# Video Games MCP Server
A fast, reliable Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides access to RAWG's detailed gaming database through Claude Desktop. Search for games, get detailed information, explore genres, and discover popular titles - all without leaving your chat interface.
## Why Use This?
Ever find yourself opening multiple browser tabs just to research a single game? This MCP server eliminates that hassle by bringing RAWG's entire gaming database directly into Claude Desktop. Whether you're trying to remember if "Cyberpunk 2077" is finally worth playing or need quick facts about indie games for your stream, just ask Claude and get instant, comprehensive answers.
## Features
- **Smart Game Search**: Find games by title with fuzzy matching that actually works
- **Comprehensive Game Details**: Ratings, platforms, developers, release dates, descriptions, and more
- **Genre Exploration**: Browse complete game categories without falling into rabbit holes
- **Popular Games Discovery**: See what's trending without algorithm manipulation
- **Seamless Claude Integration**: Works directly in Claude Desktop - no app switching required
- **Fast & Reliable**: Built with FastMCP and async operations for speed
## Test Results (click the arrows to see the screenshots)
<details>
<summary><strong>Basic Search Test: "Can you search for games with 'zelda' in the title and show me the top 5 results?"</strong></summary>
<div align="center">
<img src="Screenshots/1.png" alt="Zelda Search Test" width="800"/>
</div>
*Tests: search_game_by_title tool with limit parameter - ✅ Passed*
</details>
<details>
<summary><strong>Popular Games Test: "Show me the top 10 most popular games right now."</strong></summary>
<div align="center">
<img src="Screenshots/2.png" alt="Popular Games Test" width="800"/>
</div>
*Tests: get_popular_games tool with limit parameter - ✅ Passed*
</details>
<details>
<summary><strong>Error Handling Test: "Look for popular games in a genre called 'NonExistentGenre'."</strong></summary>
<div align="center">
<img src="Screenshots/3.png" alt="Error Handling Test" width="800"/>
</div>
*Tests: Error handling for invalid genre names - ✅ Graceful error*
</details>
<details>
<summary><strong>Multiplayer Games Test: "I'm planning a gaming night with friends. Can you recommend 2 popular multiplayer games?"</strong></summary>
<div align="center">
<img src="Screenshots/4.png" alt="Multiplayer Games Test" width="800"/>
</div>
*Tests: Complex workflow combining search and analysis - ✅ Complex workflow*
</details>
<details>
<summary><strong>Comprehensive Test Suite: Full 7-step MCP server validation</strong></summary>
<div align="center">
<table>
<tr>
<td align="center">
<img src="Screenshots/5.png" alt="Comprehensive Test Part 1" width="450"/>
<br><em>Part 1: Steps 1-4</em>
</td>
<td align="center">
<img src="Screenshots/5-1.png" alt="Comprehensive Test Part 2" width="450"/>
<br><em>Part 2: Steps 5-7</em>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
*Tests: All four MCP tools, error handling, and data analysis - ✅ All steps passed*
</details>
### 📊 Test Results Summary
| Test Category | Test Case | Status | Screenshot |
|---------------|-----------|---------|------------|
| **Basic Search** | Search for "zelda" games (top 5) | ✅ Passed | [1.png](Screenshots/1.png) |
| **Popular Games** | Get top 10 most popular games | ✅ Passed | [2.png](Screenshots/2.png) |
| **Error Handling** | Search for "NonExistentGenre" | ✅ Graceful error | [3.png](Screenshots/3.png) |
| **Multiplayer Query** | Find popular multiplayer games | ✅ Complex workflow | [4.png](Screenshots/4.png) |
| **Comprehensive Suite** | Full 7-step test sequence | ✅ All steps passed | [5.png](Screenshots/5.png), [5-1.png](Screenshots/5-1.png) |
*All tests return properly formatted game data with titles, ratings, platforms, and metadata.*
## Installation
### Prerequisites
- Python 3.11 or higher
- RAWG API Key (free at [rawg.io/apidocs](https://rawg.io/apidocs))
- Claude Desktop application
### Quick Setup
**1. Clone and Navigate**
```bash
git clone https://github.com/barandev/videogames-mcp-server.git
cd videogames-mcp-server
```
**2. Create Virtual Environment**
```bash
# With UV (recommended - faster)
uv venv
source .venv/bin/activate # macOS/Linux
.\.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1 # Windows PowerShell
# Or with standard Python
python -m venv .venv
# Then activate as above
```
**3. Install Dependencies**
```bash
pip install -r requirements.txt
```
**4. Configure API Access**
```bash
# Copy environment template
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env and add your RAWG API key
```
💡 **Get your free API key at [rawg.io/apidocs](https://rawg.io/apidocs) - it's required for the server to function.**
**5. Verify Installation**
```bash
python main.py
```
## Claude Desktop Configuration
### Windows Configuration:
Add this to your `claude_desktop_config.json` file:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"videogames": {
"command": "C:\\path\\to\\videogames-mcp-server\\.venv\\Scripts\\python.exe",
"args": ["C:\\path\\to\\videogames-mcp-server\\main.py"],
"cwd": "C:\\path\\to\\videogames-mcp-server",
"env": {
"RAWG_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
}
}
}
}
```
### macOS/Linux Configuration:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"videogames": {
"command": "/path/to/videogames-mcp-server/.venv/bin/python",
"args": ["/path/to/videogames-mcp-server/main.py"],
"cwd": "/path/to/videogames-mcp-server",
"env": {
"RAWG_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
}
}
}
}
```
**Note:** Use absolute paths and restart Claude Desktop after making changes.
## Available Tools
### `search_game_by_title`
Search for games by title with fuzzy matching.
- **Parameters**: Game title, optional limit for results
- **Returns**: List of matching games with ratings, platforms, and screenshots
### `get_game_details`
Get comprehensive information about a specific game.
- **Parameters**: Game ID (from search results)
- **Returns**: Description, developers, publishers, release dates, ratings, platforms, ESRB info
### `list_genres`
List all available game genres.
- **Parameters**: None
- **Returns**: Complete list of genres with game counts
### `get_popular_games`
Discover trending and highly-rated games.
- **Parameters**: Optional limit, optional genre filter
- **Returns**: List of popular games with metadata
## License
MIT License - see [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
