Summary
Isle of Swaps, a roguelike deck-building game inspired byPokemon TCG, has just launched onSteam.Isle of Swapsis a new game onSteamthat builds upon the fundamentals ofPokemon’s popular card game and adds a unique twist.
While thePokemontrading card game is a different beast than the video games, it’s still incredibly popular. Due to the trading card game’s success, there have been attempts to translate the game’s different mechanics into video game spin-offs, like thePokemon Trading Card GameGame Boy Color game, and more recently,Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocketfor mobile devices. Fuzz Force’s newly launchedIsle of Swapsfollows a lot of the same mechanics from thePokemoncard game, while incorporating aspects of the roguelike genre.
Isle of Swapshas a lot of similarities toPokemon TCG, from the card designs, creatures, and elemental typing system. Players embody the role of Dina, who wants to collect all the cards in the Critter Trading Card Game. Just like mosttrading card video game simulators, the gameplay loop ofIsle of Swapsis about building a deck by opening packs and trading with other players. Critter TCG’s combat is very reminiscent ofPokemon TCG, where the player has to build up energy with weaker skill cards to spend and make bigger plays, which each have their own elemental affinity.
Isle of Swaps Available on Steam Now With Limited-Time Discount
Isle of Swapsalso draws inspiration fromroguelikedeck-building games likeSlay the Spire, where the player is given multiple characters to choose from. Each of these characters has their own special abilities that can vary up the gameplay. Players can experiment with various strategies on any of their runs without needing to commit to a single themed deck, allowing for greater replayability.
Isle of Swaps’roguelike deck-building elementsfit naturally for a game inspired byPokemon TCG. In most card games, players usually build their decks from the start and need to commit to the strategy it’s been built for. The roguelike nature of the game allows deck-building to be a part of the gameplay loop, meaning players can evolve their strategies as they see fit.Isle of Swapscurrently has both a free demo for players to download and a limited-time 10% discount for the full game, with it ending on October 4.
Steam
Steam is a digital video game storefront and program developed by Valve that allows gamers to purchase, play, and mod their titles all through one convenient program.