Editorial Standards

How Spinappy reviews games

Last updated: April 2026. The document below describes how a game gets selected, played, scored and signed off before being published as a featured review on Spinappy. We update this page whenever the methodology meaningfully changes.

1. What we publish, and what we don't

Spinappy publishes two kinds of game content: catalogue listings (every game we have access to via our content partners, with a short description) and featured editorial reviews (a long-form review written by a named editor). The two are visually and structurally distinct on every game page.

We do not publish content generated by AI without disclosure. Reviews that use AI assistance (for example, draft outlines or grammar passes) are still required to pass the methodology below, and any AI assistance is disclosed in the review byline.

2. Selection criteria

An editor will recommend a title for a featured review when at least two of the following are true:

  • The title has more than 250,000 plays in the last 90 days on our partner platform.
  • The title introduces a mechanic or design choice that is novel within its genre.
  • A reader has explicitly requested coverage via our suggestion form.
  • The title is a foundational example of its genre and we don't yet have coverage of it.

3. Hands-on requirement

The reviewing editor must play the game for a minimum of 30 minutes across at least two sessions, on at least two different devices (typically desktop + mobile). Reviews are rejected at the QA stage if there is no evidence the editor played the game on multiple devices.

4. The review structure

Every featured review must contain at least the following sections:

  1. Intro — what the game is, in plain language, in two sentences.
  2. Hands-on — what it actually feels like to play it.
  3. What works / what doesn't — at least two items in each column.
  4. Controls — full keyboard, mouse and touch mappings.
  5. Tips — at least three concrete pieces of advice.
  6. Verdict — a single-sentence summary, signed by the editor.

5. Update policy

A featured review is automatically flagged for re-review when any of the following occur:

  • The game is updated by its developer with new content or significantly changed mechanics.
  • A reader reports the review as inaccurate via the contact form.
  • 12 months have passed since the last review.

The "last reviewed" date displayed on each review reflects the most recent hands-on session by the editor — not the last time we touched the file.

6. Conflicts of interest & advertising

Spinappy is supported by display advertising via Google AdSense. Advertisers do not see review drafts before publication, do not receive editorial calendars, and have no influence over which games are reviewed or what those reviews say.

Editors do not accept gifts from game studios. If an editor has a personal connection to a studio (former employee, contractor, family) they recuse themselves from coverage of that studio's titles.

7. Corrections & takedowns

Found a factual error? Email [email protected] and we'll address it within two business days. For copyright takedowns, see our DMCA & Copyright Policy.

8. Who writes this?

Meet the editorial team — names, beats and experience — on the Editorial Team page.