Love Card Gaming Sensation ‘Balatro’? Play these games afterwards

The surprise hit of 2024 was Balatro, a quirky small roguelike Dekbuilder who used standard playing cards in combination with jokers with weird powers.

It also contains a number of modifications that make the game addictive, with scores that start in the hundreds but quickly reach huge numbers – even beyond a trillion.

I put about 90 hours into the game and I know people who have continued in the hundreds of hours trying to unlock each card, coverage and bet.

It is simple, but wild in depth if you want it. There is nothing like it outside, but there are many games that affect similar feelings, and some of them are Game of the Year opportunities in themselves.

All these games are on Steam, and the light nature of the games means that many are also on older systems such as the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, as well as modern consoles and even other computer platforms.

Here are some games to try when you play from Balatro.

Note of the editors: All games on this list are traditional “web2” games without crypto or blockchain integrations. But you can still like them!

Death the striker

There are one and a half roguelike deck builders that are there, but in addition to Balatro, the Slay 2019 is generally considered one of the best.

The titular striker is the institution here. You lead one of the four heroes through procedurally generated floors to the migrant of the dungeon.

You fight against enemies and bosses with your deck while picking up new cards from those battles to become an increasingly powerful, but always to build unique deck on the way.

Dicey Dungeons

The surprisingly dark story of Dicey Dungeons lets you get in the shoes of a walking, talking, conscious dice, cursed by Lady Luck to roam through an ever -changing dungeon.

But don’t worry – this game is great. As you play, you expand your dice collection and collect items to change the available dice.

Every round you start with a fresh role of the dice, and it is up to you to apply them to the right items to win those dice. (Honorable mention for another dice -driven Roguelike: Slice & Dice.)

Peglin

Peglin is a roguelike inspired by Pachinko and Peggle, with progression inspired by Slay the Spire.

You get all the pleasure of popping pins without having to play the same levels again and again. You collect items to parcel on while you play phases every time you walk through all the new, procedural -generated phases.

Diggers and degenerate gamblers

Dungeons & Degenerate Gokkers, from developer Purple Moss Collectors, may be closest to Balatro on this list.

It is a roguelike deck-builder inspired by a real card game (blackjack instead of poker), and it even has tarot cards, although they do not work in the same way.

This is a great alternative if you want to get in a new deck builder game, but want to keep your feet on the floor with real playing cards.

The Softronics Solitaire collection

A number of games on this list are Roguelike Deck-Builders, but this solitary collection is not one of them.

This title contains seven different solitary variants. I let Softronics talk here.

Cluj Solitaire is “an original solitary variant where you can ‘cheat’ by placing cards wherever you want, as long as you are careful.” At the same time, the garden of Sigmar is a ’tile matching game using the alchemical symbols of Opus Magnum’.

Softronics games are some of the most beloved iOS titles, and now they are also available on Steam.

Incryption (with the MOD of Kaycee))

Incryption is not just Every roguelike deck builder.

Debuting in 2021, this game, just like the previous release of the developer, Pony Island, is a strange meta experience that is worth playing.

However, the roguelike section deck-building that forms the beginning of the game is spooky and compelling.

You can play it as it is and gain a great experience, but you can also install the Kaycee mod. This is one official Expansion to act of incriredness, which turns the action into a repeatable roguelike with different unlocks and challenges.

Aotenjo: Infinite hands

New cards, the same genre! Aotenjo, released just a few days ago in Early Access, is a roguelike deckbuilder with Mahjong theme.

Like so many of these games, deep knowledge of Mahjong’s game will probably not help you here as much as understanding opportunities and patterns – and the willingness to do a little math.

The game already has a variety of decks to play and artifacts to use, and has an attractive, clear art style.

Published by Sebastian Sinclair