Hodl Monkeys
Aave
Overview
Hodl Monkeys was a gamified web experience developed for Aave that allowed users to collect, evolve, and trade uniquely generated monkey characters. The project combined collectible mechanics with a light gameplay loop, encouraging users to interact with their characters while exploring a stylized tropical island environment.
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The goal of the project was to introduce a playful, game-like layer to the platform, creating a more engaging and interactive experience for the community.
Project Details
STUDIO: Aave
ROLE: Lead Designer / UI-UX / Unity Implementation
PLATFORM: Web / Interactive Experience
FOCUS: Gamified collectible ecosystem
My Role
Goals
Challenges
On Hodl Monkeys, I served as the lead designer and primary visual developer for the project.
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I was responsible for designing the overall experience, including the game world, UI/UX, character visuals, and animations. I developed the interface and interaction systems while also contributing to gameplay mechanics and the broader product strategy.
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In addition to the in-game experience, I supported the company as an illustrator and designer for web and marketing materials.
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My work spanned multiple areas of development, including:
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• UI / UX Design
• Environment and world design
• Character illustration and animation
• Unity implementation and interaction systems
• Gameplay mechanics and product strategy
The goal of Hodl Monkeys was to create a playful gamified experience that encouraged users to explore collectible characters and interact with the platform through a simple game-like interface.
One of the primary challenges of the project was designing and building the entire experience with limited technical resources. With developers focused on other priorities, I needed to take on much of the implementation work myself.
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This required determining the best technical approach for building the project and learning Unity workflows quickly in order to develop the game environment, interactions, and supporting systems.
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Working with minimal direction also meant defining the visual style and gameplay structure while ensuring the experience remained approachable and engaging for users.
Design Process
Key Contributions
To support exploration and discovery, the experience was structured around a lightweight interactive environment where users could view and interact with their characters while navigating the island world.
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The interface needed to remain minimal while supporting collectible management and environmental interactions.
Lead design of the interactive experience
UI / UX design and interaction flows
Environment and world design
Character visuals and animation
Unity implementation of interactions
Examples of the different panels and character elements. Each panel was designed to look like it lived in the world and not an overlay (where appropriate)
