

A masterclass in strategy design, Balatro delivers an unforgettable experience from start to finish.
95
Verdict
98%
Steam
91
IGDB
Verdict score based on confidence-adjusted Steam reviews?
Overwhelmingly Positive on Steam (98% positive from 185K reviews)
Active community with 7,628 concurrent players
Critically acclaimed (91/100 critic average)
Standout indie gem
Steep difficulty curve may not appeal to casual players
Balatro is a poker-themed roguelike deck-building game developed by solo developer LocalThunk, and published by Playstack. It was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on February 20, 2024, with a port to macOS on March 1. Ports for Android and iOS were released on September 26, 2024. In the game, the player must score a certain number of points by playing poker hands from a starting 52-card deck, with a limited number of hands and discards each round.

Runs well on modern hardware.
System Requirements
Minimum
Ante Up!
Reach Ante 4
90.4%
unlocked
10K
Score 10,000 Chips in a single hand
85.2%
unlocked
Ante Upper!
Reach Ante 8
75.4%
unlocked
Heads Up
Win a Run
72.5%
unlocked
Retrograde
Get any poker hand to level 10
65.6%
unlocked
Royale
Play a Royal Flush
63.9%
unlocked
Cartomancy
Discover every Tarot card
61.9%
unlocked
Card Player
Play at least 2500 Cards
59.1%
unlocked
Legendary
Discover a Legendary Joker
58.2%
unlocked
Card Discarder
Discard at least 2500 Cards
49.2%
unlocked
Balatro Calendar
Hi everyone,Some new merch has joined the Balatro universe!We’ve teamed up with Fangamer to release the 2026 Balatro Calendar, available now for $19.T
After junking Balatro's 18 rating, PEGI will develop "a more granular" rating system for gambling themes
Sorcerous cardgame Balatro and slot machine RPG Luck Be A Landlord have been reclassified as fit for people aged 12 years and over by the Pan European
Welcoming Friends of Jimbo 4!
Customise your decks with stunning new cosmetic card skins featuring fan-favourite characters like Vault Boy, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, Percival Fredr
Balatro Turns 1 – Thank You for an Incredible Year!
One year ago, Playstack and I launched Balatro, and what a journey it has been! I often said that I made this game for myself and that I wasn't expect
"I think it’s healthier for the game that I keep my cards close to my chest" - The dev behind Balatro on what comes next after hitting 5 million copies sold
Balatro has been a mega hit, having recently reached the 5 million copies sold mark, and for now its lead developer isn't rushing to move on. Read mor
Updated 1d ago
Ante Up!
Reach Ante 4
90.4%
unlocked
10K
Score 10,000 Chips in a single hand
85.2%
unlocked
Ante Upper!
Reach Ante 8
75.4%
unlocked
Heads Up
Win a Run
72.5%
unlocked
Retrograde
Get any poker hand to level 10
65.6%
unlocked
Royale
Play a Royal Flush
63.9%
unlocked
Cartomancy
Discover every Tarot card
61.9%
unlocked
Card Player
Play at least 2500 Cards
59.1%
unlocked
Legendary
Discover a Legendary Joker
58.2%
unlocked
Card Discarder
Discard at least 2500 Cards
49.2%
unlocked
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Player thoughts from Verdict.games members will appear here.
My Wife Asks Me to Play Balatro Every Night I've recently started playing Balatro on my phone. She first noticed when she said, "Hey that music's pretty good. What is it?" So I started showing her the game. She got hooked. In fact, she started asking me if I could play Balatro in bed so she could watch it before she fell asleep. She claims it's relaxing. From here, she started asking questions. "Why do you keep picking flush? Pick something else, it's boring." "OOO that joker's shiny! Can you buy it? No? What do you mean you can't?" "What's a straight?" "Can you choose the stardew valley cards?" "Why did you sell that one? That one's your favorite!" "You want me to buy it? No I don't want to play. I like watching you!" "Why did you throw away an ACE!?" "Can you level up something else please?" "Why don't you play pairs? Stop throwing away pairs." "Is this a straight?" "Choose the tarot pack! Wait, why do you keep checking the description for Death? What do you mean you forget?" Now, every night, regardless of when we go to bed or how busy we've been all day - she asks me to play Balatro. If I dare say no, she looks as if I broke her heart. So, I eventually say yes. And then she lays on my shoulder and watches me lose, having a great time the whole way through. Is anyone else experiencing something like this? Let me know.
OVERVIEW Balatro is a Poker inspired strategic card game for PC that combines elements of deck-building, turn-based tactics, and roguelike progression. Players must assemble and refine their deck of cards to navigate through demanding battles. Each card represents different actions and abilities, and the player must manage resources wisely to outwit the score requirements and boss skills UNIQUE TRAITS: Unlike many card games where the deck-building and progression are linear, Balatro features a dynamic deck evolution system. As you play, the cards you acquire can change and evolve based on your choices, making the deck-building experience feel fresh every time. GAMEPLAY: At its core, Balatro follows the familiar structure of turn-based combat found in many card games. Players start with a basic deck of cards and build it up over time by acquiring new cards or upgrading existing ones. Each turn, you draw a hand of cards. Resource management is key, as you need to carefully plan your moves to avoid depleting your resources too quickly. GRAPHICS: Balatro features card designs beautifully crafted, with each card illustration being rich in detail and moody in tone. The visual effects during battles are satisfying without being overly flashy, allowing the strategic elements to remain the focus. BOSSES: Battles feel like puzzles that require a mix of preparation and adaptability. You’ll need to constantly adjust your strategies to win. REPLAYABILITY: Replayability is one of Balatro's strongest features. As a roguelike card game, each playthrough feels different due to the randomization of encounters, events, and card acquisition. With multiple paths to choose from, each run offers new challenges and opportunities to experiment with different strategies and deck combinations. The game also has a robust unlocking system, where completing certain achievements or beating difficult bosses will unlock new cards, decks, jokers. This encourages players to try different playstyles and experiment with various deck types to find the most effective combinations. DIFFICULTY: The difficulty is progressive, with early runs being relatively forgiving, but later stages becoming significantly harder. Boss battles are particularly challenging, demanding both skill and strategic planning. However, the game offers multiple difficulty settings, allowing players to adjust the experience to their skill level. ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: 8.3/10 Balatro is a standout entry in the card game genre, offering a fresh take on strategic deck-building. The game’s dynamic deck evolution, challenging bosses, and haunting visuals create a compelling experience for both casual and hardcore card game fans. If you enjoy card games with a twist and are looking for something that pushes your strategic thinking while keeping you on the edge of your seat, Balatro is a must-play. Personally I was interested in knowing a bit more about Poker... if you are in the same boat, this is a standout title Bonus Note: If you are into trying this gem out, consider having a look at my Balatro 101 Guide at [which will be upgraded for USER FRIENDLY SIMPLICITY as I comeback to more sessions and new updates are released by the developers]: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3670454935
I ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ love Balatro. The answer to everything is Balatro. Balatro is life. Did you shower today? Balatro. Did you eat today? Balatro. Are you coming to work? Balatro. Did you commit an unspeakable crime in 1999 and successfully evade authorities? Balatro.
Reviews sourced from Steam. All reviews belong to their respective authors.
Data sourced from RAWG, Steam, IGDB, CheapShark, Wikipedia, HLTB, and GX Corner. Sources: rawg, steam, cheapshark, igdb, wikipedia.
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