While I was looking at some evaluation sites, I came across this very interesting article that indirectly relates to game appeal: "Application of Multiple Intelligences Research in Alternative Assessment" (Proceedings of the Second National Research Symposium on Limited English Proficient Student Issues: Focus on Evaluation and Measurement. OBEMLA, 1992).

In this article, the author (Joseph Walters, Harvard University) introduced a theoretical treatment of the concept of intelligence and drew from this theory several implications for education, paying particular attention to the question of assessment.

Following I include a part of the article that is relevant to game appeal:

"What struck the author about this scene, especially as he was gathering ideas for this paper, was the diversity of the human skills on display in this small space. As he looked about, he could easily pick out a variety of pursuits and challenges -- the games of chess and backgammon, word puzzles, musical and kinesthetic performances, social interaction, and so on. And yet, nothing in this scene was unusual. The diversity that he was seeing was completely familiar.

Another striking feature of this scene was how much of it builds on problem solving. Games like chess and backgammon allow the players to pose problems for one another. Puzzles are taken up as a challenge posed by the puzzle's author. Performances in music and movement require the solution of problems of a different sort.

This scene was a reminder of the need that humans have to create challenges and pose problems as a form of recreation. What's more, there is an inevitable variety to the nature of those challenges. For one person, chess is a fascinating and fulfilling game, while for a second person chess is impenetrable, a foreign language. The crossword puzzle for these two people may appeal in just the opposite manner. "

If you are interested in reading this article go to: http://www.ncbe.gwu.edu/ncbepubs/symposia/second/vol1/application.html