Genre
Board & Card
Developer
LocalThunk
Publisher
Playstack
Director
Release Date
February 20 2024
System
Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
Alternate Names
Additional Developer
Buy / Info
Steam
ESRB Rating
Everyone 10+
Number of Players
1 Player
Wikipedia
View Article

Balatro

Game Media

Overview

I enjoyed Balatro and put time into it, about 20 hours worth. It was a strange experience—I typically don't LIKE games where no real progress is made if I put hours into it but Balatro still commanded my attention and begged for one more game. Balatro is only $15, and that's a good price considering how many times you'll end up losing. Believe me, Balatro is a better experience than some smoky gas station casino where their video poker looks like a cheap Flash game, and Balatro will show you how terrible your odds are. Real gambling sucks.

Player Notes

I played this primarily in June 2025 where I racked up a small handful of achievements (including winning a run).

Port & Rerelease Notes

Balatro was later released to Mac (macOS) on March 1, 2024, with Android and iOS on September 26, 2024 and a dedicated Nintendo Switch 2 version on February 25, 2026. I played the iOS version...it's easily one of the best iOS games out there (that works on a modern phone, at least).