Nintendo Switch Just Added The Most Relatable Puzzle Game Of The Year
Scoot in, this is a good one.
Walking into a room you’ve never been in before can be one of the most nerve-racking experiences one can go through. Without prior knowledge of who’s in there, what those people are like, and where the best place to sit is, it can be a serious anxiety trigger for the socially awkward among us.
But what if there was someone who could mediate those anxieties on behalf of the people who have them? Instead of having to go in blind, there’s a person dedicated to finding you the perfect seat based on your preferences, freeing you of those mental shackles once and for all. That’s exactly what indie developer Poti Poti proposes in its newest game, Is This Seat Taken, a charming puzzle game about finding the right places to sit or take in everyday social spaces.
Is This Seat Taken is a grid-based puzzle game grounded in this all-too-familiar situation. The player is presented with public city space like a bus, cafeteria, or concert venue, as well as a group of people of all different shapes (literally), sizes, ages, and backgrounds. The goal is to place all of these people within that space in a way that meets all of their individual public setting preferences.
Meeting those expectations earns the player a certain number of approvals as they move on to the next part of the level. Some patrons will rotate out as new ones arrive, requiring the player to do the process over again, considering the needs of those seated and the new ones looking to enter the space.
It’s a very simple idea that can get surprisingly involved. Carefully balancing the needs of everyone can be hilariously taxing. Someone who wants to be seated in the center of a movie theater could suddenly hate their seat because someone near them didn’t take a shower. But that smelly movie-goer insists on sitting next to their talkative best friend, who insists on having an aisle seat, so you’ll also have to factor that in. Sometimes, a snobby local celebrity will insist on having a secluded seat, meaning an entire section of an area is now blocked off to meet their needs.
Thankfully, there’s no time limit in Is This Seat Taken. These spatial conundrums are paired with pleasant music, visuals, and innocuous dialogue that keep things moving at a brisk pace. Don’t let the speed at which you run through these levels fool you, however, as there’s at least six hours' worth of content here. Earning a perfect score in each city unlocks a final, slightly tougher level to figure out. The game never stumped me, but there were a few that had me mixing things around for longer than usual, finding the perfect placements.
Finding a seat that pleases a single person and everyone who ends up sitting around them is a surprisingly engrossing challenge that doesn’t overstay its welcome.
While I am playing this one on a Nintendo Switch 2, I would actually recommend that game on smartphones, tablets, and PCs if any of those are available to you. Using an analog stick works fine, but I found myself using the Switch’s touch screen over the Joy-Cons during every session. With a touchscreen native device or a mouse, some of the smaller frustrations that come with using a less precise input method can be avoided altogether. In the case of mobile devices, Is This Seat Taken’s short levels make it perfect for popping in for a quick session during a commute or short wait. Here’s to hoping Poti Poti patches in a mouse mode for those playing on Nintendo’s new handheld.
Is This Seat Taken is a sweet, easy-going puzzler whose relatable premise doesn’t overstay its welcome. Its unique brand of creative brain teasers has kept me playing all week, wondering if I could convince someone to let me do this job in real life. If you’re looking for something cute to play as you commute to work or wind down a long work day, the comfy vibes of Poti Poti’s delightful new game is as easy a recommendation as there can be.
