 months)
Take longer but protect multiple pillars
Thorough choices (10–12 months)
Best outcomes but consume precious time
Watch the timeline. If you run out of time before completing all missions, the game ends — and so does your chance to achieve the goals.
🚨 Crises
Neglect a pillar for too long and you'll face a crisis.
How Crises Trigger
If any meter drops below 30 for two missions (cumulative, not necessarily consecutive), a crisis erupts.
This means the system is tracking how often you let each pillar fall into the danger zone. Even if you recover briefly, the damage is remembered.
What happens: The game pauses. You must respond to the crisis before continuing. Crisis choices have their own impacts on your meters — and they're rarely pleasant. You're now in damage control mode.
The Three Crisis Types
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Climate Crisis — Triggered when Planet stays below 30
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Migration Crisis — Triggered when Equity stays below 30
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Economic Collapse — Triggered when Prosperity stays below 25
Only one crisis can be active at a time. The best strategy? Don't let any pillar fall below 30 in the first place.
🏆 Victory and Grades
Complete all six missions before 2030, and you win. But how well did you do?
Your grade depends on the state of your three pillars at the end:
| Grade |
What it takes |
| A+ |
All meters at 70+, average 80+, and no more than 20 points between highest and lowest |
| A |
All meters at 60+, average 65+, spread of 30 or less |
| B |
All meters at 45+, average 50+ |
| C |
All meters at 30+, average 40+ |
| D |
You finished, but the world is barely holding together |
The spread matters. A world with Planet at 95, Equity at 40, and Prosperity at 90 might look successful on average — but that equity gap means millions are being left behind. True sustainable development is balanced development.
💡 Tips for Success
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Protect Planet early. It starts lowest at around 38 and is your most vulnerable pillar. A few bad choices and you'll be fighting a climate crisis.
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Beware the tempting traps. The fastest options often look attractive — quick wins, strong prosperity gains. But check the fine print. Large negative impacts on Equity or Planet will haunt you.
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Listen to all three advisors. Terra, Themis, and Oikos each see what matters to their pillar. Together, they give you the full picture.
⚖️
Watch the spread. For an A+ grade, your highest and lowest meters can differ by no more than 20 points. Balance is everything.
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Time vs. impact. Sometimes the slower choice is worth it. Sometimes you can't afford the time. There's no formula — you have to judge each situation.
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Crises are cumulative. The game remembers every time a meter drops below 30. Two missions in the danger zone — even spread apart — will trigger a crisis.
🌍 The Stakes
This isn't just a game. The Sustainable Development Goals are real. The trade-offs are real. The deadline is real.
In the actual world, we're currently off track on most of the 17 goals. Climate change accelerates. Inequality persists. Time runs short.
The choices in SDG Quest are simplified, but the dilemmas are authentic. Development that helps the economy but hurts the environment. Policies that protect the planet but leave communities behind. Quick fixes that create long-term problems.
There are no easy answers. But there are better answers — and finding them starts with understanding the trade-offs.
Good luck, leader. The world is watching.
SDG Quest — Three pillars. Six missions. One deadline. Your choices shape the future.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo a choice once I've made it?
No. Once you commit to a choice, it's final — just like in real policy-making. Consider carefully, consult your advisors, and preview the impacts before deciding.
Can I replay missions?
Not during a game. Each mission can only be completed once. However, you can start a new game anytime to try different strategies and see how alternative choices play out.
Does time always advance?
Time only advances when you complete a mission. Consulting advisors, previewing options, and deliberating don't cost you any time — take as long as you need to make your decision.
Does the game end if a crisis escalates?
No. When a crisis triggers, you must respond to it, but the game continues afterward. However, crisis responses often have their own costs, and repeated crises will make achieving a high grade very difficult.
What happens if I run out of time?
If the clock reaches December 2030 before you complete all six missions, the game ends. You'll see how many missions remained incomplete and receive a summary of your progress.
Do the advisors always disagree?
Not always, but often. Each advisor optimises for their pillar. Sometimes a choice is clearly best for everyone; other times, you'll have to weigh competing priorities. That tension is intentional — it reflects real-world trade-offs.
What are cascading effects?
The SDGs are interconnected. Progress on one goal can make others easier (or harder). For example, improving clean energy (SDG 7) might positively affect climate action (SDG 13). These ripple effects are shown when you preview a choice.
Is there a "perfect" path through the game?
There are paths to an A+ grade, but no single "correct" answer. Different strategies can succeed. The game rewards balance, foresight, and understanding trade-offs — not memorising a walkthrough.