PixlBit

I checked this out when it was new on Game Pass. The match-3 like segment shown reminded me strongly of a game I love called Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes, a game by Capybara that came out for DS in 2009 and then Xbox Live Arcade in 2011. So I had to play it, and soon I was hooked. 

This is a 2D puzzle/strategy auto-battler with an 8-bit graphics and music style. You drop medieval battle units into a grid and, like a match-3 game, combine units to form stronger ones. You have a limited number of moves to form your army and then enter battle. The fight goes automatically but you have a set number of swaps you can make to move units to new positions. This part is key because you can't always control the formation from the match-3 stage. After surviving the battle you return to a troop building stage and add new units to battle again.  

The game has a campaign mode, versus, rogue-lite, and defender mode. I've played them all and couldn't get enough. I saw there is space for upcoming DLC, and I can't wait for that. 

The music is limited to only a few tracks but they are excellent, and I never tire of them, especiallly the battle music. It's 8-bit hand-banging, happy-core delicious. 

I'm stuck on level 12 of the campaign, but I can replay levels for more loot to upgrade troops, unlock new ones, increase number of swaps, more rounds of match-3 army building and other improvements. The game is fantastic. I can't wait to play more of it and try and beat the main campaign.