Avatar Creation, Done Well

Avatars are increasingly becoming staples of interactive experiences for kids (and adults… at this point most of us have probably at least created our own “Mii” or “Simpsonized” ourselves). The obvious draw in this trend is creating a personal tie to a larger experience. There are some amazing online avatar creators, however, that are focussing on making the creation itself a worthwhile experience.

From non-profits to start-ups to major corporations, avatar creators that can stand alone as meaningful, and more importantly fun, interactive experiences are starting to pop up in a number of contexts. The best part about these is that they remind us that a little bit of smart design goes a long way. Be it a simple pay-off animation, a well-timed sound effect, or a clever mechanism for swapping out features, these avatar creators prove that when crafted carefully, even the shortest of interactive experiences can result in a lot of fun.

Below are links to a few of our favorites that we’ve played with so far. Enjoy!

Build Your Wild Self

A New York Zoos and Aquarium Site Feature

 TinkaMAKER

A precursor to the soon-to-be launched “Tinkatolli” site

Toy Story 3 Toy Creator

Promotion for Toy Story 3