I think it’s safe to say that we all hate games when it comes to dating. Ghosting has been at the forefront of despised dating trends when it comes to millennial vitriol, and it seems like there is a new groan-worthy dating trend (hi, Orbiting, Cushioning, Serendipidating and the ever-present R-bombing) to serve us singles a heaping plate of frustration every week. But what if I told you that game playing in dating could actually be beneficial?

That’s what the creators of the Crown dating app have set out to do with their new bracket-style game that is intended to help singles stop mindlessly swiping and find a more compatible partner.

What Exactly is This Crown Dating App?

The Crown dating app was created by Match Group, a parent company of successful online dating sites and apps, including Tinder and Match.com. However, for the sake of innovation, this app matches you with potential partners in a way that is unique from its predecessors.

This app uses a bracket-style game format to let you choose the best possible suitor.

I’m Scared

Before I get into the specific game rules that accompany this dating app, let me first say that I was initially horrified when reading about this app.

Seeing words like “game” and “rules,” followed by “FUN” gives me flashbacks to times I’ve gone to “game nights” with friends. You know the type…

I’ll admit I’m not an athlete or a fan of board games that have more than three rules. When I was first researching this app, I kept thinking about those particular  times you go to a game night with friends and there is always that ONE FRIEND who — instead of whipping out something sane like Cards Against Humanity or Apples to Apples — brings a game no one on God’s green earth has ever heard of.

This friend will always unpack the game (against anyone’s will) with the intro, “It’s really easy once you’ve played a few rounds!” or “Guys, I promise this will be fun.” That same person will keep punctuating their explanation of the neverending game rules with “It’s really easy!” as they continue to basically attempt to teach you how to solve riddles that no one other than Rumpelstiltskin would subject upon a group of friends.

However, upon further investigation of the Crown dating app, I found that it really isn’t intimidating at all.

A Fun Dating App to Add to Your Arsenal

There is actually a ton of fun to be had when it comes to this app and (thankfully) little confusion.

But before I get into further details, I would feel remiss if I didn’t mention the woman who is currently sitting a row behind me right now. I am writing part of this article on a flight to Los Angeles (I’m visiting my sister, in case you care, but if you don’t give AF about my travel plans I promise you I won’t be offended).

A woman on this flight just spilled her two minis of vodka that she ordered (along with a cup of ice) and has been going on and on about it for a good 15 minutes, even after a flight attendant hastily replenished her booze.

“I laid it down and it turns out the lids were off! Why did you take the lids off?” she said 900 times.

FYI, the flight attendants take the lids off because they assume you’re drinking the booze on the plane and pouring them into the cup of ice they give you right after you receive them. Lady, stop acting like you weren’t trying to stash those minis in your purse for a little nightcap on your cab ride to the hotel. They’re not even charging us for our late night hooch, child, so hush.

Gentleman, consider this a lesson in decorum. If you are on a date with your lady and spill your booze, DO NOT blame it on the staff of whatever establishment you are occupying that evening. Simply apologize, ask for a replenishment and move on. To really save yourself, you can show off your sense of humor and ability to go with the flow by saying something like, “See, this is why I can’t have nice things.”

Ok, before this post goes completely off the rails, let’s talk about how to use this dating app.

The way that Crown dating works is that, once you create a profile, you are given 16 potential matches a day in a bracket format. After assessing the profiles, you pick people from each bracket until you are down to four potential partners.

The “Final Four” are then sent a message that they have been chosen and can choose whether or not to begin messaging you directly.

Over time, the app will learn your preferences and change its algorithm accordingly.

The Crown Dating App: Should You Try It?

Ok…so, Apple is currently very pissed at me (I’m assuming) for still holding onto my dusty iPhone 5 with an iron grip. I tried to download this app to give a thorough review but, because my iPhone is beginning its ascent into prehistoric status, I am not allowed to until I purchase a less archaic phone. Wah…

Until then I’ll say this…

I think it’s really cool that a dating app has a fun and easy-to-use game system that offers something unique from the standard right- or left-swiping we’ve all become so accustomed to. The app is also free, so I definitely would say “go for it” when it comes to using this app. However, even though the app touts that it is steering away from the mindless swiping of its counterparts, I wouldn’t go deleting your other dating apps in favor of this one.

There is something to be gleaned from putting yourself out there in various ways when it comes to dating. This app can certainly stave off the frustration of mindless swiping. At the same time, pay attention to the reasons you may feel that you’re constantly swiping on your current dating apps with no results:

• Are you representing yourself in the best possible way through your profile?
• Are you showcasing your sense of humor or showing off your interests without being generic?
• Do you pay attention to swiping only on women who seem like-minded or are you mindlessly swiping?

Being more strategic with dating apps can help you find success so that you can get more matches and — most importantly — use those online conversations to set up dates in order to find out if you connect with this person in real life.