Gamification, defined as the integration of game design elements into non-game contexts, has gained growing attention as a strategy to enhance engagement and outcomes in mental health interventions. By incorporating features such as points, achievements, challenges, and interactive feedback, gamification addresses longstanding barriers in mental health care, including low adherence, limited accessibility, and stigma. The application of gamification to health promotion can be traced to the late 1990s, with Dance Dance Revolution (1998) serving as an early example of gameplay designed to encourage physical fitness. Since then, interdisciplinary collaborations among clinicians, researchers, and developers have produced gamified tools targeting diverse health behaviors. Notable examples include Cigbreak, developed to support smoking cessation through interactive and achievement-based mechanics. Building on these precedents, mental health researchers have increasingly applied gamification to promote engagement with preventive programs and therapeutic interventions. Evidence suggests that gamified approaches can increase motivation, sustain user participation, and improve adherence to therapeutic activities, ultimately contributing to more effective outcomes. By embedding elements of curiosity, fantasy, challenge, and social interaction, gamification has the potential to reframe mental health interventions as approachable and enjoyable, while also reducing stigma. At the same time, important questions remain about the sustainability of engagement, cultural adaptability, and the ethical implications of applying game mechanics in sensitive health contexts. This paper reviews the development and application of gamification in mental health, synthesizing insights from existing interventions and broader health-related applications. It argues that gamification represents an innovative intersection of psychology, technology, and design, with promising implications not only for improving attitudes toward mental health care but also for expanding access. Further empirical research is needed to optimize design strategies and evaluate long-term clinical outcomes.