Balatro Dev Reveals Personal Favorite Game of 2024

LocalThunk, the solo developer behind the hugely successful indie game Balatro (which sold over 3.5 million copies in 2024), has declared Animal Well his "Game of the Year." This accolade, humorously dubbed the "Golden Thunk" award, highlights Animal Well's "engrossing experience," unique style, and hidden secrets. LocalThunk praised Animal Well's developer, Billy Basso of Shared Memory, calling the game Basso's "true masterpiece." Basso responded by acknowledging LocalThunk's generosity and humility.

The announcement generated positive feedback from fans, celebrating the camaraderie and mutual respect within the indie game development community. Beyond Animal Well, LocalThunk also shared his appreciation for several other 2024 indie titles, including Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, Arco, Nova Drift, Ballionaire, and Mouthwashing, detailing his reasons for enjoying each. Notably, Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, like Balatro, is a pixel art deck-building game created by a single developer.

Balatro's continued success hasn't stopped LocalThunk from actively supporting the game. He's released three "Friends of Jimbo" updates, adding crossover content from popular games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Among Us, and Dave the Diver. He's also teased a potential future collaboration with another top 2024 title. This dedication to post-launch updates demonstrates LocalThunk's commitment to enhancing the player experience.