Arcade shortlist methodology on the playmat

Q: why only three builds? A: the Local Games intake for this cycle held three finished HTML5 sessions. Padding the list with unplayed folders would break the playmat rule.

What counts as a fact

Mechanic lines from GAME.md, controls observed in play, fail states, and approximate session length. No Google Play or App Store card was attached to these builds on 5 November 2026.

What never gets invented

Star ratings, download counters, IAP prices, and content-rating badges that the stores did not publish for these files. When a field is absent, the card says so.

How rank is ordered

Readability of the first ten seconds, clarity of risk/reward, and whether a guest can finish a short run without a wiki. Hardhat Lane leads; Chisel Run and Deck Touch follow for distinct risk lanes.

Back to the ranking