- Publisher: Playstack
- Release Date: Feb 20, 2024
- Also On: iPhone/iPad, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
- Summary: 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.
- Developer: LocalThunk
- Genre(s): Strategy, Turn-Based, Card Battle
- # of players: No Online Multiplayer
- Cheats: On GameFAQs
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
-
Positive: 11 out of 11
-
Mixed: 0 out of 11
-
Negative: 0 out of 11
-
Mar 27, 2024Quite frankly, it’s a miracle I’ve even managed to finish writing this review, my past week or so dominated by Balatro. When I’ve been playing it, I’m absolutely absorbed in its clever and satisfying gameplay. When I’m not playing it, I’m thinking about my next run. When I’m with friends, I’m excited to talk about Balatro and their winning combinations of Jokers. Put simply, Balatro is an incredible experience and one of the best (if not the best) game 2024 has seen so far.
-
Feb 19, 2024Having only tried out Balatro because a friend of mine mentioned the demo, I’ve ended up not only loving it, but putting it directly up with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, and Tekken 8 in my top games of 2024 so far. Now I should really delete the game like I said I would to focus on other releases, but I need to play more and get laughed at by the joker.
-
Mar 1, 2024Balatro 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.
-
Feb 26, 2024Its mechanics can rely a little too much on luck, but even if you fail terribly, Balatro will keep you coming back for more.
-
Mar 8, 2024Remarkably approachable with complex systems waiting for those willing to lose themselves to it, Balatro successfully assembles the infinitely fun gameplay loop that every great roguelike sets out to create. It takes the fundamentally simple nature of poker’s scoring hands and shuffles in deep mechanics that don’t feel like a chore to learn but are always thrilling to exploit. A deck-builder of endlessly satisfying proportions, it's the sort of fun that threatens to derail whole weekend plans as you stay awake far too late staring into the eyes of a jester tempting you in for just one more run. Simply put, Balatro is no joker, but in fact, ace.
-
Feb 26, 2024Balatro really is a fantastic, ingenious, and genuinely unique game. It features the perfect blend of simplistic and accessible game mechanics matched up with broad, deep, and complex mathematical systems that will entertain and challenge seasoned card players.
-
Feb 20, 2024And I love it so much. Even as I’m writing this review all I want to do is close my laptop and play more Balatro. I want to take down those bosses, earn big banks, and completely destroy this card game. While this isn’t a perfect game, it’s one that will stay in my playing rotation for many months to come.