Spirit Swap: an amazing deep puzzle game with Lofi rhythms to match three elements.
Of course, my friend!
It’s amusing how a match-three game managed to touch me emotionally to the point where I’m considering exploring game creation as part of my work in covering such products. My experience with Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To was truly delightful. Despite its lengthy name, the game perfectly delivers on what it promises. With colorful blocks shaped like spirits, the objective is to swap them to form groups of three or more, all while soothing lo-fi music plays in the background.
This game reminds me of the current trend in anime, where titles are so descriptive they become comical. However, much like these series, Spirit Swap has much more depth than it appears at first glance.
In Spirit Swap, you play as Samar, a witch dressed in vibrant attire who is responsible for protecting the material plane from mischievous yet harmless spirits that sometimes cause havoc. Throughout the game, Samar encounters her friends, whom she helps solve various problems through spirit-swapping competitions. It’s like a mix between Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine and informal conversational therapy.
While the swaps are straightforward, the game introduces interesting twists in its gameplay. Spirits can only be swapped horizontally, which demands greater effort to do it effectively. Additionally, the difficulty ramps up with the incorporation of powerful spells that activate when spirits are arranged in specific patterns. For those seeking a greater challenge, there are advanced difficulty modes and an endless mode available once you complete the brief yet entertaining main story.
What I enjoy most about Spirit Swap are its characters and their interactions. Each one is meticulously designed, showcasing a variety of body shapes, colors, and gender expressions. Moreover, all the characters have voices that make conversations between Samar and her friends feel authentic and real. For instance, when Samar comforts her friend Mo after a breakup, the dialogue reflects everyday conversations. Despite being an ostensibly light game, the developers have incorporated surprisingly relatable social situations. One character feels overwhelmed by being the constant support for their friend group without anyone caring about their well-being. Another, who is considered reserved, reveals unexpected depth, indicating that they’ve never been asked about it.
Even moments that aren’t completely relatable end up being entertaining. It’s a fun detail that upon winning, you receive congratulations with the affectionate Arabic term “Ya Habibi.”
All these features combine to give me a sense of well-being, not just while playing Spirit Swap, but towards video games in general. It’s a short, fun, artistic, personal game with touches of humor. Plus, it has inspired me to want to create a game of my own. Currently, Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To is available on Steam and Xbox.
