Isle of Swaps

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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 Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 66 reviews

gameplay11 positive mentions

monetization3 negative mentions

Isle of Swaps is a charming and addictive card battler that captures the nostalgia of classic TCGs, particularly the Pokémon TCG.
The game features beautiful art, engaging gameplay mechanics, and a rewarding card collection system that encourages strategic deck building.
Players appreciate the unique trading mechanic and the variety of critters and skills, making each run feel fresh and exciting.

Some players feel that the card balance is off, with many cards being reskins and the gameplay loop becoming monotonous over time.
The UI design has been criticized for being confusing, which can hinder the overall experience, especially for new players.
There are concerns about the lack of depth in content and the absence of a campaign mode, leaving some players wanting more from the game.

gameplay
29 mentions
38 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its engaging mechanics, charming art, and strategic depth, allowing players to create diverse and challenging decks. While the roguelike elements and trading mechanics add to the fun, some users feel the card balance is off and the evolution system could be improved. Overall, the game offers a rewarding experience with meaningful decisions and a nostalgic nod to classic trading card games.
- “This game has a great economic strategy along with simple and fun mechanics.”
- “The battling system is very thoughtfully put together, discovering viable strategies has an enjoyable discovery process that ties in well with the card swapping mechanic that takes place with every battle you win during the challenge mode.”
- “With the cards' variety and mechanics, you can create countless combinations, crafting decks that are not only fun but also challenging to play.”
- “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
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming schoolyard setting and diorama aesthetic, which evoke nostalgia and capture the essence of beloved card games like Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh. The card art is particularly noted for its beauty and creativity, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. While some players find the art style to be hit or miss, the majority appreciate the cute design and how it complements the game's mechanics and progression.
- “The schoolyard setting and diorama aesthetic are incredibly charming.”
- “The art style and design of the cards is fantastic, and the ability to use all of your unlocked cards in a 'master' tournament at the end is great.”
- “The visuals are absolutely perfect; they make me feel nostalgic and put me in a really nice headspace.”
- “Had an eye on it for a while but thought I would wait for reviews as the art style is a bit... meh.”
- “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).”
- “In the screenshots, the art style, featuring everything from clowxium to profinech, reflects a style reminiscent of beloved card games like Pokémon or Yu-Gi-Oh, but with its own flair.”
replayability
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the strong replayability of the game, noting the variety of viable builds and the charming design of the Isle of Swaps, which encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “Lots of fun viable builds and great replayability.”
- “Isle of Swaps is a very charming game with great replayability.”
monetization
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-150 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions, making it an appealing choice for players who enjoy trading card games without the pressure of spending money on multiplayer features. Its straightforward mechanics and balanced gameplay further enhance its accessibility.
- “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.”
- “It's a single-player TCG game with simple-to-learn yet hard-to-master mechanics, good balance, and no microtransactions whatsoever.”
- “If you enjoy Pokémon or Magic-style trading card games but dislike multiplayer games due to microtransactions, then this game is for you.”
- “The monetization system feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
- “It's frustrating that the game locks so much content behind paywalls, which detracts from the overall experience.”
stability
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates good stability on the Steam Deck, running smoothly; however, players must rely on the touchscreen or trackpad for controls.
- “I have been playing on my Steam Deck, where the game runs great.”
story
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The story is not particularly deep, but the beautiful card art captures the charm of Pokémon cards, complemented by a cute playground aesthetic.
atmosphere
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is effectively established through enjoyable music and the nostalgic sound of a school bell at the start, creating an engaging and immersive 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.”
- “The game's environment is incredibly immersive, making you feel like you're truly part of the world.”
- “The combination of visuals and sound design creates a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that draws you in.”
music
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is enjoyable and effectively enhances the atmosphere, particularly with the nostalgic school bell sound that plays upon starting.
- “The music is fun to listen to, and the starting school bell when you open the game sets the atmosphere really well.”