A game-based assessment uses short, puzzle-style tasks to measure abilities such as planning, reasoning and processing speed, in a format that feels more like a game than a traditional test. This guide explains what game-based assessments are, what they measure, what the research says so far, and how to use them well.

What a game-based assessment is

Traditional ability tests present a question and a set of answer options. Game-based assessments work differently. Candidates interact with a task directly, for example by drawing paths, choosing moves or matching symbols, and the assessment scores how well and how quickly they solve it. Many candidates find this more engaging, and some find it less stressful than a conventional test.

It helps to separate two ideas. Some assessments add game-like features, such as points or progress bars, to a conventional test. Others, like the Viewpoint tests, are built around a task that is itself a puzzle. Landers and colleagues describe this difference between gamifying an existing assessment and designing a game-based one [1].

The Viewpoint game-based assessments

Viewpoint offers four game-based assessments:

• Number Path: reach a target number in a set number of steps by choosing the right operations (10 minutes).

• Colour Path: connect matching pairs on a grid with paths that never cross and fill every cell (10 minutes).

• Visual Matching: find the one symbol two cards share, as fast and accurately as you can (7 minutes).

• Shape Assembly: decide which 3D shape can be built from a set of parts (10 minutes).

What puzzle-style tasks measure

Each task draws on abilities that matter at work:

• Planning and problem solving. In Colour Path, a path that looks right early on can block another pair later. Good performance comes from thinking ahead and changing course when a plan isn't working.

• Numerical reasoning. Number Path involves choosing operations in the right order to reach a target, which requires holding several possibilities in mind.

• Processing speed and attention. Visual Matching rewards quick, accurate scanning, a skill used in checking, monitoring and many operational roles.

• Spatial reasoning. Shape Assembly involves picturing how parts fit together in three dimensions.

The following is a generic illustration written for this article, not an item from the Viewpoint tests. Imagine reaching 24 from a starting number of 3 in two steps, with the operations +5, ×3 and ×4 available. Adding 5 gives 8, and multiplying by 3 gives 24. Multiplying by 4 first gives 12, from which neither remaining operation reaches 24 in one step. The puzzle rewards working backwards from the goal as well as forwards from the start.

What research says

Game-based assessment is a newer field than traditional ability testing, so the evidence base is smaller. Reviews such as Landers and colleagues' have called for careful research on what each game measures and how well it predicts job performance, rather than assuming that a game works because it is engaging [1]. The broader evidence on ability tests, which game-based tasks are usually designed to measure, is extensive: Schmidt and Hunter found that general mental ability is among the strongest single predictors of job performance [2].

The balanced view is that well-designed game-based assessments can measure relevant abilities in an engaging way, but they should be chosen for what they measure, not for novelty alone, and used alongside other evidence.

Using game-based assessments well

For employers, game-based assessments work well early in recruitment, especially for high-volume, graduate and apprentice hiring where candidate experience matters. Choose the tasks that best match the abilities the role needs, read results in bands from Very Low to Very High, and combine them with interviews and other assessments.

For candidates, read the instructions carefully, do any practice rounds, and work steadily. If a plan isn't working, try another approach rather than repeating the same moves.

See our game-based assessments, compare our traditional ability tests, or see our pricing.

Frequently asked questions

How long do the Viewpoint game-based assessments take?

Number Path, Colour Path and Shape Assembly take 10 minutes each, and Visual Matching takes 7 minutes.

Do I need to be good at video games?

No. The tasks are simple to learn and measure reasoning, planning and speed, not gaming experience.

Are game-based assessments as valid as traditional tests?

The evidence base is newer. They are best used to measure specific abilities alongside other assessments.

Can I play on a phone?

Check the instructions for each test. A computer with a mouse or trackpad usually gives the best experience.

References

1. Landers, R. N., Auer, E. M., Collmus, A. B. & Armstrong, M. B. (2018). Gamification science, its history and future: definitions and a research agenda. Simulation & Gaming, 49(3), 315–337.
2. Schmidt, F. L. & Hunter, J. E. (1998). The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology: practical and theoretical implications of 85 years of research findings. Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), 262–274.