A Wellington gaming startup is hoping its debut title will raise awareness for New Zealand’s near-extinct Maui’s dolphin.

GameStarter was founded by developer Mark Major, and it’s seeking funds on PledgeMe for Plunge Free Dive, a mobile title his team is creating with help from freediving World Champion William Trubridge.

According to the PledgeMe pitch, Plunge Free Dive’s gameplay is inspired by real exercises and bodily considerations that Trubridge undergoes while free-diving.

“Monitor heart-rate control, undertake breathing exercises, and from time to time, you too can save the day by rescuing Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins from gillnets,” it reads.

“Play as William Trubridge in the time leading up to his world record breaking event, and train to become the world freediving champion.”

Major’s goal is to have players experience Trubridge’s love for the water and its creatures.

“More people play and pay for games than any other form of entertainment, which makes them an ideal platform for pushing real world experiences and causes,” he said.

"Every play session will contribute to helping to protect the New Zealand’s Hector’s and Maui’s dolphin population, raising awareness around their plight in an interactive way. There are less than 7,000 Hector's Dolphins remaining.

"Only 55 remaining Maui's Dolphins, teetering on the brink of extinction. Irresponsible fishing methods have bought their populations to these levels, since dolphins are easily entangled in gillnets, invisible to the sonar they use for echolocation.

“Their only salvation lies in the reform of fishing legislation to ban set net and trawl fishing wherever dolphins are found in New Zealand coastal waters up to 100m deep. Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins are the smallest, cutest dolphin in the world, and need our protection from the New Zealand fishing companies who have no regard for their lives.”

Head to the game’s PledgeMe page for more information on the Maui dolphin, William Trubridge, and the game.

At the time of writing, Plunge Free Dive had raised NZ$6,605 of its NZ$10,000 goal, with nine days remaining.