Super Swap

Genre: Match-3 Falling Block Puzzle

Players: 1

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Review:

Super Swap is a Match-3 Falling Block Puzzle game released on PC in 2005 as Super Swap! Deluxe, then in 2010 it was ported to the Nintendo DSi via the DSiWare service, and later grandfathered into the Nintendo 3DS eShop when the Nintendo 3DS released. This game has players using the Nintendo DSi/Nintendo 3DS touchscreen to move falling multicolored gemstones to try to create a match.

The presentation in this game uses simple 2D visuals that work well enough, but aren’t especially memorable, backed by a Jazzy soundtrack that also isn’t especially memorable. None of this is terrible, but it does seem pretty generic.

While the description of the gameplay may bring to mind Bejeweled, Super Swap feels like something halfway between Bejeweled and Panel De Pon, as this game doesn’t require movements to create a match, and instead you’re looking for opportunities to set up combos. In addition, there are multiple types of bonus tiles to add variety to the action. All of this is presented within multiple different game modes.

This game has some major problems, though. First, there’s no multiplayer here, which seems like a major omission. However, even worse than this are some terrible, unresponsive touch controls. With a game like this that really calls for speed and fluidity, to have this game making you repeatedly scratch at your screen just to get one piece to move over is just unacceptable.

It doesn’t help Super Swap’s case that Bejeweled clones are a dime a dozen on the Nintendo 3DS eShop, and fans of Panel De Pon can use Backwards-Compatability to play the excellent Planet Puzzle League, or if they don’t mind the lack of multiplayer, they can get its stripped-down version on the eShop, Puzzle League Express. Either way, I think you have plenty of better options, making it hard for me to recommend this game when you can get those instead.

tl;dr – Super Swap is a Match-3 Falling Block Puzzle game where players use the touchscreen to move falling multicolored gemstones to create matches. Unfortunately, the lack of multiplayer and the poor controls doom this game’s prospects, especially when so many better similar games are available on the Nintendo 3DS. Play one of those games instead.

Grade: D

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