THE BACKLOGTHE BACKLOG

Backlog: clear the mountain of cartridges!

The shop after closing time, and you

The shutter is down on a used-game shop. Games and consoles that were appraised but never put back are piled all over the floor. Your job is to return every one of them to the right shelf. When the floor is clear, the exit door opens. What lies beyond it depends on how you tidied.

One thing to do

Pick it up. Read the label. Slide it into the shelf for that console. No timer, no game over.
There are 20 fictional retro consoles, and every cartridge, disc and box has its own shape and size, so matching the label on the game to the sign on the shelf tells you where it goes. Shelves that are out of order light up, so when in doubt, head for the glow.

The tidier the shop, the quicker your hands

There are two skill tracks.

• Grows with every item you put away: carry more at once, bundle copies of the same game, reach further, toss games straight onto the shelf
• Grows every time you fill a slot with a single title: matching titles light up, the right shelf lights up, and copies of the same game gather to your hand

Rack up the numbers or complete one slot at a time. How you play changes how the shop comes together.

Play with up to 3 friends

Share the shop and split the work. Toss games to each other, and keep in touch with pings, emotes and chat. The in-store radio plays the same song for everyone, and you can change the station at the register.

A plaza floating in the night sky

Head to the Plaza from the title screen and you'll arrive at a lobby floating in the night sky, where up to 34 players who speak your language can hang out. Sit on the sofas and benches, drop a fishing line into the clouds below, roast marshmallows over the campfire, or launch fireworks. Change the song on the jukebox and line up in front of the backdrop for a group photo. When you meet people you get along with, form a party and head out to tidy up together. You can also open a plaza just for friends, or for invited players only.

Small rewards at the bottom of the pile

100-yen coins turn up under the games. Collect three and turn the capsule-toy machine by the register for one of 20 monster figures. They line up in the showcase at the counter.

Your tidying, on record

Every title you complete goes into the Game Catalog. Compare clear times with friends and the world, and save a sped-up video of the shop coming together. Unlocking Steam achievements also unlocks new hats and effects for your look.

At launch

Two places to play: the Studio, a quick first run, and the Shop floor, the real job. A tutorial teaches you the controls and skills. The Warehouse and the Room are coming in a post-launch update. The game saves automatically, so you can stop and pick up anytime.