Based on the hypothesis that inconclusive research results with regard to the impact of games and simulations are linked to the absence of clear concept definitions, research was undertaken to fill this methodological gap by identifying the essential attributes of games and simulations. This paper first introduces the context for our study. This is followed by a description of the analysis grid used to create a database of the literature, and the methodology employed to conduct our systematic review of this literature. The essential attributes of games and simulations are then described and the distinctions between these two concepts are presented.