What the heck is Balatro and why was the game nominated for GOTY 2024?

The list of nominees for the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2024 was revealed earlier this week. In addition to some already awaited titles in the category, such as Final Fantasy VII Rebirth e Astro Botother names, such as the DLC of Elden Ring e Balatroended up surprising those eager for the “Oscar of games”.

Balatro came out of nowhere at the beginning of the year to become an instant hit with its poker-inspired roguelite gameplay loop — which is extremely addictive. On Metacritic, where it boasts a respectable average of 90 points (based on 34 reviews), its reception was also excellent.

Meet the addictive Balatro

Developed by just one person, Balatro It’s that kind of game that comes from absolutely nothing to win hearts in the gaming industry. Basically, the experience is based on poker — so expect traditional card combinations, such as straights, royal flushes, pairs, four of a kind and many others.

The great element that differentiates the Balatro of a traditional poker game is the way in which players can modify the cards in the deck to obtain different benefits — such as multiplying chips on the table and even receiving exclusive buffs.

As you progress through the rounds, you can get other cards that increase your hand’s score even further. Of course, also expect to encounter different types of bosses in the game, with each of them being weak or strong against a certain suit in the deck.

Why is Balatro running for Game of the Year?

Although it is a very simple and intuitive gameplay loop, Balatro it certainly offers an incredible depth of game design — in addition to being extremely addictive.

In addition to the heated discussions about Shadow of the ErdtreeDLC of Elden Ring which competes in the Game of the Year category, Balatro it was also the “target” of outrage from the community for being a card game — and not a conventional AAA game that would normally be in this category.

In an industry flooded with adventures with stratospheric budgets, a simple card game developed by just one person being nominated in the main award category is certainly notable.

YOOOOOOOO
5 nominations from @thegameawards!!!!
Balatro X Best Mobile Game
Balatro X Best Independent Game
Balatro X Best Debut Indie
Balatro X Best Game Direction

and BALATRO X GOTY I am freaking out

— localthunk (@LocalThunk) November 18, 2024

In a publication on X, the developer of Balatro, LocalThunksaid he was super excited about the appointment — and generally, this is the kind of scenario that independent devs can only dream about. The game may not win the Game of the Year award (or it could, who knows?), but it’s already a big winner just for being where it is.

Where to play Balatro? How much does the indie game cost?

Balatro It’s also the kind of indie game that’s extremely accessible, as it’s available on practically every platform. With this, you can play it on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, Android and iOS. You can see the prices below:

Liked Balatro? Comment your impressions about the game on social media Voxel!

Buy the Balatro game for from R$32 at Nuuvem

Combine valid poker hands with unique wild cards to create synergies and varied builds in Balatro. Get your PC game now with a discount on the Nuuvem website! But hurry, as the offer could end at any time.