The Story Behind Snow Rider 3D (and What Happened Next)
If you’ve been using Hooda Math for a while, you probably know Snow Rider 3D—our downhill sledding game that somehow turned into a winter tradition in a lot of classrooms.
We released Snow Rider 3D on HoodaMath.com in December 2020 with one goal: give kids a fun, seasonal brain break that still lived in the safe, school-friendly ecosystem we’ve been building since 2008.
Over time, it became one of our most played games. Teachers wrote to tell us they used it as a reward after math tests. Students came back every winter asking, “Is Snow Rider 3D still there?”
Then something unexpected happened.
A familiar-looking game appears elsewhere
Sometime in 2021, I found a mobile app on the major app stores that looked and played very much like Snow Rider 3D—but it wasn’t released by us. It was under a different developer’s name.
From my point of view as the original creator and publisher of the web game, the similarities weren’t just “inspired by.” They felt like a direct copy of the idea and experience we’d already put out into the world for free.
I also noticed that this developer had multiple apps that closely resemble other popular web games created by different people. Again, I’m not here to litigate this in your inbox. Courts and lawyers exist for a reason. But as the person who helped create Snow Rider 3D, it was a gut punch.
Why I’m telling you this
I’m not asking anyone to harass or attack another developer. That’s not who we are, and that’s not what Hooda Math is about.
I’m sharing this because:
You deserve to know where your favorite games come from.
Snow Rider 3D is a Hooda Math original, built for the browser and made free for students and teachers.Original creators in education deserve credit.
When someone takes work that was made to be freely enjoyed in schools and quietly repackages it as their own commercial app, it undermines the trust we’ve built with you.This isn’t an isolated problem.
Many independent game developers—especially those releasing browser games—deal with clones and lookalikes on other platforms.
What we’re doing
Behind the scenes, here’s what we’re focused on:
Documenting our work and timelines so we can clearly show when and how we created Snow Rider 3D and other originals.
Exploring legal and platform options (like DMCA processes) to protect our games when possible.
Continuing to create new, original math and logic games, because that’s what we love and what you come to Hooda Math for.
How you can help (in a positive way)
If you want to support us:
Keep playing our games on HoodaMath.com and sharing them with students.
When you see our titles in the wild, double-check that they’re actually published by us.
Share this story with other teachers, parents, and developers who care about original educational content.
Thank you for sticking with us all these years—and for caring not just about the games, but about the people who make them.
– Michael
Hooda Math