Heart Heroes characters give Roblox players performance boost

(NewMediaWire) - May 25, 2023 - DALLAS — Starting tomorrow, three Heart Hero characters featured in the American Heart Association’s in-school program, Kids Heart Challenge™, will make a 30-day guest appearance in Race Clicker, a Roblox game. Roblox is a gaming platform that invites users to imagine, create and share in a 3D world. The animated Heart Hero characters, each representing an attribute of wellness, encourage students to learn healthy habits. Roblox players will see the Heart Hero characters in Race Clicker, a speed game that pairs racers to see who can cross the finish line first. Super League, a leading publisher of immersive experiences across the world’s largest metaverse gaming platforms, assisted with the game integration.

“The Heart Hero characters will engage with players throughout the in-game experience. For each interaction players will receive an in-game performance boost,” said Raymond Vara, volunteer chairman of the board of the American Heart Association and president and CEO of Hawai`i Pacific Health in Honolulu, Hawai`i. “This is an important opportunity for the American Heart Association to meet kids where they are to share the benefits of mental and physical health to help them grow to reach their full potential.”

The special appearance in Roblox’s Race Clicker game will offer a sneak peek in to the 2023-2024 class of Heart Heroes. Typically, the American Heart Association, devoted to a world of healthier lives for all, unveils the eight new Heart Hero characters for the school year and in August. The three Heart Hero characters appearing in Roblox are:

• Star, who knows a good night’s sleep not only helps kids to feel good, but it also keeps hearts and brains healthy over time.
• Splash, who loves creating fun and healthy things to eat and drink, which supports a strong and healthy heart.
• Bolt, who knows being active is a real boost to mood, muscle strength and brain power.

The American Heart Association’s Kids Heart Challenge is rooted in proven science which has shown that kids who are regularly active have a better chance of a healthy adulthood¹.  The Association has worked with schools across the nation for 45 years promoting physical health and wellness through our Kids Heart Challenge campaign and its prior iteration Jump Rope for Heart/Hoops for Heart. In addition to improved physical health, the benefits of physical activity for children include better grades, school attendance and classroom behavior. Physical activity can also help kids feel better, improve mental health, build self-esteem, and decrease and prevent conditions such as anxiety and depression[1].  

Roblox’s Race Clicker is a racing game that requires players to gain speed by clicking their mouse button as fast as possible. Players race against each other to see if they can make it through the track before time runs out. Gaining wins boosts a player’s overall speed, which helps players succeed. The Heart Hero characters will help improve player performance, too.

For more information on Kids Heart Challenge or the Heart Hero characters visit, heart.org/khc.

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The American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.   

For Media Inquiries: 214-706-1173

Linzy Cotaya: 504-872-3446; linzy.cotaya@heart.org  

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org