PC Gamer
Original Score: 91/100 · 2024-02-20
91
“Balatro is my new favorite card game, an ingenious roguelike that lets you break poker math in half.”
Hypnotic Poker Roguelike Deckbuilder · Developed by LocalThunk · Published by Playstack
Available on every storefront from Steam to the App Store, Google Play, and Switch — the most dangerously addictive portable game of the decade.
Select your preferred ecosystem below to purchase or download directly from the official store.
Balatro turns poker hands and rule-bending Joker synergies into pure dopamine. On a Steam Deck OLED or Switch OLED, it sips battery for 7+ hours at locked 90/60fps; on iPhone, iPad Pro M4, and Android phones, the native touch interface is so crisp you don't even need a controller. At $9.99 on mobile and $14.99 on PC and console storefronts, most GoGameify readers end up double-dipping on Steam plus either the App Store or Google Play.
Our hardware lab recommendations for experiencing Balatro at peak frame rates, HDR contrast, and input responsiveness.
Individual publication scores normalized to a 0–100 scale alongside original review excerpts and source links.
“Balatro is my new favorite card game, an ingenious roguelike that lets you break poker math in half.”
“Wildly creative Joker combinations make every run feel like you're getting away with cheating the casino.”
“Deceptively simple to learn and almost impossible to put down on handheld or mobile.”
“A modern classic of tactile UI design and escalating numerical absurdity.”