Igor Mayer makes a very good distinction between a simulation and a serious game – based on the idea of a box: with a serious game you are inside the box playing the game; with a simulation, on the other hand, you are outside the box, manipulating some variables and watching what happens to the result.

Read the full blog post at http://seriousgamessociety.org/index.php/2014-07-11-14-15-51/explore/134-media/812-when-is-a-serious-game-a-simulation