Find RetroAchievements game IDs by title or console, with filters for achievements and pagination. Use it to locate games before querying details or progress.
Find game IDs by title and/or console. First all-console search may be slow.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| limit | No | ||
| query | No | All words must match | |
| offset | No | ||
| console_id | No | ||
| has_achievements | No |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v0.1.0Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
Annotations already declare readOnlyHint and openWorldHint, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds a genuinely useful performance caveat about the first all-console search, but says nothing about pagination behavior, rate limits, or what the slow operation implies for repeated calls.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
Two short sentences with the primary purpose front-loaded ahead of the performance note. Efficient overall, though the performance caveat could be slightly more specific.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
With five parameters, 20% schema coverage, and no output schema, the description should carry more weight. It omits pagination semantics, the meaning of the has_achievements default, and what a result actually contains beyond 'game IDs'.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema description coverage is only 20% (only 'query' is documented), and the description names just two of five parameters (title, console). It does not explain limit/offset pagination or what has_achievements=true (the default) filters on, leaving most parameters undocumented.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
States a specific verb and resource — 'Find game IDs by title and/or console' — which clearly distinguishes it from the singular sibling get_game and from list-oriented siblings like get_user_games. No explicit sibling routing, but the verb+resource is unambiguous.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The note that the 'first all-console search may be slow' implies you should supply a console filter when possible, which is useful implied guidance. However, it names no alternative tool and gives no explicit when-to-use/when-not conditions.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.