Top mobile games of 2024: Iwan\'s picks, except it\'s mostly Balatro

It's year-end, and my Game of the Year is Balatro – a surprising choice, perhaps, but one I'll explain. Balatro, a blend of solitaire, poker, and roguelike deck-building, has garnered numerous awards, including Indie and Mobile Game of the Year at The Game Awards and two Pocket Gamer Awards.

However, its success has also caused confusion and even anger. Some find its simple visuals at odds with its accolades. The question arises: why has a seemingly simple deck-builder won so many awards?

Before delving into Balatro, here are some honorable mentions:

• Vampire Survivors' Castlevania expansion: A long-awaited and well-received addition.
• Squid Game: Unleashed's free-to-play release: A potentially groundbreaking move by Netflix Games.
• Watch Dogs: Truth's audio adventure release: An interesting, albeit unconventional, approach by Ubisoft.

My experience with Balatro has been mixed. While engaging, I haven't mastered it. Its focus on deck optimization and statistical analysis proves frustrating for me. However, it's been a worthwhile purchase, offering simple, accessible gameplay without demanding excessive brainpower or technical prowess. It's not my perfect time-waster (that title belongs to Vampire Survivors), but it's a strong contender.

Balatro's appealing visuals and smooth gameplay are noteworthy. For a relatively low price, it provides an engaging roguelike deck-builder suitable for public play. LocalThunk's ability to create a compelling experience with a simple format is commendable, from its calming music to its satisfying sound effects.

So why discuss Balatro? Some find its success insufficient justification. Balatro's design is straightforward, colorful, and not overly complex or flashy. It's not a technological marvel; it began as a passion project.

Its success confounds many, as it's not a flashy gacha game, a technically impressive mobile title, or a popular battle royale. It's simply "a card game," yet a very well-executed one. This highlights the importance of judging game quality based on execution, not solely on visual fidelity or other superficial elements.

Balatro's lesson is simple: a multi-platform game doesn't need to be a massive, cross-platform, massively multiplayer gacha experience to succeed. A well-executed, simple game with its own style can resonate with players across mobile, console, and PC. While not a massive financial success, its low development costs likely resulted in significant profit for LocalThunk.

Balatro demonstrates that diverse approaches to gameplay can be successful. Some players may focus on optimization, while others, like myself, may enjoy its casual, less demanding nature.

In conclusion, Balatro's success proves that a game doesn't need to be groundbreaking in terms of technology or complexity to be successful. Sometimes, being simple and well-executed is enough.