Everyone loves an underdog, and indie game Balatro almost had a storybook ending earlier this month. Nominated for multiple awards at The Game Awards 2024, the poker-themed rogue-like deckbuilder was in the running for the big one — Game of the Year.
Balatro ultimately failed to snag the top prize — Game of the Year went to Astro Bot, which fully deserved its win, despite what some may think — but it still won three awards, including Best Indie Game and Best Mobile Game. It’s an incredible achievement for a game created by one man, LocalThunk.
While I didn’t play all of the games nominated this year, I did play four of the six Game of the Year nominees. And Balatro is my pick. Despite coming late to the game, I was instantly hooked. What LocalThunk did was pure alchemy. He took poker, a game that most folks are familiar with, and transmuted it into a deckbuilder. It’s the perfect gateway game for those new to this genre. In fact, just about everyone I introduced Balatro to, has loved i…
