Undertoe

Undertoe is a grid-based puzzle game about playing tic-tac-toe (a.k.a. noughts and crosses) on the beach against an unseen nautical opponent in an attempt to find their hidden treasure. However, the game has major twists on the tic-tac-toe formula which turn each level into a puzzle rather than a strategic battle. It’s short, charming, and free to play, with clever puzzles that constantly iterate on an interesting tic-tac-toe core.

To beat each level of Undertoe, you must scratch a line of three X’s in the sand, while making sure that there are no lines of three O’s anywhere else on the beach. However, your opponent plays dirty: every time you make a line of two X’s in a row, on their turn they’ll scratch an O on both sides, preventing you from adding a third X!

Luckily, you have a cheat of your own: before taking your turn and placing an X, you can make the tide rise, washing away any markings on the sand that aren’t protected by rocks. This means you could manipulate the AI into scratching an O you know you’ll be able to replace with an X right after the tide. The game adds further complexity later on by introducing sea creatures that scurry about on the sand, each of which has different behavior that you’ll have to understand to use to your advantage.

Undertoe has minimal story elements, unless you count the adversarial flavor text spoken by your mysterious opponent before some of the levels. Its charming pixel art and soothing soundtrack contribute to a laid-back atmosphere that perfectly fits the game’s beachy aesthetic.

This description was written by Asher Stone.