Enhancing students’ emotional involvement and enjoyment is key to improving their concentration and educational outcomes in game-based learning (GBL), which is widely recognised as a benefit of this approach. However, concerns remain about students becoming overly immersed, which could lead them to stray from the learning goals of GBL. This study utilises Cross-recurrence quantification analysis (CRQA) to investigate the dynamic relationship between cognitive and emotional engagement in GBL settings. Fifty participants watched two Minecraft gameplay videos and engaged in cognitive tasks that involved identifying creative gameplay behaviours. The timesync comments technology was used to record students’ timed responses. After categorising these comments into cognitive or emotional engagements using Content Analysis, CRQA was used to explore these engagements. Findings revealed a high synchronicity in cognitive and emotional engagement across both videos. The second video, notable for its exaggerated narration and imaginative gameplay, triggered more frequent recurring emotional and cognitive states, indicating a pattern of more consistent engagement. The study discusses how to balance cognitive and emotional stimulation when designing serious games.