Increasing student engagement and improving learning outcomes are ongoing issues in higher education worldwide. These issues were particularly pertinent during the COVID-19 pandemic when remote learning was selected as the primary instructional learning setting. This study aims to assess the impact of gamification-based quiz instruction in driving college students' learning in an online class during the COVID-19 pandemic at a remote institution of higher education in Indonesia (n = 68). The study employs an explanatory sequential mixed-method approach, including quasi-experimental research, quantitative surveys, and qualitative interviews. The findings indicate that the overall result of the four tests conducted during the intervention indicates a statistically significant difference among the three groups. The gamification-based quizzes increase student enthusiasm and improve learning outcomes. The study demonstrates the transformation induced by the ease of use and low cost of digital gaming platforms from mundane activities, such as listening to lectures on Zoom, to enjoyable educational gaming activities. The weekly gamification-based formative assessments using easy-to-use media significantly increase student engagement, critical and creative thinking, and information literacy during the learning process.