<![CDATA[Entering the 21st century, maintaining elementary school students' learning motivation amid extensive digital distractions has become an important challenge in education. Game-Based Learning (GBL) offers an interactive learning approach that can engage students through structured play, challenges, feedback, and collaboration. This study aims to synthesize empirical evidence on the implementation of GBL and Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) in elementary education, with particular attention to learning motivation, the distribution of digital and non-digital media, and the game elements most frequently associated with motivational engagement. The study used a literature review approach by analyzing 15 scientific articles published between 2020 and 2025 and identified through Google Scholar, Emerald Insight, ScienceDirect, and SINTA. The included studies employed diverse designs, including quasi-experiments, classroom action research, qualitative studies, and research and development. The synthesis indicates a generally positive pattern: GBL was associated with increased engagement, attention, motivation, and selected learning outcomes across the reviewed studies. However, the evidence is heterogeneous and does not justify the claim that GBL is uniformly or significantly effective across all contexts. Digital GBL accounted for 66.7% of the included studies, while non-digital GBL accounted for 33.3%; these percentages describe the distribution of the reviewed literature and should not be interpreted as an empirically validated ideal ratio. The review further indicates that progressive challenges and narrative elements were repeatedly associated with more sustained engagement, whereas points and leaderboards tended to produce more immediate, extrinsically driven engagement. The contribution of this review is a cross-platform synthesis that compares digital and non-digital GBL and maps recurring game elements in relation to the duration and character of motivational engagement.]]>
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