Mug Matcher

What is Mug Matcher?

Mug Matcher is a detective-skills web game where players match mugshots to crimes. It blends visual recognition with criminal justice education and a polished PWA experience.

The Challenge

Traditional criminal justice education and detective training often rely on theoretical knowledge without practical application. Law enforcement professionals, criminology students, and true crime enthusiasts lack engaging, interactive tools to develop their visual recognition skills and understanding of criminal behavior patterns.

The Solution

Mug Matcher is a web-based detective skills game that challenges players to match mugshots with their corresponding crimes. Built as a Progressive Web App using Next.js 15, the game combines visual recognition challenges with criminal justice education. Players are presented with 6 mugshots and 6 crime descriptions, testing their ability to make connections based on visual cues, crime patterns, and criminal profiling knowledge.

Core User Features

Mug Matcher provides an engaging and educational experience for players to test their detective skills and knowledge of criminal behavior patterns.

• Intelligent Crime Matching System with 400+ real criminal records
• Smart crime categorization preventing similar offenses in single rounds
• Sophisticated scoring system considering accuracy, speed, and attempt count
• Real-time statistics with accuracy percentage and completion time tracking
• Dual UI themes: Professional ShadCN and animated Aceternity interfaces
• Progressive Web App with mobile-first responsive design and haptic feedback

Technical Architecture

Mug Matcher combines cutting-edge web technologies with sophisticated game mechanics.