Finally, a match-3 puzzle game with dating

digitaltrends.com:

I’ve played a lot of match-three puzzle games in my lifetime. At this point, it’s very rare to find one that does anything new. They’re all some variation on the same theme, tasking players with matching similar shapes to break down a well of sorts. The nuances change, but the structure is hard to really shake up. I respect any game that tries to.

It was with that in mind that I found myself drawn to Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To. On its surface, the new indie looks fairly similar to any old puzzle game. It’s a spin on Panel de Pon that has players swapping pieces in a slowly building well to create matches and build combos. What’s so special about that? One word: dating.

In addition to being a traditional puzzler, Spirit Swap is a light visual novel too. It stars a witch named Sama whose job is to fight back stray spirits that have wandered into their magical city. It’s a simple narrative premise, but one that’s rooted in genre history. Plenty of puzzle games, like Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop, have light narrative backbones built to introduce the game’s cast of characters. Spirit Swap joins that great lineage by weaving a tale of magical beings and queer love.

That last part is what makes Spirit Swap stand out. It’s not just a puzzle game, but a dating sim too. In each mission, I’m meeting a hot new character that I can eventually romance if I chat with them enough. My options range from chill hunks to mystical polycules. Each character has their own story built through bonding conversations and battles, taking the idea of a standard puzzle story one step further and adding smooching to the mix.

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Whether or not that clicks with you will depend on your