Balatro Dev Reveals Personal Favorite Game of 2024

LocalThunk, the solo developer behind the hugely successful indie game Balatro, has declared Animal Well his Game of the Year for 2024. Balatro, a deck-building game, sold over 3.5 million copies in 2024, earning critical acclaim and player praise. However, LocalThunk singled out Animal Well, another indie hit from 2024, developed by Billy Basso of Shared Memory, for its "engrossing experience," unique "style," and hidden "secrets," calling it Basso's "true masterpiece." This accolade, humorously dubbed the "Golden Thunk" award by LocalThunk, highlights the mutual respect within the indie game development community. Basso responded by praising LocalThunk as a "humble dev." Fans celebrated the positive interaction between the two developers.

Beyond Animal Well, LocalThunk also shared his appreciation for several other indie games of 2024, including Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, Arco, Nova Drift, Ballionaire, and Mouthwashing, highlighting specific aspects he enjoyed in each. The shared pixel art style and solo development of Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers notably mirrors Balatro's own development.

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 also hinted at a potential future collaboration with another top 2024 game.