Love Card Gaming Sensation ‘Balatro’? Play These Games Next – Decrypt

The surprise hit of 2024 was Balatro, a quirky little roguelike deck-builder that used standard playing cards combined with jokers with weird powers.

It also features a bunch of modifiers that make the game addictive, with scores starting in the hundreds but quickly reaching massive numbers—even beyond a trillion.

I have put about 90 hours into the game, and I know people who have progressed into the hundreds of hours trying to unlock every card, deck type, and stake. 

It’s simple, but wildly profound if you want it to be. There’s nothing quite like it out there, but there are lots of games that hit on similar feelings, and some of them are game of the year contenders in their own right. 

All of these games are on Steam, and the light nature of the games means many are also on older systems like the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4, as well as modern consoles and even other computer platforms.

Here are some games to try next if you love playing Balatro.

Editor’s note: All of the games on this list are traditional “Web2” games without crypto or blockchain integrations. But you might enjoy ’em anyway!

Slay the Spire

There are a million and a half roguelike deck-builders out there, but alongside Balatro, 2019’s Slay the Spire is widely considered one of the best. 

The titular spire is the setting here. You’ll guide one of four heroes through procedurally generated floors towards the spire of the dungeon.

You’ll battle enemies and bosses with your deck while picking up new cards from those battles to build an increasingly powerful, but always unique deck along the way.

Dicey Dungeons

The surprisingly dark story of Dicey Dungeons has you stepping into the shoes of a walking, talking, sentient die, cursed by Lady Luck to roam an ever-changing dungeon forever. 

But don’t worry—this game is a blast. As you play, you’ll expand your dice collection and collect items to modify available dice. 

Each round starts you with a fresh roll of the dice, and it’s up to you to apply them to the right items to win that dice battle. (Honorable mention for another dice-powered roguelike: Slice & Dice.)

Peglin

Peglin is a roguelike inspired by Pachinko and Peggle, with progression inspired by Slay the Spire. 

You get all of the fun of popping pegs without having to replay the same levels over and over again. You’ll collect items to power up as you play all-new, procedurally generated stages each time you run through.

Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers

Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers, from developer Purple Moss Collectors, is possibly the closest thing to Balatro on this list. 

It’s a roguelike deck-builder inspired by a real-life card game (Blackjack instead of Poker), and it even has Tarot cards—though they don’t work the same way. 

This is a great alternative if you want to get into a new deck-builder game, but want to keep your feet on the ground with real playing cards.

The Zachtronics Solitaire Collection

A bunch of games on this list are roguelike deck-builders, but this Solitaire Collection isn’t one of them. 

This title features seven different Solitaire variants. I’ll let Zachtronics do the talking here.

Cluj Solitaire is “an original solitaire variant where you can ‘cheat’ by placing cards wherever you want, so long as you’re careful.” At the same time, Sigmar’s Garden is a “tile-matching game using the alchemical symbols from Opus Magnum.” 

Zachtronics games are some of the best-loved iOS titles, and now they’re available on Steam too.

Inscryption (With Kaycee’s Mod)

Inscryption isn’t just any roguelike deck-builder. 

Debuting in 2021, this game, like the developer’s previous release, Pony Island, is a weird meta-experience that’s well worth playing. 

However, the roguelike deck-building section that makes up the beginning of the game is spooky and compelling. 

You can play it as-is and get a great experience, but you can also install Kaycee’s Mod. This is an official expansion to Act I of Inscryption, which turns the act into a repeatable roguelike with various unlocks and challenges.

Aotenjo: Infinite Hands

New cards, same genre! Aotenjo, released just days ago in early access, is a mahjong-themed roguelike deckbuilder. 

Like so many of these games, deep knowledge of the play of Mahjong will probably not help you here as much as understanding probabilities and patterns—and a willingness to do a little bit of math. 

The game already features a variety of decks to play from and artifacts to use, and sports an attractive, bright art style.

Edited by Sebastian Sinclair