Romance in Malta Living: spark, flirt and ask them out

Romance in a life sim works best when it grows out of friendship, and that's how it works in Malta Living, the free life sim of Malta you play in your browser. Once you and another player are friends, a fourth tab on their card opens up: Romantic. It has three moves for now, each acted out on both phones, and a second bar that only the two of you ever see.

Two bars: friendship and romance

Every card already has the friendship bar: it grows with chats, jokes and time together, as the friends guide explains. Between two players who are friends, a second bar sits under it: romance. It starts at zero, nobody else can see it, and it grows with romantic moves. Tap the bars for what each one means.

A secret spark

Like someone a little more? Tap Spark. They aren't told. Only if they spark you too do you both see "You both feel a spark", and your romance grows a little. Nobody gets turned down, because a spark that isn't returned never shows.

You can have three sparks open at a time. One that isn't returned fades after two weeks, and you can take yours back whenever you like. The first time you tap it, the card explains all this once.

Flirt, and see how it lands

Flirt is a wink and a nice line. Your character walks over and says it, and their face shows how it went: a smile, sweet; a big smile, loved it; or, when it's a bit too soon, an eye-roll as they turn half away. The game decides on its own, and the closer you two already are, the more often a flirt lands. One that lands grows your romance. One that doesn't takes a little off, and the card suggests a compliment first. Like every move, you can flirt with the same person once every ten minutes.

Ask them out

Ask out opens a small sheet: where, and when. The first date spot is a sunset walk along the promenade in Sliema, and it's free. Pick now, tonight at 20:30 or tomorrow, and tap Ask.

They get a card at the top of their screen, with your name, the place and the time, and both bars as they see them, so they know how close you really are. Then they choose: Yes or Not this time. Only they decide, and nobody is told either way except you.

If they say not this time, or don't answer within two hours, the card tells you kindly and you can ask them again after 24 hours. They can still ask you any time. If you both ask each other at once, it simply counts as a yes. You can have three asks waiting at a time.

The date

When they say yes, you both get a card with the place and the time, and a Go there button that takes you all the way. The date starts once you're both on the promenade, and waits up to 20 minutes for the other. Then it's about two and a half minutes of little moments: guess which gelato they'll pick, which boat comes in first, where to sit and which song is playing, then the sun touches the sea. Pick the same as them and romance grows more. Either of you can end it early and keep what you've had. After your first date, you're dating: the card says so, and a hug between you grows romance too. If they don't come, nothing is lost.

Kept kind, and kept safe

Romance is only between players: the island's residents never flirt or date. Both accounts need to be a few days old, and every account has said it's 18 or over. Everything stays playful: no explicit content, ever.

If someone's flirting isn't welcome, open the ··· on their card and tap Not interested. For 30 days their romantic moves stop reaching you. They aren't told, and to them it simply looks like a flirt that didn't land or an ask nobody answered. Report and Block work as always, and moderators can pause romance for an account while they check something (how reporting works).

New here? Your first hello goes to a real player, and friendships start there. The full tour of the game is in the Malta life simulator guide.

Questions people ask

Can other players see my romance bar?

No. Only the two of you see the romance between you, on each other's cards. It's never on your profile, in Gossip or on share cards.

Do they find out if I spark them?

Only if they spark you too. Then you both see "You both feel a spark". A spark that isn't returned is never shown to them, and it fades after two weeks.

What happens if they say not this time?

You get a kind line on your card, and you can ask them again after 24 hours. Nothing else changes: you're still friends, and they can ask you whenever they like.

How do I stop someone flirting with me?

Tap ··· on their card, then Not interested. Their romantic moves stop reaching you for 30 days, and they aren't told. You can switch it back from the same place.