Balatro (2024) · Tastebuds

Balatro is a deck-building roguelite in which players construct poker hands to earn chips and overcome enemy blinds. The game features mechanics for enhancing a deck of playing cards, purchasing Jokers that modify hand effects, and discovering synergies to progress through increasingly challenging encounters.

Strategy Turn-based strategy (TBS)Indie Card & Board Game poker roguelike clowns collecting card game - ccg collaboration the game awards - best debut indie game - winner the game awards - best game direction - nominee the game awards - best independent game - winner the game awards - best mobile game - winner the game awards - game of the year - nominee available on - apple arcadeXbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Android, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS

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Plot-driven, cool, warm and spare.

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cooloverwhelming
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sparerichly built
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From the critics

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Hardcore GamerJordan HelmFeb 20245/5
Wielding nothing more than a deck of cards and a poker-themed twist on proceedings, developer LocalThunk has conjured something incredible and awe-inspiring with Balatro. What starts as a relatively-novel twist on the deckbuilding format quickly blossoms into an experience that's equal parts methodical, experimental, chaotic but satisfying all the same. A game that rewards clever thinking, mathematical meddling and having the courage to be just that bit braver in uncovering just how far one can push its systems at play. Wherein success and failure alike stand as equally memorable moments to build off. A paradigm for what roguelikes and deckbuilders should aspire towards, Balatro is addictive, expertly-crafted and the new front-runner for what is easily the best gaming experience of 2024.
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Nintendo LifeOliver ReynoldsMar 202410/10
Balatro is a roguelike for gamers who don't like roguelikes... and then everybody else on top of that. It utterly nails what it sets out to do, providing an instantly accessible, satisfying, and addictive gameplay loop that anybody can grasp. It's an immensely enjoyable experience from the start, but as you get deeper in, there's really nothing else quite like it. We suspect we'll be hearing a lot about Balatro when conversations steer towards Game of the Year, because this is a clear and obvious frontrunner. Utterly sublime.
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VGCJordan MiddlerMar 20245/5 stars
Balatro is an astonishingly addictive take on Poker that's utterly impossible to put down. Occasional difficulty spikes aside; it's a piece of simplistic genius that we'll keep on our Steam Deck forever.
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EurogamerChristian DonlanFeb 20244/5
Poker goes into the blender and emerges in fine form.
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Digital SpyJess LeeFeb 20244/5 stars
It's easy to get a kick out of seeing how high the scores can get, but the game is as much about the gambles you take and the planning along the way. There's a deceptive simplicity to Balatro due to its roots in poker, and it uses that to its advantage to reel you in while regularly finding new ways to surprise you.
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Snippets via OpenCritic, where 100% of critics recommend it.

About the game

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Android, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, PlayStation 5, Mac, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Developer: LocalThunk
Publisher: Playstack
Released: February 20, 2024
Modes: Single player
Perspective: Bird view / Isometric
Engine: LÖVE
Time to beat: 4.5 h rushed · 46 h main story · 175 h completionist