Despite efforts to implement innovative approaches such as flipped learning leveraging computer technology, the challenge of student failure persists. Understanding the factors that contribute to student success in flipped engineering courses remains a critical issue. This study addresses this issue by investigating the impact of student readiness, engagement, and gamified online formative quizzes on the academic achievement of low-achieving students. Logistic regression analysis was conducted on data from 122 university students who failed the pretest. The results reveal that flipped learning readiness, self-reported engagement, and digital footprints significantly influence success. Surprisingly, gamification and certain dimensions of the Flipped Learning Readiness Scale do not have a significant impact. Of note, success decreases with more time spent on quizzes and higher levels of motivation to learn, while success increases with more quiz attempts, indicating the value of seeking feedback. To our knowledge, such a relationship between digital footprints and success has not been reported in flipped engineering classrooms, making our study a novel contribution to the literature. Our findings have practical implications for the use of computers in flipped course design and offer insights into the theory of the testing effect. They highlight the importance of providing special support for overmotivated, underperforming students. They also inform the pedagogical aspects of incorporating digital footprints and formative assessment in flipped learning environments where quiz duration is limited to mitigate potential drawbacks.