Isle of Swaps

About

Isle of Swaps is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Fuzz Force and was released on September 27, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

In "Isle of Swaps," compete in the Critter Combat craze by collecting and trading cards with varied stats, abilities, and elements. Build a strong deck with compatible Skill cards and Critters, while considering weaknesses and resistances. The game encourages strategic deck-building and thoughtful team composition for success in Critter Challenges.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 132 reviews

gameplay21 positive mentions

Isle of Swaps features charming creature designs and clever synergies, making it a fun and engaging trading card game.
The game is easy to pick up, with a sleek UI and a rewarding progression system that encourages players to build and enhance their decks.
It offers great replayability with various modes and a unique card collection mechanic that captures the nostalgic feel of classic TCGs.

The tutorial is lacking, which may leave new players confused about some mechanics, especially if they are not familiar with TCGs.
There are balance issues with enemy difficulty, leading to inconsistent encounters that can feel frustrating.
The game could benefit from more content and depth, as some players feel it lacks the longevity and complexity of other popular deck-building games.

gameplay
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
58%
5%
The gameplay is praised for its engaging mechanics and strategic depth, allowing players to create diverse and challenging decks with a variety of cards. While the art style and overall design are charming, some players noted that the tutorial could be improved for newcomers, and there are concerns about card balance and the handling of evolutions. Overall, the game successfully captures the essence of traditional trading card games while incorporating roguelike elements, making for a rewarding experience.
- “With the cards' variety and mechanics, you can create countless combinations, crafting decks that are not only fun but also challenging to play.”
- “The strategy involved with mixing these powerful abilities with specific deck setups keeps the gameplay fresh.”
- “The decisions feel meaningful, and even after hours of gameplay, you’ll continue to discover new approaches.”
- “Honestly, I know this game came out, but the balance of the cards feels off. While there are advertised to be 300+ cards, many are basically reskins with an additional type (which affects what cards can be played on them). The gameplay loop feels monotonous.”
- “The game definitely has some good points, the art style is cute, the game loop is interesting enough, it leans on a lot of understandable mechanics from the Pokémon card game, but if you've not played this, then you might miss some things because the tutorial isn't great.”
- “My solution would of course require a rebalance of the game, but your deck should be made up of 3 base pals and evolutions should be cards you put in your deck to play on top. It would need testing to feel right, but the evolutions could have a range of mechanics attached to them.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The game's graphics are characterized by a charming art style that evokes nostalgia, reminiscent of classic card games like Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh. Players appreciate the cute schoolyard and diorama aesthetics, along with beautifully designed card illustrations that enhance the overall experience. While some find the visuals perfect, others feel the art style could be improved, but the nostalgic appeal remains a strong highlight.
- “The visuals are absolutely perfect; they make me feel nostalgic and put me in a really nice headspace.”
- “The way the game is designed graphically, the card illustrations, the gameplay, the collecting... it really can't get any better (unless they add more cards, wink wink).”
- “Had an eye on it for a while but thought I would wait for reviews as the art style is a bit... meh.”
- “There isn't a deep story, but the card art is gorgeous in a way that perfectly nails what's good about Pokémon cards and the overall playground aesthetic is cute.”
- “The schoolyard setting and diorama aesthetic are incredibly charming.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players consistently highlight "Isle of Swaps" for its high replayability, noting the presence of numerous fun and viable builds that encourage multiple playthroughs. The game's charm further enhances the desire to revisit it.
- “Isle of Swaps is a very charming game with great replayability.”
- “Lots of fun viable builds and great replayability.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions, making it an appealing choice for players who enjoy trading card games but prefer a single-player experience without the financial pressures often associated with multiplayer games. Its mechanics are described as easy to learn yet challenging to master, contributing to a well-balanced gameplay experience.
- “It's a single-player TCG game with simple to learn yet hard to master mechanics, good balance, and no microtransactions whatsoever.”
- “If you like Pokémon/Magic style TCG but don't want to get into multiplayer games (in my case, it's because I hate microtransactions), then this game is for you.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is effectively established by its engaging music and the nostalgic sound of a school bell at the start, which enhances the overall experience for players.
- “The music is fun to listen to, and the starting school bell when you open the game sets the atmosphere really well.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is enjoyable and effectively enhances the atmosphere, particularly with the nostalgic school bell that plays upon starting the game.
- “The music is fun to listen to, and the starting school bell when you open the game sets the atmosphere really well.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a simplistic story that lacks depth, but it compensates with stunning card art that captures the charm of Pokémon cards and a delightful playground aesthetic.
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, providing a stable experience; however, players are required to rely on the touch screen or trackpad for controls.
- “I have been playing on my Steam Deck, and the game runs great.”