Balatro Dev Shares Top Pick for Best Game of 2024

Overview of the Developer’s Recognition

LocalThunk, the creator of Balatro, names Animal Well as his top game of 2024.
This accolade highlights a broader trend of indie game excellence in 2024.
Balatro has achieved remarkable success, selling 3.5 million copies and receiving widespread acclaim from gamers and critics alike.

The indie gaming scene has witnessed significant achievements in 2024, with LocalThunk, the developer of Balatro, declaring Animal Well as his standout title of the year. Both games have garnered exceptional recognition, emerging as indie phenomena from the previous year.

Launched in February 2024, Balatro has surpassed expectations and resonated with players. Crafted on a modest budget by a solo developer, it has successfully captured the hearts of the gaming community, resulting in impressive sales of over 3.5 million copies. The year has also seen the emergence of other notable indie titles, including Neva, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, and UFO 50, with Animal Well notably standing out for its critical acclaim, equal to that of Balatro. Recognizing the talent behind Animal Well, LocalThunk has expressed his admiration for its creation.

LocalThunk’s Favorite Indie Games of 2024

My very prestigious Golden Thunk award for Game of the Year 2024 goes to Animal Well! ð&Yuml;\u008f&dagger; Animal Well was an engrossing experience. Dripping with style, secrets, and making me feel like an imposter in this industry as a dev, Billy Basso created a true masterpiece pic.twitter.com/a9g13HN69s — localthunk (@LocalThunk) January 3, 2025

Nicest Most Humble Dev of the Year https://t.co/IAW477V6Hh — Billy Basso (@Billy_Basso) January 3, 2025

Animal Well, labeling it as his “Game of the Year”for 2024. He humorously named this recognition the “Golden Thunk”award, commending the game’s immersive experience, artistic flair, and hidden secrets, ultimately attributing its success to Billy Basso’s exceptional efforts as a solo developer. Basso returned the compliment by naming LocalThunk the “Nicest Most Humble Dev of the Year,”showcasing the camaraderie within the indie development community. Fans of both titles have joined the conversation, expressing their admiration for the evident positivity and mutual support among developers.

In his original tweet, LocalThunk also highlighted several other games he enjoyed throughout the year. Among these were Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, Arco, Nova Drift, Ballionaire, and Mouthwashing, which he referred to as his “runners-up.”Notably, he pointed out the similarities between Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers and Balatro, as both titles are pixel art-based deck-building games created by individual developers.

Ongoing Success and Updates for Balatro

Despite the accolades and commercial achievements, LocalThunk continues to enhance Balatro with free updates. Over the past months, three updates branded as “Friends of Jimbo”have introduced crossover content from beloved franchises like Cyberpunk 2077, Among Us, and Dave the Diver. Recently, LocalThunk hinted at a possible collaboration with yet another high-profile title from 2024, promising to maintain the game’s momentum and player engagement.

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