Matka Way
Traditional Gaming Meets Modern Digital Experience
MY ROLE
Product Designer
TEAM
1 PD, 1 Project Lead
TIMELINE
2021
Traditional gaming experiences were losing their cultural authenticity in digital spaces. Players craved the rich heritage and visual storytelling that made these games special, but existing platforms felt generic and disconnected from their roots.
We designed Matka Way to bridge that gap. To honor the traditional origins of Satta Matka while creating an engaging, modern gaming experience. And to prove that cultural authenticity and contemporary design can work beautifully together.
In a nutshell:
Matka Way is a culturally-rich gaming platform that brings the traditional Indian Satta Matka experience into the digital age. By blending authentic visual elements, intuitive navigation, and immersive storytelling, we created a gaming experience that feels both familiar and fresh.
What We Wanted MatkaWay to Achieve
Design Philosophy & Approach
Cultural Authenticity as Foundation
Understanding that Satta Matka originated in ancient India, every design decision needed to respect and celebrate this heritage. We weren't just building a gaming app, we were creating a digital cultural experience.
Visual Language Strategy
Ancient paper scrolls for backgrounds and information displays
Traditional Indian graphics with vibrant, culturally-appropriate colors
Vintage design elements with intricate borders and authentic typography
Metaphorical usage of traditional game elements (pots, coins, scrolls)
Style Guide
Here's what we built
Getting Started
Creating the First Impression
The sign-in experience immediately establishes our cultural foundation with vibrant colors and traditional Indian graphics. This isn't just authentication, it's the beginning of a cultural journey.
Key Design Decision: We prioritized visual impact over minimalism to create an authentic atmosphere from the very first interaction.
Game Rules
Honoring the Learning Tradition
Using ancient paper scroll visuals as backgrounds, we present game rules in a way that feels like discovering traditional knowledge. Each game variant is clearly explained with its specific return rates and mechanics.
Design Innovation: Rather than boring instruction pages, we transformed rule explanations into visual storytelling moments that build anticipation.
Homepage
Where Tradition Meets Choice
Players land in a carefully crafted environment where all seven game variants are presented as vintage-styled cards with intricate borders. The layout balances cultural aesthetics with clear navigation.
Core Gaming Experience
Bringing Metaphors to Life
Single Ank Game
Traditional pots ('Matka') display game names
Current game highlighted with coins on the pot
Visual metaphor directly connects to historical gameplay
Intuitive interaction design within authentic styling
Half Sangam Game
Each game variant gets its own tailored interface
Rules and betting options clearly presented
Consistent visual language across all variants
Design Philosophy: We used the traditional pots metaphorically, connecting modern digital interaction with the historical method of drawing random numbers.
Live Number Drawing
Transparency Meets Tradition
Players can watch live video streams of numbers being drawn in real-time, with results updating immediately in the 'Open Panna' and 'Close Panna' sections.
Results & History
Comprehensive Game Tracking
All game results are displayed against ancient paper scroll backgrounds with traditional ink pots as decorative elements, maintaining visual consistency while providing clear information hierarchy.
Supporting Features & User Management
Navigation & Menu System
A thoughtfully designed menu provides access to settings, profile editing, payment history, and logout options without breaking the immersive cultural experience.
Profile Management
Profile editing maintains the Indian aesthetic with decorative flower corners while providing all necessary functionality for account management, bank details, and password updates.
Financial Interactions
Modern Security, Traditional Presentation
Deposit and withdrawal popups blend necessary security features with the overall cultural design language, ensuring user trust without aesthetic compromise.
What I Learned
Designing for cultural gaming requires deep respect for tradition while embracing modern usability principles. The most successful elements came from understanding that authenticity and functionality aren't opposing forces but rather complementary aspects of great design.
Every visual choice needed to serve both cultural storytelling and user experience goals. This project reinforced my belief that meaningful design honors its context while serving its users.
Client Testimonial
"The requirements of this project were complex from the start, however, Aman completed the project in a limited time period with great dexterity. He worked on specific graphic elements by recreating the overall brand look. Great communication and effort on the project!"
Eva Tobinn, Branding Lead at Matka Way
