Balatro Dev Reveals Personal Favorite Game of 2024

LocalThunk, the solo developer behind the hugely successful indie game Balatro (3.5 million copies sold!), has declared Animal Well his 2024 Game of the Year. This accolade, playfully dubbed the "Golden Thunk" award, highlights Animal Well's "engrossing experience," "style," and "secrets," praising developer Billy Basso's "true masterpiece." Basso, in turn, acknowledged LocalThunk's kind words.

Both Balatro and Animal Well were critically acclaimed indie hits of 2024. The mutual respect between these solo developers underscores the positive camaraderie within the indie game development community. Fans celebrated this display of support and shared appreciation for both games.

Beyond Animal Well, LocalThunk also highlighted several other 2024 favorites: Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, Arco, Nova Drift, Ballionaire, and Mouthwashing, detailing his appreciation for each title in a follow-up tweet. Notably, Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers shares similarities with Balatro as a pixel art deck-building game created by a single developer.

Despite Balatro's remarkable success, LocalThunk continues to support the game with free updates. Three "Friends of Jimbo" updates have already introduced crossover content from popular IPs like Cyberpunk 2077, Among Us, and Dave the Diver, with hints of another collaboration on the horizon.