Manual game QA checklist: what I test first in any new build

Every new build has the same first question: is it worth spending time on? A short, repeatable checklist tells you quickly. This is the order I use when a new build of a game arrives, from the quick smoke test to deeper checks.

1. Smoke test: does it even work

• The build installs without errors and the file size is plausible.
• The game launches from the menu, the executable and, if relevant, the launcher.
• The main menu loads, music plays and the first scene can be started.
• You can start a new game and reach the first controllable moment.
• You can quit to the desktop cleanly.

If the smoke test fails, stop and report. Testing deeper on a broken build wastes everyone's time.

2. Menus and settings

• Every button does something and leads somewhere.
• Settings apply and persist after a restart: volume, resolution, language, key bindings.
• The Back and Cancel buttons really cancel changes.
• Menus work with keyboard, mouse and gamepad if they are supported.
• Text is readable at the lowest and highest supported resolution.

3. Saving and loading

Saves are where trust is lost, so test them thoroughly.

• Save, quit, load: the state is identical.
• Overwrite a save, delete a save, load an old save from a previous build if that is supported.
• Save during unusual moments: during a cutscene, right after picking up an item, at the very start and very end.
• Kill the process while saving to see whether the previous save survives.
• Check cloud saves and the behaviour with no free disk space if they apply.

4. Controls and input

• Every action works as described in the tutorial.
• Rebinding works and conflicts are handled.
• Switching between keyboard and gamepad mid-session does not break the UI prompts.
• Hold, tap and rapid-press behaviour is consistent.
• Alt-Tab, minimising and a second monitor do not break the input.

5. Gameplay and progression

• The tutorial can be completed and skipped.
• Progress-blocking bugs: items that cannot be picked up, doors that never open, triggers that fire twice.
• The difficulty curve and economy behave as designed.
• Quests, achievements and unlocks trigger correctly and only once.
• The game can be finished or reaches a clear end state.

6. Audio and visuals

• Music, effects and voice play at the right moments, without clipping or long silences.
• The volume sliders work separately.
• No missing textures, flickering, z-fighting or obvious clipping through walls.
• Animations and cutscenes start, end and can be skipped.

7. Performance and stability

• Frame rate and loading times in the heaviest scenes.
• Memory growth during a long session: play for an hour and watch the trend.
• Behaviour on low specifications and at different resolutions.
• Crash reports: note exactly what you were doing and attach logs.

8. Localization

Switch to every supported language and check at least the main menu, settings and one gameplay scene. Look for missing strings, clipped text, wrong characters and untranslated buttons. I cover this in more detail in my article on game localization testing.

9. Edge cases players find first

• Spamming a button during loading screens.
• Pausing and resuming at odd moments.
• Changing resolution or window mode mid-game.
• Disconnecting the gamepad, headphones or network.
• Clock changes if the game uses time-based features.

Reporting what you find

Write one report per problem and follow the structure from my guide to writing a good bug report. Mark blockers clearly and re-test fixes in the next build.

A checklist does not replace thinking, but it makes sure the boring, important things are checked every time. If you are making a game and need a second pair of eyes, take a look at my testing work or get in touch.

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