Modojo @ Shacknews Mobile Game of the Year 2024 – Balatro

When developer LocalThunk announced that Balatro would be launching on mobile, We know we have a big problem on our hands. The problem, of course, is the fact that Balatro is a time sucker who turns minutes into hours like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

Balatro is an essential mobile game: easy to pick up and play when you find yourself waiting in line or want to kill some time. It took us through long flights, meetings, car rides, and countless other missions that would be extremely boring if it weren’t for the fun roguelike poker game in our pockets.

One of Balatro’s greatest strengths is that it’s a lightweight software that doesn’t put a strain on the graphics on your device. This means that you can play games for long periods of time without fear of running out of battery. In a world where some of the biggest AAA releases are on smartphones, Balatro is a reminder of why we like our mobile games to be as lean as possible.

Apart from everything else, Balatro is an amazing video game. Inserting roguelike mechanics into poker creates gameplay that’s challenging, satisfying, and hard to walk away from. We spend countless hours playing games on our computers and consoles. And no doubt there will be other games. Many more are also included in the mobile version.

Be sure to read about the rest of the Shacknews Awards in our Year of Games: 2024 feature.