Analyzing the educational design, use and effect of spatial games for cultural heritage: A literature review

Integrating game-based approaches with learning constitutes a prevailing trend in education and training, applied in several domains, one of which is cultural heritage. The present paper attempts a literature review of such approaches developed in the cultural domain. It analyzes 34 games which intend to enable a physical or virtual interaction with a cultural place and its objects. The article focuses, first, on the game genres and game plots used to cope with cultural content and then it investigates the contexts of use in which games for culture are applied and the social relationships they create. Finally, given the need for a better understanding of games effectiveness for learning and training, we examine the reported outcomes of the reviewed games. •The design, use and effect of 34 spatial games for culture were investigated.•We coexamine game genres and different kinds of interaction with cultural content.•Spatial cultural games usually progress through the completion of learning tasks.•Complex storytelling needs further development for spatial games for culture.•The use of spatial cultural games in formal education needs to be deeper studied.