Despite a flurry of excellent games released last year, Balatro remains one of the best experiences 2024 has to offer. While there are world-ending threats in some impressive RPGs, high-octane action in excellent FPS games, and some adorable indie gems to enjoy, Balatro kept me hooked for hours on end. If you’re searching for a deceptively simple game to spend hours playing, Balatro is an excellent choice for the Steam Deck – and it’s now at its lowest price ever.
Combining the best roguelike games with a twist on the classic card game of poker, Balatro stands out, becoming a mega hit on every platform it launches. Balatro’s mobile port was awarded Mobile Game of the Year 2024, and despite its simple premise, it continues to be played by millions of people.
The simplistic gameplay loop makes it an ideal Steam Deck game, as you navigate through each of the game’s diverse Stakes – modes that present different challenges along with their respective advantages and disadvantages. The goal? Simple: score enough points to surpass each Ante, but as you advance through each Stake, the difficulty significantly increases.
Fortunately, the randomness of each run grants you various Jokers to use. Each Joker has a special ability, offering bonuses like more points for certain played hands or suits or multiplying your score based on certain conditions. Preparing for the upcoming Antes is just as important as completing your current one, and that’s where you’ll be hooked onto your handheld console, attempting each Stake over and over again until you succeed. There’s a strategy game-level of depth to Balatro’s premise, one you’ll soon figure out as you play.
I could sing this excellent card game’s praises all day, but our 9/10 Balatro review covers it pretty well. In it, Connor Christie says that the game “is well worth its place in the pantheon of indie greats.”. As far as indie games go, Balatro is easily one of the best on the market, and its endless replayability is a major part of that.
If you’ve been waiting to play Balatro on Valve’s handheld (or the best Steam Deck alternatives), you can grab the game for just $9.69 / £7.49 on CDKeys. That’s the lowest price the game has ever been, and I paid full price and feel like I robbed the developers, so getting Balatro at such a huge discount is something I strongly recommend doing.
After playing through hours and hours of Antes in Balatro, there’s no shortage of brilliant action games to enjoy on Steam Deck. Alternatively, after some fast-paced rounds of this card game, you may want to play the best RPGs for something more immersive – either way, we’ve got you covered.