Balatro Reviews
Balatro takes a simple concept that pretty much anyone could grasp, and feeds you with meaningful decision points at every turn. Which blinds to play and which to skip? What Jokers to buy? How should you modify your deck? And how much of a risk should you take when actually playing your hands? It’s a fantastically fun degree of agency to have in an otherwise simple card game.
Balatro offers a fair experience within its propposal, inovating taking as basis a simple and intuitive system. Everyone should experience it the same way how a good Solitaire should be experienced: as a logic exercise.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Balatro’s biggest problem is that it doesn’t have an overarching plot as to why you are playing cards, which doesn’t seem like a requirement for traditional card games, but for a roguelike deck builder, a little story seems like a necessity. The good news is that this is an easy enough deficit to look past due to how addictive and satisfying the gameplay loop is. Developed by only one person, Balatro is about 15 bucks and works around your schedule. If you have 20 minutes, you can play a few hands. If you have a free day and lots to do, Balatro can also ruin that for you. At the end of the year, Balatro might turn out to be the best deck-building game of 2024, but no matter what, it’s definitely going to be the best use 64mb of hard drive space
Balatro is a roguelike that mixes the classic rules of Poker with some innovative mechanics that make this a particularly fascinating, original and above all mesmerising title. It won't be easy, once you have understood the best strategies to continue in Balatro, to tear yourself away from the screen.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Balatro is a triumph in simple-yet-airtight game design, combining the old-schoolness of poker & card shark mechanics with the new roguelike and deck-building-to-perfection loop that leads to an addictive time.
"Finally, a gambling game you should play!"
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Balatro has taken the world by storm. As such, you probably have the game on install as you read this article. However, if you haven’t pulled the trigger and purchased your copy of this addictive title, then I suggest you do so here! Can you overcome every “blind” and complete a run? Pick your cards, choose your hand, and allow tactics and fate to do the talking.
The constantly challenging nature of Balatro makes it an unforgettable experience and a delight for Poker enthusiasts.
Balatro is in equal measures a sensational and maddening roguelike deck-building experience that will keep you going for that all-so-close high score for hours upon hours.
Balatro has taken a simple concept and turned it into one of the most tantalising and addictive deck builders that I’ve ever played. Playing the perfect combination of Jokers to pull off a victorious hand is always rewarding, whilst seeing your deck build up with each successful blind gives a satisfying sense of progression that makes the puzzle-like gameplay all the more captivating. And when you do fail? It’s hard not to just dive into another playthrough, with Balatro taking that ‘one more game’ concept and turning it into the cancellation of your plans for the rest of the day just so you can keep playing. It’s that damn good. It can have some sharp difficulty spikes and losing can be frustrating when you feel you’ve built up a special deck, but that’s par for the course as far as the roguelike genre is concerned. It certainly won’t stop you having a blast with the game, and believe me, once Balatro pulls you in, you’ll find it hard to stop playing.
Despite that, Balatro is an incredibly easy-to-learn deck builder with plenty of room for experimentation. Even after hundreds of runs, you’ll still encounter new options and combinations to twist your brain around. Even if roguelites and deck builders aren’t normally your favorite genres, Balatro is a game you need to check out.
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. Switch version reviewed. Everything comes together beautifully and seamlessly in Balatro, and it is now one of my favorite deck-building games ever.
Poker and roguelikes join hands in an experience that deserves to join the pantheon of games like Tetris and Solitaire.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Balatro is a simple and satisfying roguelike built on the familiarity of poker to make it one of the most addicting games I've played in a long time. The game's not content to just disrupt your daily routine, but also extends to the genre itself, setting a new standard for roguelike deckbuilders. By not trying to do too much, Balatro achieves gaming nirvana easily and produces an impossible-to-put-down experience that has me still hungry for more after 50 hours of playtime. For those who aren't familiar with poker or used to the cruel luck of the draw, Balatro can seem a bit brutal. But if you persevere, there's a special game waiting for you in Balatro.
If you're looking for games that are easy to learn, difficult to master and practically impossible to put down, there are very few similar titles on the market like Balatro. Even with one or two mistakes, it's difficult not to recommend this game. I only advise you to be careful with your productivity if the Switch is always within reach and you like cards: suddenly just ten more minutes can turn into hours spent searching for the perfect joker, and this is not even remotely a bluff.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
I am not exaggerating when I state that Balatro is a masterpiece of a game, a bonafide achievement in gameplay design. A single developer was able to take the core principles of poker, add in a ton of roguelike elements on top a brand new gameplay loop, and come up with something so addictive it will possibly ruin your productivity at work. This damn thing is basically a virtual drug. It’s so simple, so inviting, and downright impossible to put down.
For a deck building rogue-like, a concept I have seen so many times over, Balatro thrives within its style.
Balatro is a fantastic showcase of how to create complexity by establishing a simple ruleset and building on it. LocalThunk’s debut title turns the simplest of poker hands something magical with modifiers and special cards and jokers. At the same time, it pushes the player to try new strategies with its bosses and to skip blinds for a bigger reward. I felt like I barely scratched its surface and I still yearn for more. Get ready to devote all your free time to it and watch your “perfect” strategy fall apart just to try it again and again. A must have for poker, deckbuilder and strategy fans.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Balatro emerges as a captivating example in the roguelike genre, skillfully blending poker elements with deck-building structure. The simplicity of its rules, combined with the strategic depth offered by the varied modifiers, creates an immersive experience. For strategy game aficionados, roguelike fans, or even for those who have never ventured into poker, the title offers a rich, challenging and, above all, fun experience, promising hours of challenge and satisfaction.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review