Advancing Engineering Education Through Serious Games: A Systematic Literature Review of Technological Innovation, Challenges, and Future Directions

Abstract

The rapid evolution of engineering education has intensified the demand for instructional approaches that can effectively support experiential learning, complex problem solving, and student engagement beyond traditional lecture-based methods. In this context, serious games have emerged as a promising pedagogical paradigm, particularly when combined with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and immersive environments. This study presents a systematic literature review (SLR) of serious games in engineering education, synthesizing peer-reviewed research published between 2020 and 2025 and indexed in Scopus and IEEE Xplore. Following the PRISMA 2020 framework, 63 primary studies were rigorously selected and analyzed to identify dominant technological innovations, application domains, game genres, research methodologies, and implementation challenges. The findings indicate that web- and mobile-based serious games remain the most prevalent due to their accessibility and scalability, while immersive technologies especially Virtual Reality (VR) demonstrate strong potential for enhancing spatial understanding and experiential learning in complex engineering domains. However, the integration of AI-driven adaptivity remains limited, with only a small subset of studies employing machine learning or computer vision techniques for personalized learning support. Key challenges include high development and infrastructure costs, limited pedagogical alignment, inconsistent evaluation frameworks, and insufficient attention to long-term learning outcomes and soft skill development. This review contributes a comprehensive cross-disciplinary perspective on technological trends and research gaps, highlighting the need for pedagogically grounded, AI-enhanced, and scalable serious game frameworks to support sustainable innovation in engineering education.