This idea of applying gaming mechanics to non-game situations is known as gamification.
What defines a game is having a goal or objective
What we learn from games is that adding narrative, storyline, a theme, or fun graphics to our lessons and activities can help students be more engaged.
When I used the game Angry Birds to teach my students about x intercepts in math, not one student asked me, "Why do we need to learn this?"
This model of creating playsheets out of worksheets can be applied digitally or non-digitally. While students are working on math problems, play video game-style music in the background.