Plan Your Moves in Slide Soldiers
What if solving a sliding puzzle meant wiping out every enemy instead of finding the exit? Indie developer Distracted Coder is bringing that idea to life with Slide Soldiers, a cozy puzzle game launching on Steam on December 1, 2026. Players can already try the game through its playable demo ahead of its appearance at Steam Next Fest later this month.
Unlike traditional sliding puzzles, Slide Soldiers challenges players to glide, slash, and dash across each board until players eliminate every enemy. With 5,000 pre-generated levels, the game offers plenty of puzzles to tackle, whether you prefer carefully planning every move or experimenting until you find a winning strategy.
Players can also switch things up with two additional modes. Hard mode introduces decoy enemies designed to punish careless decisions, while Adventure mode limits the player’s view by zooming in on their soldier. Instead of seeing the entire board, players must explore the surroundings and use an old map that reveals enemy locations without showing their own position.
The game also features changing seasons, bringing fresh visuals and music as players progress. Its charming top-down art style and hand-drawn sprites draw inspiration from classic handheld RPGs. Distracted Coder has also confirmed that the team developed the game without AI.
Speaking about the upcoming release, the developer said: “Slide Soldiers was an idea that lived in my head for 5 years. Honestly I’m so glad I waited because I’ve improved so much as a developer and I feel that Slide Soldiers really is the best it can be now.”
With thousands of levels and several ways to approach its puzzles, it could be a charming pick for players looking for a relaxing but rewarding challenge.