###### Abstract  
Serious games (SGs) are often used for learning and cognitive improvement. This systematic review aims to verify the effectiveness of SG in enhancing the reading and writing of children with learning difficulties or disorders. The study was conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 Guidelines. The screening processes led to six relevant articles, all of which were randomized trials with a low risk of bias. The number of SGs developed for children with learning disorders with evidence of efficacy is very small, and they focus on enhancing only some aspects of literacy, leaving out the training of some fundamental skills, such as spelling and text comprehension. Serious games are effective in improving reading and metaphorological skills and in ensuring good engagement and enjoyment. However, poor generalization of progress to untreated skills was reported. The importance of investment in this area of research is highlighted.  
systematic review; serious games; learning disorders; dyslexia; reading; spelling +
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disability [14], ADHD (for a review, see [15]), and special education needs (for a review, see [16; 17]).  
Through these innovations, SGs are also designed to improve the skills of reading/writing for students diagnosed with specific learning disabilities, such as dyslexia or dysgraphia, or simply with difficulties in reading and spelling acquisition. Learning disorders are a heterogeneous group, in which the acquisition of reading, spelling and/or mathematical skills is impaired and the deficit is not due to a lack of learning opportunities, cognitive disability, or brain trauma [18; 19]. In the last decades, a greater number of mobile applications have been created to assess or intervene in the treatment of dyslexic symptoms [20]. Play SGs ensure high levels of emotion and motivation, which can contribute to improving learning [21].  
However, little is known about the real effectiveness of these methodologies in improving the literacy skills of students with learning disorders or difficulties and systematic reviews are lacking. Therefore, this systematic review aims to evaluate, for the first time, the effectiveness of SGs in enhancing the literacy of children with reading and/or spelling disabilities or difficulties.  
The review is structured as follows. First, we illustrate our research within the scientific literature; the inclusion, exclusion, and eligibility criteria used; and the synthesis of relevant information from the identified and selected studies. We then report the characteristics of SGs for the improvement of reading/writing skills, as well as engagement. We attempt to answer the following research questions: (1) What is the evidence for the efficacy of the use of SGs for children with learning difficulties or disorders? (2) Is progress sustained in long-term follow-ups? (3) Does effective training demonstrate generalization with secondary effects on untreated cognitive functions? (4) Are there cognitive functions for which SGs are not available (for which research is required)? (5) What are the characteristics of the games that have proven to be effective? In particular, (5.a) Which cognitive functions do they rehabilitate and with which exercises? (5.b) Which gamification features do they have? (5.c) How was the training carried out (methods, exercise times, devices, duration, etc.)?