I suppose an alternative name for this Balatro game review could be “No, really, I can stop whenever I want to.” It has been a while since such a simple game has hooked me. For anyone who is curious, “Balatro” is an independent game developed by LocalThunk and published by Playstack in 2024. It released to near instant fame, or perhaps infamy, for both a hilariously odd elevator pitch and highly addictive gameplay. If you are familiar with indie games, the phrase rogue-like deck-builder is probably nothing new. But a Poker game? A rogue-like Poker deck-builder? That’s new.
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The game description on Steam reads: “The poker roguelike. Balatro is a hypnotically satisfying deckbuilder where you play illegal poker hands, discover game-changing jokers, and trigger adrenaline-pumping, outrageous combos. Combine valid poker hands with unique Joker cards in order to create varied synergies and builds. Earn enough chips to beat devious blinds, all while uncovering hidden bonus hands and decks as you progress. You’re going to need every edge you can get in order to reach the boss blind, beat the final ante and secure victory.”
I saw several content creators I follow play this and was intrigued. I downloaded it on my mobile device, thinking this would be a fun here and there game to pass the time. Boy was I wrong… I started playing a few weeks ago at the time of writing, and have not put the game down. The combination of basic poker mechanics with the jokers provided to increase your score leaves tons of options for near constant and ever changing gameplay. I have been able to complete about half the achievements so far, with the remainder being tantalizingly close, *just a few more hands…*
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“Balatro” was nominated for Game of the Year at the Game Awards 2024, and won Best Independent Game, Best Debut Indie Game and Best Mobile Game. The game deserves all of these for the variety and pervasiveness of its gameplay. Congratulations to the developers on creating such an enticing game. Has “Balatro” gotten to you yet? Which one is your favorite joker? Tell us in the comments how you are totally not addicted to this game, and be sure to check back here at Variant Ventures for all things gaming and entertainment!
