Citizen science is transforming how cognitive scientists study the human mind, and video games are at the heart of this shift. By embedding experimental tasks into engaging, game-like experiences, researchers can reach large, diverse populations while collecting rich behavioral data outside the lab. In this review, we explore how citizen science video games bridge the gap between players and participants, turning entertainment into large-scale cognitive research. Drawing on recent projects such as Sea Hero Quest and The Music Lab, we outline the key benefits of this approach: scalability, ecological validity, and public engagement. We also examine the challenges of designing games that are scientifically rigorous, ethically sound, and meaningful for both researchers and players. Through professional game developer insights, we highlight what it takes to develop a successful citizen science video game for cognitive science, and why this approach is still rare in the literature.

翻译：公民科学正在改变认知科学家研究人类心智的方式，而视频游戏正处于这一转变的核心。通过将实验任务嵌入引人入胜、类似游戏的体验中，研究人员能够接触大量多样化人群，同时在实验室外收集丰富的行为数据。在本篇综述中，我们探讨公民科学视频游戏如何弥合玩家与参与者之间的鸿沟，将娱乐转化为大规模认知研究。借鉴《Sea Hero Quest》和《The Music Lab》等近期项目，我们概述了该方法的关键优势：可扩展性、生态效度和公众参与度。我们还审视了设计既具备科学严谨性、合乎伦理道德、又能让研究者和玩家都感到有意义的游戏所面临的挑战。通过专业游戏开发者的见解，我们阐明了开发针对认知科学的成功公民科学视频游戏需要具备哪些条件，以及为何这种方法在文献中仍属罕见。