Red Panda Rush: Student-Made Game Launches After Zoo Unveils New Habitat

Three Baltimore County high school students released a desktop video game based on the Maryland Zoo’s newest red pandas.

The title, Red Panda Rush, functions as a classic arcade platformer. Players use keyboard inputs to guide a red panda character as it runs and jumps over obstacles.

Martin Burgunder, a senior at the George Washington Carver Center for Arts & Technology, led the development as a class project. He was joined by classmates Isaac Sigrist and Jack Feldges, who handled the art and animation.

Burgunder has volunteered at the Maryland Zoo for more than three years. He viewed the arrival of the red pandas in June as a chance to merge his interest in animals with his skills in game design. He pitched the concept to the zoo after recruiting his two classmates to assist with the visual components.

"When I heard about the Zoo receiving red pandas, I saw it as an opportunity to combine my passions in volunteering and game design," Burgunder said.

The game features the two red pandas, Ember and Aurora, who arrived at the facility this summer. They currently reside in a new habitat in Main Valley. Their arrival marked the first time in more than 30 years that the zoo introduced a new animal species alongside a newly built habitat.

Red Panda Rush is available for download on desktop computers through the Maryland Zoo's website. The game does not support mobile devices.