In the ever-expanding universe of indie games, some titles manage to transcend their initial premise and become cultural touchstones. Balatro, the roguelike deckbuilder from solo developer LocalThunk, is undoubtedly one of those games. Released in 2024, it quickly became a critical darling, earning five Game Award nominations and three wins. As of January 2025, it had already sold a staggering 5 million copies, proving that simple mechanics combined with endless possibilities can create something truly special.
A Poker Face With Hidden Depths
Balatro might appear as a simple riff on poker, but don’s let its charming pixel-art visuals fool you. Beneath the surface lies an engine for boundless experimentation. Your objective is to play hands of five or fewer cards to meet progressively challenging score requirements across eight antes, each containing three rounds. The beauty lies in the freedom: you can play any traditional poker hand, from a simple high card to a coveted straight flush.
‘I still consider this my hobby’: Balatro creator explains why the game’s big update is delayed While you might think “you can’t change the hand you’re dealt,” in Balatro, not only can you change your hand, but it’s absolutely crucial for success. Between rounds, you visit the shop to purchase additional cards, potentially creating unbalanced hands filled with face cards (or even triples, if you’re feeling particularly daring). The customization doesn’t stop there; tarot cards add points or multipliers, while planet cards boost scores for specific poker hands. This allows you to focus on a particular hand type and optimize your score as you progress through each ante.
Jokers: Unleashing the Chaos
The true magic of Balatro lies in its jokers. These cards transform the game from a simple poker variant into an addictive number-go-up machine that will consume hours of your time. You start with five joker slots, but you can acquire many more throughout your run. There are 150 different jokers, each with wildly different effects. Some are short-lived, like the Popcorn joker (+20 to your multiplier, diminishing each round), while others are incredibly powerful but rare, such as Cavendish, which adds a massive 3x multiplier to your entire hand.
Steam MMO in development for 10 years releases for free — somehow, it’s working In the early rounds, experimentation is key. But to conquer ante 8 or venture into the infinite play mode, you need jokers that multiply your multiplier (like Cavendish, Gros Michel, and Baron) to send your scores soaring. There are even jokers that duplicate the effects of others (like Blueprint and Brainstorm). The order in which you place your jokers at the top of the screen is also crucial: points jokers on the left, followed by additional multipliers, and then overall multipliers.
This daily browser game lets you guess the video game based on its patch notes I’ll admit, this sounds complicated, and it can be initially. Early rounds of Balatro are all about learning through failure, but discovering wacky new jokers and enjoying the groovy soundtrack keeps things fun. Once you understand the systems well enough to feel like you’re breaking the game, even while playing it perfectly, Balatro becomes a transcendent experience.
Sign in to your Polygon.com account While Balatro is fantastic on handheld devices like the Nintendo Switch or even your phone, I urge caution. This isn’s a game you want near your bed; it will wreak havoc on your sleep hygiene, even if you’re having a blast. The best way to see if Balatro clicks for you is through Xbox Game Pass. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.
[LINK_7: Star Wars] In addition to Game Pass, Balatro is available on Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Go forth and conquer!
Source: Polygon
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