What makes a top game? Our criteria for 2026
When we describe a game as one of the top games shaped by Canada in 2026, we mean something specific. This opinion piece explains the criteria behind our choices.
Top does not mean best-selling
The word top is used in many ways in gaming. Sometimes it refers to sales, sometimes to popularity on streaming platforms and sometimes to critical opinion. On Totaret, it means none of these. We do not track sales figures or publish rankings based on numbers.
Instead, we use top to describe games that, in our editorial opinion, deserve players' attention. A small indie game played by relatively few people can qualify just as much as a large release. Our aim is to help readers find games worth their time, not to report on what is already widely known.
Craft you can feel
The first quality we look for is craft. This does not mean the most advanced graphics or the largest world. It means care in the details: controls that feel responsive, menus that make sense, sound that supports the action and art that serves the game's mood.
Craft is often most visible in small moments. A door that opens with a satisfying sound, a character animation that conveys emotion or a puzzle that clicks into place all reflect thoughtful work. Games made with this kind of attention tend to feel cohesive, as if every part was designed to work together rather than added separately.
Respect for the player's time
We value games that respect the people playing them. That includes clear communication about how long a game is, fair difficulty with options to adjust it and progress systems that do not stretch the experience artificially.
Respect also means letting players pause, save and return without frustration, and offering accessibility settings that make the game playable for more people. Games that treat players' time as valuable tend to leave a positive impression, even if they are short. In our view, a focused ten-hour game can be more memorable than a long one filled with repetition.
Long-term care
Many modern games continue to evolve after release. Developers fix issues, improve performance and sometimes expand the experience. We pay attention to how teams communicate with players and how they handle problems over time.
This does not mean a game must receive constant updates to be considered worthwhile. Many excellent games are complete at launch and need little more. But when a game does have issues, the way its developers respond says a lot about their commitment. Honest communication and steady improvement are qualities we appreciate and consider when forming our opinions.
How we use these criteria on Totaret
These criteria guide our writing, but they are not a scoring system. Every game is different, and a title might excel in one area while being modest in another. We try to explain our reasoning clearly so readers can decide whether our view matches their own priorities.
We also remember that taste is personal. A game we find exceptional might not suit you, and that is perfectly reasonable. Our goal is to offer thoughtful perspectives on games shaped by Canada in 2026 and beyond, helping you make informed choices. If you think we have overlooked a game that meets these criteria, we would be glad to hear about it through our Contact page.
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