Educators, designers and curriculum creators are interested in developing educational experiences that replicate the fun aspect of video games to increase student intrinsic motivation. This aspect, which compels players to engage with the game and persist despite failing, has the potential to increase student academic success. Researchers used mixed-methods to investigate the results of an instructional design that attempted to replicate the fun aspect of video games in a remedial algebra class. The study offered insight on the ways in which student motivation might be better developed and refined in educational settings using game-based approaches. Results indicated that some students enjoyed the freedom of choosing their own quests to complete while others felt lost in the new environment. It is important to game and instructional designers to scaffold the transition from traditional classroom to a game-based classroom.