THE BACKLOG

Sorting the shop

THE BACKLOG is a sorting game for PC set in a used-game shop after closing time. The floor is covered with games and consoles that were appraised but never returned to their shelves. You pick up each item, read its label, and put it on the shelf marked for its console. Clear the floor and the exit door opens; what’s beyond it depends on how you tidied.

There’s no timer or game over. The game has 20 fictional retro consoles, and cartridges, discs, and boxes come in different shapes and sizes. Shelf signs tell you where items belong, and out-of-order shelves light up to point you toward mistakes.