gameshop
2023
It doesn’t matter how much you brag, its either you win or lose.
the story
After school, children in Nigeria find creative ways to have fun just like Kola and Uche, who finds their way inside the familiar wooden game shop, fingers gripping their controllers with fierce determination. Their bodies move in sync with the on-screen action, eyes locked onto the players on screen to show the intensity of the game. each move carrying the weight of friendly rivalry.
Behind them, the shopkeeper stirs his steaming koko (local Nigerian pap), watching with quiet amusement. The rich scent of akara (bean cake) in the air, blending with the hum of muffled laughter and distant chatter from outside.
For a moment, time slows. In this little wooden shop, just another day in the lives of two boys settling scores.
kola
A curious and energetic boy with thick glasses and a bright personality, Kola is Nigerian and from the Yoruba tribe. He was born with a Silver spoon right in his mouth – an aje Butter ( lit. ‘Butter eater)
His round face and expressive eyes capture his excitement for the world around him.
uche
Uche, also Nigerian and an Igbo boy had to do a lot of growing up on the street.
His type is popularly referred to as an aje pako (lit. wood eater). He moves with quiet confidence, always proactive because of the nature of his background.
the shop
The game shop is a masterpiece of improvisation – wooden planks holding on for dear life, exposed wires playing a risky game of their own and a TV that looks like it survived multiple power surges.
The air is thick with anticipation, the faint hum of the fan battling against the heat, and the occasional yells of “Ah! My pad is not working!”
This setting adds humor to the story, making it feel like the kind of place where legends are born—not just in the game but in the endless banter, exaggerated goal celebrations, and the unspoken rule that the loser must vacate the seat immediately or pay for both himself and the winner.
exploration
team
director
opeyemi adewole
concept art
ponmile akinte ● babawale basit
modeling + lookdev
opeyemi adewole ● wasiu adewusi
animation
michael onyeme ● chidera uzebe
lighting
martins imokhai ● ella edeh
tooling
aderemi adesada ● fausan hassan
sound design
saye bawa
