Game design plays a central role in games for health. We reviewed literature presenting head-mounted display VR games specifically designed as health applications and looked at how game design has been implemented and discussed in research.

Key Takeaways:

• Most address health contexts related to physical exercise, motor rehabilitation, and pain
• Mechanics are typically based on obstacles, challenges, and extrinsic reward systems
• Narrative experiences and non-physical exercise interventions were less common
• Overall discourse on game design lags behind what’s seen in more games industry-related spaces

Find out more from our recently published article (open access) on the Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation here:
https://jneuroengrehab.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12984-020-00801-3