I cant speak for the designer of the game but for me it has more to do of the spirit of lerning patterns and secrets then game of minesweeper.
Its like a 5 minuts game of caves of qud, any other roug or tactics game with random elements. It maks you feal a bit smarter for every “death” and still adding to a new experience the next run.
I don’t think this game in any way, shape or form takeaway anything from the original minesweeper. If anything it may add to it if people find this game intriguing.
And i don’t think the minesweeper mechanics is the core of this game at all… it’s just the thing to deliver the experience of progress.
Not trolling! just telling you my 2 cents! (Probobly worth nothing) 😉