Personalizing educational games involves sophisticated research challenges due to users’ roles as both students and players. Unlike traditional educational settings, where learning outcomes are the primary focus, educational games blur the lines between education and entertainment, necessitating student models that accommodate diverse user behaviors and motivations. Users interact with educational game software not only to acquire knowledge but also for enjoyment and immersion in the gaming experience. Consequently, student models must align instructional objectives with the interactive and dynamic nature of the gameplay, ensuring seamless integration of personalized learning experiences within the entertainment framework. This review synthesizes the literature on both user-player and student modeling in educational gaming research, emphasizing their relevance and the need for integration in addressing the complexities of personalization in educational games. By examining advances and challenges in this field, the review provides insights into future directions for research and development, guiding efforts to enhance the effectiveness and engagement of personalized educational games.