Balatro
Released 20 February 2024 Developer LocalThunk Publisher Playstack
A single-player roguelike deck-building game built around poker hands. You play hands to score enough chips to beat each round, and collect Joker cards that change the scoring rules in surprising ways. There is no real-money gambling or betting in the game, but the poker and casino theme is why several rating boards give it an older rating.
How it makes money
Fair: pay clearly, know the ceiling
A one-off purchase: A$21.95 on Steam and the Nintendo eShop, A$17.95 on PlayStation, A$22.45 on Xbox, and A$14.99 on the App Store and Google Play. On Steam and Nintendo Switch we found no ads, loot boxes or in-game currency bought with real money, and Steam lists only a separate soundtrack (A$4.50); we did not check the mobile versions for in-app purchases. The 'chips' and 'money' in the game are points you earn while playing, not purchases.
How you pay
- Pay once
A$21.95 on Steam and the Nintendo eShop (A$14.99 on mobile) buys the whole game, with no ads or real-money store found.
- Game library
'Balatro+' is also offered inside Apple Arcade for subscribers, alongside the paid App Store version.
minor part of the game
What it costs
Price: A$19.05 · everything A$21.95
| What | Where | Price | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Steam (AU) · PC ↗ | A$21.95 | Oct 2026 |
| Standard Regular price; on sale at A$18.65 when checked. |
Nintendo eShop (AU) · Switch ↗ | A$21.95 | Oct 2026 |
| PS4 & PS5 | PlayStation Store (AU) · PS5 ↗ | A$17.95 | Oct 2026 |
| Standard | Xbox Store (AU) · Xbox Series ↗ | A$22.45 | Oct 2026 |
| Standard | Apple App Store (AU) · iOS ↗ | A$14.99 | Oct 2026 |
| Standard | Google Play (AU) · Android ↗ | A$14.99 | Oct 2026 |
Store prices change often and sales are common; we record the regular price on the date shown.
Reviews from across the web
What the critics said
-
9/ 10
IGN ↗
Finds the poker-based roguelike so enjoyable it could swallow a weekend.
-
91/ 100
PC Gamer ↗
Calls the debut a must-play that belongs alongside the best roguelike deck-builders.
-
9.5/ 10
Game Informer ↗
Names it one of the year's best and admits to finding it hard to stop playing.
-
10/ 10
Nintendo Life ↗
Says it can win over people who usually dislike roguelikes and is a clear contender for game of the year.
Scores belong to the outlets that published them; follow the links to read the full reviews. Summaries are ours.
Age ratings
Classification
Age ratings judge content (violence, language, gambling themes). They say little about how hard a game pushes spending — that's what the badges above are for. About rating boards
Safety & parental controls
Who can talk to your child, and what can they buy?
- No chat
- No contact with strangers
- No user-made content
- No account needed
Single-player and playable offline, with no chat or user-made content. The theme is poker with casino-style chips and cards, but nothing is wagered and no real money is involved. Australia classifies it M for simulated gambling (a recommendation for 15 and over, not a legal restriction); the ESRB says E10+ for gambling themes; PEGI lowered it from 18 to 12 in February 2025 after an appeal, although the 18 rating reportedly remains on physical collector's editions.
Platforms & release
Where you can play it
| Platform | Released | Store |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch | 20 February 2024 | Store page ↗ |
| PlayStation 5 | 20 February 2024 | Store page ↗ |
| PlayStation 4 | 20 February 2024 | Store page ↗ |
| Xbox Series X|S | 20 February 2024 | Store page ↗ |
| Xbox One | 20 February 2024 | Store page ↗ |
| Windows PC | 20 February 2024 | Store page ↗ |
| Mac | 1 March 2024 | Store page ↗ |
| iPhone and iPad | 26 September 2024 | Store page ↗ |
| Android phones and tablets | 26 September 2024 | Store page ↗ |
Further reading
Facts last checked 22 October 2026. Sources: store.steampowered.com, store.steampowered.com, www.nintendo.com, api.ec.nintendo.com, store.playstation.com, displaycatalog.mp.microsoft.com, itunes.apple.com, play.google.com, www.esrb.org, www.esports.net, opencritic.com, en.wikipedia.org. Spotted something wrong? Send a correction.