Game-Based Learning in Elementary School Mathematics: Research Trends, Thematic Evolution, and Research Gaps (2015-2025).

Background Game-based learning (GBL) is increasingly gaining attention as a strategy to address math anxiety and learning difficulties in elementary school students, but bibliometric studies specifically focusing on its application in mathematics education are still relatively rare. This study aims to map the landscape of GBL research in mathematics education. Methods A bibliometric analysis was conducted on documents indexed in Scopus. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, 158 documents published between 2015 and 2025 were selected from an initial 3,135 documents. The data were analysed using VOSviewer and the bibliometrix package in RStudio to answer five research questions regarding publication trends, thematic structure, most productive sources, citation patterns, and future research directions. Results Publications grew consistently and, based on logistic life cycle modelling, are currently at a mature growth stage, with the annual peak estimated at 2025.1 (R 2 = 0.787). Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified seven thematic clusters organised around three main axes: learning methods, target levels, and mathematical content domains. Indonesia emerged as the most productive contributing country, although its contributions are spread across various institutions and have not yet concentrated in a single center of excellence. The most influential documents tend to be concentrated in the early years of the research period, reflecting an ageing effect in citations. Thematic mapping revealed dyscalculia, augmented reality, and the comparison of digital and non-digital games as niche and emerging themes that need further investigation. Conclusions These findings provide a foundation for researchers, educators, and policymakers in designing more targeted and evidence-based game-based mathematics learning strategies at the elementary school level.