Game-Based and Gamified Robotics Education: A Comparative Systematic Review and Design Guidelines

Robotics education fosters computational thinking, creativity, and problem-solving, but remains challenging due to technical complexity. Game-based learning (GBL) and gamification offer engagement benefits, yet their comparative impact remains unclear. We present the first PRISMA-aligned systematic review and comparative synthesis of GBL and gamification in robotics education, analyzing 95 studies from 12,485 records across four databases (2014–2025). We coded each study’s approach, learning context, skill level, modality, pedagogy, and outcomes (κ =.918). Three patterns emerged: (1) approach–context–pedagogy coupling (GBL more prevalent in informal settings, while gamification dominated formal classrooms [p