A REASON FOR EVERY PICK
Four questions to start a collection.
A theme makes the first choice easier and gives the other choices a reason to belong. Choose the question you want your board to answer.
The prompts are suggestions, not a test. You can write your own titles and stories, and a 3×3 grid does not have to be a ranking. If you need help narrowing a shortlist, read how to choose and arrange your nine games.
All-time favorites: what shaped your taste?
Start with games that still mean something to you, even if you have not played them recently. Separate “I admire this” from “this belongs to my story.” Both are valid, but knowing the difference helps when the shortlist gets long.
Try three angles: a game you return to, a game that changed what you looked for next, and a game you associate with another person. Fill the remaining spaces with reasons you have not already covered. Several games from one series can belong if each tells a different part of your story.
- Which game do you know almost by heart?
- Which choice surprised you at the time?
- What would be missing from a picture of your taste without this game?
Note starter: “After this, I started looking for ______ in games.”
Try all-time favorites ↗Comfort games: where do you like to return?
Comfort is personal. It might come from a familiar routine, music, a predictable challenge, or a world you know well. You do not have to restrict the board to a particular genre or describe every choice as relaxing.
Think about when you reach for each game: a short break, a quiet evening, or time with a friend. Use the note to explain the connection rather than promising that the game will make everyone feel the same.
- Which game fits a familiar evening routine?
- Where do you like to wander without rushing?
- Which game feels comfortable because you know its challenges?
Note starter: “I come back to this when I want ______.”
Try comfort games ↗Childhood classics: which moments do you remember?
Choose a period that makes sense to you: your first console, school holidays, after-school sessions, or games you shared at home. The board can describe your childhood without including your age, school, address, or other identifying details.
If the version matters, name it. If you remember the occasion better than the mechanics, write about the occasion. You do not need to claim that an old favorite has aged perfectly.
- What was your first hard-won victory?
- Which game did you borrow, share, or take turns playing?
- What sound or place brings back a particular memory?
Note starter: “What I remember most is ______.”
Try childhood classics ↗Dream backlog: what makes you curious now?
This board is a small set of possibilities, not a promise to finish nine games. Give each choice a reason: a world you want to explore, a friend’s recommendation, a type of game you have rarely tried, or a classic you missed.
Keep expectations distinct from experience. “I want to see how this story unfolds” is clearer than a review of a game you have not played. Leave room to change your mind when your interests or available time change.
- Which game would you choose for your next free weekend?
- What would take you outside your usual choices?
- Which recommendation still makes you curious, and why?
Note starter: “I want to try this because ______.”
Try a dream backlog ↗Choose a starting structure, then make it yours
The four links above open a matching nine-slot template. Review and confirm before a separate work is created; your existing works are kept. The template supplies prompts, not a list of games you must copy. For a longer story, compare the sixteen-slot options in the template library and layout guide.
The read-only example collection shows complete fictional titles and notes. Browsing it does not add anything to your library. Your own titles remain free text; there is no game catalogue or automatic cover lookup.
Make room for the second collection
Use New for another subject, Duplicate for another edition, and Archive for work you want to retain outside the active list. The library holds up to eight works within a 3 MiB serialized budget; archived works still count. Keep a JSON backup before deleting anything to make room.
Prompts are optional, and empty slots remain visible in PNG and print output. You can export an unfinished or empty board. Progress counts entered game titles; it is not a quality score or a save confirmation.
If navigation is paused because the latest changes have not saved, keep the editor open and download a backup first. Read storage help and how to organize a local library.
These are original selection and writing exercises, not game reviews or claims based on playtesting.