Posted February 21 (edited) Quote Balatro is a poker-inspired roguelike deck builder all about creating powerful synergies and winning big. Combine valid poker hands with unique Joker cards in order to create varied synergies and builds. Earn enough chips to beat devious blinds, all while uncovering hidden bonus hands and decks as you progress. You’re going to need every edge you can get in order to reach the boss blind, beat the final ante and secure victory. The definitive poker roguelike experience. Endless possibilities - every pick-up, discard and joker can dramatically alter the course of your run. In-depth campaign mode complete with 8 difficulties, as well as challenge, daily and seeded runs. Deftly deploy an array of potent tools: different Decks, Jokers, Tarot cards, Planet cards, Spectral cards, and Vouchers. Use these versatile instruments to ignite a combo frenzy and turbocharge your poker hands, crafting electrifying, adrenaline-fueled synergies. 150 Jokers, each with their own unique abilities 15 Decks with distinct modifiers to choose from for each run 5 potential variants of each Joker which add further abilities 22 Tarot cards variants that can enhance your regular playing cards 11 Planet cards that help level up your possible poker hands 32 Voucher cards to help provide permanent buffs for your current run Immerse yourself in Balatro’s distinctive psychedelic world. Let the synthwave soundtrack wash over you - wind down, escape the daily grind and prepare to enter the ultimate roguelike flow state. Improve your collection and discover new cards and secrets with every single run. Make use of the in-depth stats screen to study your best hands, most used Jokers, and more! Immerse yourself in the CRT fuzz and enjoy detailed, hand-crafted pixel art. I don't need to tell you that this game has taken over my gaming life This might become my new Slay the Spire, which means I will tell you a million times to buy and play it. SO BUY AND PLAY IT! Anyways, I spent 5 hours with Balatro last night and I got today off from work again... Managed to win a run with the first 5 decks and that unlocked Challenges (which add rules, restrictions, starting deck, etc.) - there are 20 but only 5 are available to me right now. The content this game provides is staggering. And the possibility for more exists, which excites me to no end Time to start a new run with Deck #6 Yes, I will post here from time to time and you will read it and you will enjoy it. Edited February 21 by drahkon 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 21 Shouldn't this thread be on the Nintendo Gaming side, since it's also available on Switch? But yes, I do plan on getting this game when I get paid on Friday. Looks fun, could do with a new bedtime just-one-more-run game Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 21 Shouldn't this thread be on the Nintendo Gaming side, since it's also available on Switch? But yes, I do plan on getting this game when I get paid on Friday. Looks fun, could do with a new bedtime just-one-more-run game But it's also on other platforms. I think I've seen topics before created on both boards when a game is available across platforms. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 21 8 minutes ago, Dcubed said: Shouldn't this thread be on the Nintendo Gaming side, since it's also available on Switch? I mean, up until now, a quick search tells me drahkon is the only person to even name the game in a post on the forums, let alone talk about it in any form at all on here. I also feel like it was a case of him just wanting to find a space to talk about his experience with the game after his first few posts about it in the PS5 thread made it clear he'd be playing and talking about it a whole lot, and based on how things have gone in the past in that thread and others, don't really blame him for making the thread here rather than in Nintendo Gaming. Nintendo Gaming does also have an Indie Games thread which this game would fit into seamlessly, whereas I don't really think that same topic would work too well in Other Consoles (too many platforms to keep track of and it would be too general). Lastly, as @Sheikah said, we've had topics created for the same game on both groups of platforms before. You could just make a thread over there for the game (though I do still think it'd fit into Indie Games very snuggly), but I doubt anyone over there is going to play or talk about the game as much as drahkon inevitably will. I mean, Dark Souls also came to Switch, but I posted about my journey through it a few years ago in Other Consoles rather than in Nintendo Gaming because I was playing it on a PlayStation and it seemed like a much more natural place to do so. Anyways, sorry to take a bit of detour from the thread, @drahkon – to get back on track, very much looking forward to reading your thoughts on the game! I saw how great the response was to the demo and the pricing of the game, so I'm very curious, but I've also never played a card-based [video] game like this before. Hope I can make some time to finally pick one up with this at some point this year! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 21 (edited) 11 hours played in two days...shows how much I'm enjoying this Managed to unlock all Decks that are not locked behind difficulties. Only five more Decks left (all locked behind the first 5 higher Stakes) and then it's time to "ascend" with each Deck. Sadly, I won't be able to play much until Saturday And I might not play much during the weekend, either...I'll try to get some rounds in, though. Can't not play it for a few days. 11 hours ago, Julius said: I've also never played a card-based [video] game like this before. Edited February 21 by drahkon 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 22 Sometimes a run can be super easy: Obviously, it was based on diamond flushes Very happy that lots of cards were enhanced. For example: 3 Queens of Diamond were glass cards which means they multiply the multiplier - yes - by 2 when played but have a 1 in 4 chance to be destroyed. The final round was pretty great, as I played a flush with all three. My Jokers and the glass enhancements made quick work of the required score The more I play, the more I realize that sometimes the game can screw you over very early. There's one Boss Blind that reduces the level of the hands you play (levels decide how many chips and multiplier a poker hand provides) and if you get it early you can get fucked pretty easily. You also need to get a good joker early, especially in higher difficulties, because otherwise your run ends quicker than you can say "I don't have a gambling problem". These situations happen quite rarely, though. Most of my runs end further in. Mostly because I misplay or try to do something fancy Anyways, hope to get a few more runs in before I get to leave for the concert tonight 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 24 (edited) Currently trying to unlock the final Deck, which requires me to win a run on Orange Stake. Haven't unlocked that difficulty, yet, though Managed to win runs at the first five difficulties with the first Deck so there are only three Stakes left. I assume Orange Stake is the second to last. What do Ascensions Stakes do in Balatro? White Stake - nothing Red Stake - Small Blind gives no reward money Green Stake - required score scales faster for each Ante Blue Stake - -1 Discard Black Stake - Shop can have Eternal Jokers (can't be sold or destroyed) Purple Stake - Required score scales faster for each Ante ? ? And yes, each Stake applies all previous Stakes Runs are quite difficult now. I love it! Getting Gold Stickers for all jokers will be a nightmare, though. Winning a run at the highest difficulty with particular jokers in your inventory at the end? Gonna be an RNG-riddled nightmare Edited February 24 by drahkon 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 27 On 2/24/2024 at 9:53 AM, drahkon said: Currently trying to unlock the final Deck, which requires me to win a run on Orange Stake. Whoohoo, I did it Now it's time to win a run with every Deck on every difficulty. Gonna be tough. The final difficulty reduces hand size by 1, which sucks My playtime is now at 36h. Yes...out of the last 7 days I spent 1 1/2 days playing this game. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 28 Won a run on standard difficulty with every deck For my list, I'm counting Balatro as "finished", but I'm far from done with it 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 29 (edited) Ok, this game is good… … it’s damn good! Can see myself getting mad addicted to this Also has first class touch screen support on Switch in handheld mode. They clearly put a lot of work into making the touch screen experience very polished and nice to use. Very much appreciated, especially since touch screen support in 3rd party Switch games often feels like an afterthought. Makes it a perfect bedtime game! Pretty happy with my first ever run. Not bad at all Edited February 29 by Dcubed 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 29 5 hours ago, Dcubed said: Can see myself getting mad addicted to this It's a dangerous game for sure On 2/27/2024 at 9:01 PM, drahkon said: The final difficulty reduces hand size by 1, which sucks It's crazy how much it sucks... These Stakes really do feel like Slay the Spire's Ascensions. You need to get fairly lucky early to have a chance to survive and then just play like a genius. Even then, RNG can and will fuck you up at times. Love it I might focus on unlocking the final 4 jokers next, before tackling all Stakes with all Decks. I need to play a 5 card hand that only contains Gold cards play a hand that contains four 7 of Clubs discard 5 Jacks at the same time in one hand, earn at least 100,000,000 chips 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1 (edited) OK, yeah, this game is bonkers good. Didn't realise there was a thread, because I looked in the Nintendo board on a Nintendo focused forum like a normal person! Just completed my second run. No straights used, awww yeah! Accidentally used a flush though, so have to work on that... This game is almost as crack-like as Vampire Survivors, which is saying something! Edited March 1 by Glen-i Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1 2 hours ago, Glen-i said: OK, yeah, this game is bonkers good. Didn't realise there was a thread, because I looked in the Nintendo board on a Nintendo focused forum like a normal person! Should have created one when it was announced/released but drahkon beat ya to the punch. Also... On 21/02/2024 at 9:45 AM, Julius said: I mean, up until now, a quick search tells me drahkon is the only person to even name the game in a post on the forums, let alone talk about it in any form at all on here. He was the only one showing any kind of interest in the game and he doesn't play on Switch. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1 *Sees H-o-T posting here* Did he...did he buy the game? *reads his post* 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1 13 minutes ago, drahkon said: *Sees H-o-T posting here* Did he...did he buy the game? *reads his post* If it makes you feel any better, Balatro is my personal favourite game for you that you've played this year so far 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1 (edited) WTF!? There’s no form of gambling in this game whatsoever! You can’t make any sort of chip betting at all! The only reason why PEGI could possibly even say it promotes gambling is because it uses the hands and terminology seen in Poker… which, err… is a pretty damn stupid reason. Meanwhile, games with actual real-money gambling like EA Sports FA can happily get away with a PEGI 3 rating Edited March 1 by Dcubed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1 2 minutes ago, Dcubed said: WTF!? There’s no form of gambling in this game whatsoever! You can’t make any sort of chip betting at all! The only reason why PEGI could possibly even say it promotes gambling is because it uses the hands and terminology seen in Poker… which, err… is a pretty damn stupid reason. Indeed and yet they let things like the 2K games and EA FC allow for gambling type microtransactions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1 (edited) That's both hilarious and sad Anyways, there's a 1h trial on PS+ Premium for the game, in case anybody wants to give it a go *cough* H-o-T *cough* Edited March 1 by drahkon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1 (edited) Doesn't faze me. I just won a run on the highest Stake. I'M THE BEST Edited March 1 by drahkon 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1 42 minutes ago, drahkon said: Doesn't faze me. I just won a run on the highest Stake. I'M THE BEST Man, you don't mess around! I just had my third successful run. I don't like the Yellow Deck, very little benefit for a perk that fizzles out after the second ante. Green should be interesting, basically been living off the interest, gonna have to change tact. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1 (edited) 57 minutes ago, Glen-i said: Man, you don't mess around! To be fair, it was with one of the easier decks you can unlock. Gonna go with my Slay the Spire method now: only move to a higher Stake if I've beaten the previous one with all Decks! Edited March 1 by drahkon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 2 3 hours ago, drahkon said: NOPE But, what if it works!? Black Deck is very much a step above in difficulty. The lack of hands is utterly painful! Don't last long enough to take advantage of the extra Joker slot... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
