Balatro

A roguelike deckbuilder where you strategically build a custom deck using poker hands and joker combinations to survive escalating blinds and unlock new stakes.

Last reviewed: May 3, 2026

Released Feb 2024 Singleplayer / 2D / Pixel Graphics

Definitive deck-building poker roguelike that holds up past 100 hours, with free Friends of Jimbo updates adding new collab card packs.

9.2 /10

Mighty

Previously an Editor's pick

For you if

You loved Slay the Spire or Monster Train and want a deck-builder grounded in poker hands
You play in 15-minute commute chunks and want a tight portable mobile version
You're OK with no cross-save between PC and mobile — for now

Not for you if

You quit games after 'beating' them once — Balatro's depth is in stake/deck mastery
You hate randomness — even deep into Endless mode, joker rolls dictate your run
You don't enjoy poker hand recognition or build-around scaling synergies

What players love

The addictive roguelike loop of Balatro, with its endless joker and tarot combos, keeps 100+ hour players chasing new synergies.

What frustrates them

The reliance on early-game luck and frequent restarts after bad tags or discards is the frustration veterans with 100+ hours consistently hit.

See the reviews behind this →

What critics say

9/10IGN
A deck-building poker roguelike of endlessly satisfying proportions, Balatro is the sort of fun that threatens to derail whole weekend plans.
Simon CardyMar 2024 Read review →
9/10GameSpot
Balatro's ingenious combination of poker and roguelite gameplay creates an intoxicating combination that's hard to pull away from.
Alessandro BarbosaMar 2024 Read review →
9.5/10Game Informer
Balatro is an ingenious and entertaining roguelike and one of my favorite games of the year.
Marcus StewartFeb 2024 Read review →

Before You Play

Refreshed monthly

What are the best jokers in Balatro?

With 150 total Jokers, Blueprint is the consensus top-tier pick — it copies the ability of the Joker to its right, doubling your strongest scaling Joker (e.g. Triboulet, Hologram, Vampire) for game-breaking endless-mode runs. Brainstorm copies the leftmost Joker for similar effect. Prioritize unconditional triggers (every-hand) over conditional ones early. Five mediocre Jokers pointing the same direction beat five powerful ones pulling apart.

Source: Mobalytics: Best Balatro Jokers

What are the best decks in Balatro?

Plasma Deck averages chip and mult before multiplying — pick a chip-heavy or mult-heavy lane and stack Stone Cards via the Marble Joker. Anaglyph Deck rewards a Double Tag after each Boss Blind — bank these for Negative Tag stacking (extra Joker slots) or Ethereal Tag chains. Erratic Deck randomizes ranks/suits — lean on Blueprint and Brainstorm for adaptable scaling, and Spectral cards like Sigil to force suit synergies on the fly.

Source: Digital Trends: Win with every deck

Does Balatro have cross-save between PC and mobile?

Balatro is on iOS and Android (via Apple Arcade and Play Store) plus Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch — but as of May 2026 there is no official cross-save or cross-progression. LocalThunk has confirmed cross-save is on the roadmap. Until then, Android players can use Balatro Mobile Maker to manually transfer saves with Steam; iOS users need third-party tools or iCloud workarounds since the App Store version doesn't expose save data.

Source: Insider Gaming: Balatro cross-save

How do you beat Gold Stake difficulty in Balatro?

Gold Stake's main wrinkle is the Rental Joker — 30% of jokers cost $1 to buy but $3 per round, which strangles your economy. Treat Rentals as one-blind bridges, not long-term holds. Run an early-game economy joker (Cloud Nine, Gold Joker, or Rocket) to stabilize. Plasma Deck is the easiest entry deck because pure-chips builds dodge most economy issues. Fail-fast: scrap a doomed Ante 1-2 run rather than playing it out.

Source: The Mancunion: Gold Stake guide

What is Friends of Jimbo in Balatro?

Friends of Jimbo are free collab updates that add cosmetic card packs based on guest IPs. Pack 4 (February 2025) added eight collabs: Assassin's Creed, Bugsnax, Critical Role, Dead by Daylight, Fallout (Vault-Tec), Rust, Civilization VII, and Slay the Princess. Earlier packs added Dave the Diver, Stardew Valley, Vampire Survivors, Cyberpunk 2077, Among Us, and more. Cosmetic only — no gameplay changes — and free for everyone.

Source: Gematsu: Friends of Jimbo Pack 4