In the total domination game played on a graph $G$, players Dominator and Staller alternately select vertices of $G$, as long as possible, such that each vertex chosen increases the number of vertices totally dominated. Dominator (Staller) wishes to minimize (maximize) the number of vertices selected. The game total domination number, $��_{\rm tg}(G)$, of $G$ is the number of vertices chosen when Dominator starts the game and both players play optimally. If a vertex $v$ of $G$ is declared to be already totally dominated, then we denote this graph by $G|v$. In this paper the total domination game critical graphs are introduced as the graphs $G$ for which $��_{\rm tg}(G|v) < ��_{\rm tg}(G)$ holds for every vertex $v$ in $G$. If $��_{\rm tg}(G) = k$, then $G$ is called $k$-$��_{\rm tg}$-critical. It is proved that the cycle $C_n$ is $��_{\rm tg}$-critical if and only if $n\pmod 6 \in \{0,1,3\}$ and that the path $P_n$ is $��_{\rm tg}$-critical if and only if $n\pmod 6\in \{2,4\}$. $2$-$��_{\rm tg}$-critical and $3$-$��_{\rm tg}$-critical graphs are also characterized as well as $3$-$��_{\rm tg}$-critical joins of graphs.