<p>Gamification has been explored as a strategy to enhance engagement in cognitive training for older adults. While its role in improving cognitive engagement is well-documented, less is known about how it influences situational interest in structured cognitive training tasks, which serves as a crucial precursor to the development of long-term engagement. This study examines the effects of gamification on situational interest in a cognitive training context. Thirty older adults (<i>M</i> = 69.2&#xa0;years, <i>SD</i> = 6.7) completed both gamified and non-gamified versions of an n-back task within a card-based cognitive training paradigm. Task scores, response times, and situational interest were measured to assess the impact of game elements on engagement. Additionally, prior gaming experience was analyzed to determine its influence on participants’ task performance and situational interest. Results indicate that while gamification significantly reduced response times, it did not improve task scores. However, it notably enhanced situational interest by increasing instant enjoyment, novelty, and attention demand. Importantly, gamification did not appear to negatively affect task performance compared to non-gamified training, suggesting that its implementation may not hinder cognitive outcomes. Given the modest sample size, this study should be regarded as a preliminary and exploratory investigation, providing an initial basis for future large-scale research. Nevertheless, these preliminary findings tentatively suggest that game elements may enhance intrinsic motivation and cognitive persistence. Future longitudinal studies are required to validate such effects.</p>