This paper presents an educational proposal that explores the pedagogical potential of the Escape Room as a gamification strategy for teaching the verb ‘gustar’ (to like) in the Spanish as a Foreign Language (SFL) classroom in Higher Education. Drawing on previous experiences in both face-to-face and online environments, the activity integrates narrative-based challenges, problem-solving, collaborative work, and digital tools to facilitate meaningful learning of complex grammatical structures. The Escape Room is structured around a communicative mission in which students must overcome tasks and decode clues related to personal and others' preferences, applying the verb ‘gustar’ with pronouns, nouns, and infinitive verbs in a contextualized manner. The design is informed by the AIDA model (Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action), enhancing learner motivation, active participation, and communicative competence. Preliminary results, based on direct observation and student perception questionnaires, reveal increased engagement, a more positive attitude toward grammar, and improved spontaneous oral production. These findings support the Escape Room as an innovative and effective approach to teaching challenging linguistic content in the Spanish as a Foreign Language context.

Keywords: Foreign Language (FL), Educational Escape Room, Gamification, Pedagogical Innovation, Higher Education.