Over the past few decades, there have been numerous efforts to combine the power of digital games with education. The simplest way to attempt this is to take a traditional video game and a traditional homework assignment, then just alternate between the two: solve the math problem, then you get to blow up the alien. This approach is so simple to develop that it started a wave of ‘edutainment’ products in the early nineties that continues to this day. Unfortunately, it’s been said that this approach primarily manages to combine the entertainment value of a bad lecture with the educational value of a bad video game. Known as the chocolate-covered broccoli technique of designing educational media, it has left many people with a bad taste for efforts combining education with entertainment.

Other attempts have been made at “gamification” or using virtual characters and merit badges to cheer on learners and encourage them to continue completing assignments. However, the core of the learning activity remains a traditional worksheet placed on the screen. Researchers argue that this approach of trying to extract only motivational gimmicks from video games misses the true opportunity to tap into the core principles of play and exploration that make video games so compelling. Although much more difficult than simply resorting to edutainment or gamification, they argue that true Game-Based Learning involves looking at all the elements of mystery, intrigue, exploration, inquiry, or creativity that underly any particular subject matter. They then find ways to align those elements with play-centered learning design. They point to games like The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis and the examples of Game-Based Learning developed at places like the MIT Education Arcade Lab. The team behind Swirly Languages has decades of combined experience working alongside leaders of Game-Based Learning at institutions like the MIT Education Arcade Lab and Harvard Education.