Itâs odd that a match-3 game got me in my feelings so much that Iâm considering adding making games to my profession of covering them. But thatâs exactly what happened after my delightful time with Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To.
Itâs a mouthful of a name, but damned if the game doesnât do exactly what it says on the tin. There are little colorful block-shaped spirits, and you swap âem around to match three (or more) while charming and calming lo-fi beats bang out of your speakers. It reminds me of the recent trend in anime where the titles of shows are hyper-descriptive to the point of hilarity, and just like those shows, thereâs a lot more going on than a simple match-3 game with a chill soundtrack. And I love it.
In Spirit Swap, you play as Samar, a witch with a lovely technicolor wardrobe who protects the material plane from mischievous but benign spirits that occasionally cross over and gunk things up. Throughout the game, Samar encounters her gaggle of friends, talking them through their myriad problems by challenging them to spirit-swapping competitions â think Dr. Robotnikâs Mean Bean Machine with a dash of informal talk therapy.
Swapping is gen …