Serious gaming enhances the intrinsic motivation of students by providing them with challenges, giving them control and stimulating their curiosity and imagination. Also when playing the game they are put in the shoes of their character which triggers empathy, so it also has a social aspect to it. The challenges and curiosity generated by the uncertainty in the game, activates the desire to continue the (learning) activity. On top of that, the feeling of control resulting from the freedom of choice makes the player the master of the game so that they feel they can guide its progress towards the desired goal.

In general, Serious Games can reduce anxiety associated with the learning process and allow the learner to learn easily without even being aware. The use of a reward in a behavioral sense is also a powerful tool in serious games and is even stronger, thus motivating, when experiencing competition from peers. It also provides the possibility to experiment freely in a certain situation without having to worry about possible consequences. For example in the game (Power) where they can experiment with different power groups without having to worry to destroy something or get injured. 

Serious Games are able to adress different levels so each student can learn at their own pace and benefit from it. In this sense the low achievers would be challenged in the first, more basic, levels whereas the high achievers would go faster through those levels in order to find their challenges in the more advanced levels further in the game. 

Competencies

A lot of competencies are adressed when playing a serious game. Amongst others these are the following competencies:

• Problem solving: learner is confronted with a novel situation and must use previous knowledge to solve the problem.
• Strategical thinking
• Recognising connections between two or more concepts.
• Environmental orientation (cause and effect of human behaviour on the planet)