Balatro was already one of 2024’s best games, but its smooth mobile version cements it as an all-time great.
I said I wasn’t going to download it.
Earlier this year, I became obsessed with Balatro. The hit poker roguelike got its hooks into me fast; I racked up 40 hours in the blink of an eye. I was sneaking another round in any chance I could, and it was pretty much the only thing I brought on flights for months. I knew that there would be a day where developer LocalThunk would bring it to mobile devices and I feared what that could do to me. But when the announcement finally came, I felt a surprising moment of restraint. I’d already sunk plenty of time into it and just didn’t feel the need to start it again on a new platform. I was free.
That is, until I caved and downloaded it just days after release. Now I’m playing all over again, but I can’t say that I’m mad about it. As I suspected, Balatro is the perfect mobile game, one that’s become my trusty companion during football Sundays. It’s an easy recommendation to anyone who likes to game on their phone — just make sure you have nothing important to do in the next few weeks before hitting download.
Balatro is a deckbuilding poker rouguelike that launched in February to immediate critical and commercial success.
