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Brainy Hearty

Chuồn Chuồn: a board game built on a bamboo toy

Designed Chuồn Chuồn, a light strategy game inspired by Vietnam’s self-balancing bamboo dragonfly, with handcrafted bamboo pieces and three ways to play for 1–8 players.

Game Designer

Product

Outcomes

playtesting sessions
30–50
Per Brainy Hearty game, before launch
ways to play
3
Competitive, cooperative, and solo
players
1–8
2–4 competitive · 2–8 cooperative · solo
minutes per game
15–45
Ages 8+
development costs
−65%
Brainy Hearty’s AI-powered design workflows
Ionah Nguyen holding the Chuồn Chuồn game box at a table of smiling players, with dragonfly pieces balanced on bamboo stands
Playing Chuồn Chuồn with players at a game fair.

Context

Chuồn Chuồn is one of Brainy Hearty’s original games. It’s inspired by the chuồn chuồn tre, Vietnam’s iconic self-balancing bamboo dragonfly. Every dragonfly and tree in the box is handcrafted from natural bamboo by Vietnamese artisans and decorated with artwork inspired by Vietnamese culture.

Challenge

Turn a toy that people in Vietnam grow up with into a game that’s easy to learn, thoughtful to play, and fun for all ages, with the handcrafted pieces at the center of play rather than as decoration.

Approach & key decisions

  1. Make the toy the core mechanic

    Step 1

    Players catch dragonflies and balance them on bamboo trees to match the patterns on their Objective Cards. Every completed objective scores Flower Points.

  2. Add strategy through Magic Cards

    Step 2

    Magic Cards harness nature’s elements to rearrange your dragonflies, protect your trees, or disrupt your opponents’ plans.

  3. Design for every table

    Step 3

    Three ways to play: competitive for 2–4 players, cooperative for 2–8, and solo. Games run 15–45 minutes, for ages 8 and up.

  4. Validate through playtesting

    Step 4

    Like every Brainy Hearty game, it went through 30–50 playtesting sessions to validate the concept, refine the design, and inform the launch decision.

  5. Prototype faster with AI

    Step 5

    I used AI-powered workflows with Claude Code for game design, play simulation, and rulebook development to speed up prototyping and iteration.

Execution & collaboration

  • Production pieces are handcrafted from natural bamboo by Vietnamese artisans.
  • The box holds 14 dragonflies (7 big, 7 small), 8 bamboo trees, 42 Objective Cards, 54 Magic Cards, and a rulebook.
  • Sold direct to consumers through the Brainy Hearty shop.
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