This study investigates how dark patterns in the user interface (UI) of video games influence children’s play behavior and decision-making, with a specific focus on the Roblox game Adopt Me!. Dark patternsare manipulative design techniques that guide users toward decisions that benefit developers over users. While prior research has examined these patterns in commercial platforms, little is known about how they function in children’s games, especially from an information architecture (IA) perspective.

Using a qualitative, triangulated method combining content analysis of UI/UX elements, observations, and interviews with child players, as well as complementary observations involving children of different ages and adult users to contextualize children’s experience within a broader perspective, the study explores how interface design affects children’s choices, sense of control, and interaction within game environments.

The findings show that dark patterns are deeply embedded in Adopt Me!’s interface, influencing behavior through psychological mechanisms like “user control,” “impulse buying,” and “play time.” These strategies often operate below children’s awareness, shifting decision-making power from user to system.

Analyzing the results through affordance, nudging, and choice architecture reveals how manipulative UI challenges core IA principles such as transparency, clarity, and autonomy. The study also raises ethical concerns about digital participation and offers practical design recommendations to support children's sense of control, promote reflective decision-making, and reduce manipulation in child-targeted interfaces.