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. Both games were critical and player darlings in 2024.

Balatro, a low-budget deck-building game released in February 2024, unexpectedly became a massive hit. Its success is matched only by the critical acclaim it received, alongside fellow indie successes like Neva, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, and UFO 50. However, Animal Well, a Metroidvania title, stood out, even rivaling Balatro's critical reception.

LocalThunk, in a humorous Twitter post, bestowed his "Golden Thunk" award upon Animal Well and its developer, Billy Basso of Shared Memory, praising the game's immersive gameplay, stylish presentation, and hidden secrets, calling it Basso's "true masterpiece." Basso responded by calling LocalThunk "The Nicest Most Humble Dev of the Year." The exchange highlights the positive camaraderie within the indie development community.

LocalThunk's Top Indie Games of 2024

Beyond Animal Well, LocalThunk shared his other favorite indie games of 2024: Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, Arco, Nova Drift, Ballionaire, and Mouthwashing. He highlighted aspects he particularly enjoyed in each. Interestingly, Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, like Balatro, is a pixel art deck-building game created by a solo developer.

Despite Balatro's phenomenal success, LocalThunk continues to support the game with free updates. Three "Friends of Jimbo" updates have already introduced crossover content from popular titles such as Cyberpunk 2077, Among Us, and Dave the Diver. He's even hinted at a future collaboration with another 2024 hit game.