Abstract
This systematic literature review examines how generative artificial intelligence (GenAI)-enhanced game-based learning (GBL) influences analytical skill development and educational innovation. The review synthesizes 32 peerreviewed studies published between 2024 and 2026 to identify emerging patterns in the use of GenAI within digital learning environments. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, the studies were analyzed across four thematic dimensions: design configurations of GenAI integration, empirical evidence of analytical and higher-order cognitive outcomes, mechanisms and moderators explaining observed effects and adoption, ethics and sustainability conditions. Among the included studies, 12 reported designtraceable AIGC–GBL configurations, of which 4 (33.3%) involved immersive or contextually immersive implementations. The findings show that GenAI most often functions as adaptive cognitive scaffolding embedded within iterative game mechanics rather than as a standalone content generator. Within the reviewed evidence, metaanalytic studies reported a moderately large positive effect on computational thinking (g = 0.75) and a large positive association with cognition-related outcomes (r = 0.53), while individual empirical studies generally indicated improvements in analytical or higher-order cognitive performance. The synthesis further identifies iterative feedback, calibrated cognitive load, dialogic scaffolding and sustained engagement as key mechanisms supporting analytical transfer. However, long-term sustainability is influenced by governance conditions, including academic integrity safeguards, algorithmic transparency, equity of access and institutional policy alignment. Overall, the review suggests that GenAI-enhanced GBL can foster transferable analytical competence when AI is used as a reflective scaffold within coherent pedagogical designs supported by metacognitive prompting and clear governance frameworks.
Keywords: Adaptive Scaffolding, Analytical Skills, Educational Innovation, Game-Based Learning, Generative Artificial Intelligence.