Can a serious board game can foster empathy and understanding of social inequality? Building on empathy theory and game-based learning, we propose a “Mechanism–Empathy–Cognition” model, hypothesizing that game mechanics shape learning outcomes by eliciting cognitive and affective empathy. “Social Prism,” a board game simulating real-world resource allocation, aimed to stimulate players’ perspective-taking and reflection on social groups. A mixed-methods study used questionnaires and interviews to evaluate the design model and impact. Results suggest increases in cognitive and affective empathy, particularly in perspective-taking, alongside indications of enhanced cooperative attitudes and social responsibility. Connecting psychology and game design, this article analyses how serious games might evoke empathy and how design affects cognition, offering a model to guide future development. We conclude that serious board games can support empathy education.