Gamified technology presents a promising avenue for educators to create dynamic and interactive language learning environments. This qualitative study explores students’ perceptions of gamified technology and paper-based methods for tourism vocabulary retention in a private university setting. Through interviews with six students, two overarching themes emerged: engagement and efficacy. Under the theme of engagement, sub-themes included competing students in learning and the level of interactivity among students. Meanwhile, within the theme of efficacy, sub-themes focused on vocabulary retention and student comprehension. The findings underscore the importance of considering students' preferences and perceptions in language learning strategies, particularly in integrating innovative technological tools to enhance engagement and efficacy. Educators are encouraged to leverage gamified technology while also adapting teaching approaches to suit students' needs effectively. Ongoing research and evaluation of gamified technology in language learning contexts can provide valuable insights into its effectiveness and areas for improvement.