Game: Flip
Genre: Casual, Indie.
System: Steam (Windows)
Developer|Publisher: CLKY Studios
Controller Support: Yes
Steam Deck: Playable
Price: US $4.99 | UK £3.99 | EU € 4,99
Release Date: July 31th, 2026
Review code provided with many thanks to CLKY Studios.
Flip – A Little Brain Teaser
Sometimes you don’t need a sprawling adventure with dozens of hours of content, complicated mechanics or a story that requires a notebook to keep track of. Sometimes, you just want a simple puzzle game to pick up, play for a few minutes and put down again. FLIP aims to do exactly that, offering a memory game with a few extra twists to keep your brain ticking over.
At its core, this is a familiar concept. If you’ve ever played a matching-pairs card game or the mini game in Super Mario Bros. 3, you’ll know what to expect. However, FLIP adds a time limit, extra mechanics and a gradual increase in difficulty to make things a little more interesting.
Flip, Match, Repeat
The main mode features 50 handcrafted levels. Each presents you with a board of face-down cards, which you explore using a little spaceship-like cursor. Move over a card, flip it over and try to remember where you saw its matching partner. It sounds simple, and initially it is. The early levels give you time to understand the basics before the game starts introducing more demanding challenges. Before long, you’ll encounter cards that need matching in a particular order, sets requiring three or four cards of the same colour, and special cards that introduce additional twists.
The important thing to remember is that mistakes don’t immediately end your run. Instead, an incorrect match costs you precious time. You’re racing against the clock to clear the board, so the more you hesitate or get things wrong, the harder it becomes to achieve a good score. Build streaks by matching cards successfully and you can earn bonus time, rewarding you for keeping your concentration. It’s a simple system, but it gives you a reason to improve rather than simply muddling through each level.
Take It Easy
If the timer sounds a little too stressful, FLIP also includes a Cosy Mode. This removes the time pressure, allowing you to work through the levels at your own pace. Personally, I appreciated having this option. There were moments when I simply wanted to flip cards around and enjoy the puzzle without worrying about the clock. It’s also a good way to familiarise yourself with the layouts and mechanics before tackling the more demanding challenges. Endless Mode provides another option for those who want to keep playing. Here, the goal is to build streaks, chase high scores and see how long you can keep your memory working before things eventually go wrong. The controls are straightforward, with movement handled using the analogue stick and a button press to flip cards. It’s easy to pick up, and the game supports controllers, making it a suitable fit for the Steam Deck.
Keeping Things Simple
Visually, FLIP uses a neon-inspired style that feels familiar but works well for the game. The colours are easy to distinguish, the cards are clear to read, and the overall presentation keeps things moving without distracting from the puzzles. There are also shape-based colourblind accessibility options, which are a welcome addition. The soundtrack provides some energetic background music without demanding too much attention. Nothing here is particularly groundbreaking, but the presentation does its job and gives the game a consistent look and feel.
Conclusion: Worth Remembering
FLIP takes a familiar concept, adds a few clever mechanics and wraps everything around 50 bite-sized levels that are easy to dip into whenever you have some spare time. The difficulty can jump up quite quickly in places, but the short levels make it easy to have another go. Between the main campaign, Endless Mode and the more relaxed Cosy Mode, there’s enough variety to keep things interesting.
At its low price point, there’s very little to complain about. FLIP might not do anything particularly revolutionary, but I had a good time playing it, and sometimes that’s all a puzzle game needs to achieve. If you’re after a straightforward little brain teaser to enjoy in short bursts, this one is worth a look.
Final Verdict: I Like It.
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