In some surprise news, the Giant Bomb team has revealed Balatro will be getting a physical "special edition" release across multiple platforms including the Nintendo Switch.
There are not many details beyond this just yet, but we do know "pre-orders are starting soon" and there'll be a booster pack of Joker cards and playing cards. Here's a look at Jeff Grubb holding a physical copy of the Switch version:
If you haven't played this game yet, we called it "a clear GOTY contender" awarding it an outstanding 10 out of 10 stars.
"Balatro is a roguelike for gamers who don't like roguelikes... and then everybody else on top of that. It utterly nails what it sets out to do, providing an instantly accessible, satisfying, and addictive gameplay loop that anybody can grasp. It's an immensely enjoyable experience from the start, but as you get deeper in, there's really nothing else quite like it."
Have you been holding out for a physical release of Balatro? Let us know in the comments.
[source x.com]
Comments 39
I wish my brain didn't have a hard lock against all things involving cards.
For the physical die-hards, get this game! Though I still recommend digital if it's not against your own ethic. It's the perfect game to always have at hand, without juggling cartridges.
I have indeed been holding out for a physical release! Just hoping it doesn't end up being a Limited Run deal.
I always appreciate it so much when they announce a physical edition after the digital edition has already been up for sale. Thanks.
That said, might double dip for the cards, maybe. Depending on the pricing.
I will be buying. Same thing with Alan Wake 2. Physical is king.
@LikelySatan That can be overcome! It's just like learning any other more complex system of strategies in different styles of games. Just start at one spot and work your way up
@ItsATM yeah it's more just not being okay with randomness. The idea of getting screwed over cause happenstance doesn't work for me.
@LikelySatan it's poker on LSD, it's got randomness baked in from beforr there were comp00ters.
@Noelemahc Like most card things. I'll try to enjoy it. I think I am also just predisposed to feel about poker like I do about football. Fat dudes yelling and smoking cigars with a No GiRlz AlloWD sign on the front door.
But yes I know Balatro didn't invent poker.
@LikelySatan Maybe a card game with less randomness could be enjoyable for you? Heard good things about Shadowsverse and have been planning to get it myself. This one, Slay the Spire, and other card games are enjoyable but have rogue-lite elements and I prefer "classic" ones in which you have a specific deck that I slowly build instead of a new one with every run.
As for people playing cards being that way, while there's normal guys unfortunately there's also a lot that fit your description. I love these kind of games but that's why I don't go to events and just play with a few people. To be fair, a lot of gamers are also like that but at least online gaming prevents me from seeing, hearing or smelling something unpleasant.
"Be warned". The game is too addictive. Argh!
@LikelySatan
Balatro does offer players the ability to choose seeded runs when they start a new game, and every run you start in Balatro has a corresponding seed, which will be provided to you when your run reaches it's conclusion. As long as you have the appropriate seed entered, you can retry your luck on any run however many times you choose to do so.
@roy130390 I didn't actually mean the hyperbole is a realistic take, lol. I was just being a smart ass...mostly. I'll get around to it. Honestly the problem more than anything is that I'm playing way too many games with way too many complex systems to learn poker or "poker on lsd."
@zbinks Yeah like I said I am mostly being hyperbolic. I do bristle against most things with random hands, but I will eventually get around to this game. I'll probably pick up the physical just cause to support the devs. And my wife loves it, lol.
Might get the physical edition, then! As I've yet to dabble in the next roguelike and I am peckish for a new one...
Most likely I'll just get Balatro digitally, but happy for those who'll get this!
Woah this game is still around? ;p Hype died down real fast after this game came out. checks Twitch 200 whole viewers!
This is a solid 7/10 game. Worth the $15. Nowhere near a game of the year type of game.
@FantasiaWHT I’m not sure about that metric. It doesn’t seem like a game many would want to watch rather than play.
Physical edition: Nah, it’s something I imagine you don’t want to keep swapping in and out the cart.
Announce a release date for the mobile edition and I’m interested.
@CornflakeCookie This is what I say, some games are perfect for the digital form, I’m a physical collector but some time prefer some game in digital
Just what I’ve been waiting for. Gimme, gimme, gimme!
@Yosher Considering when the game came out, I could believe the game’s surprise success made it financially viable to do a physical run and getting those distribution deals in place take time.
Good for anyone who hasn’t played this yet. It’s a good game!
@TotalHenshin That is true. I don't regret my digital purchase at all for that matter despite this physical announcement, it's just a mild disappointment in hindsight as someone who did dip in early. It is good for those who don't have it yet, yeah! And as you say if the game didn't do as well as it did we may not even have had this physical release at all.
@LikelySatan card games are the best man, balatro is addictive af! Buy it, play it, never put it down! Do it, dooooo eeeeeet!
@MythicRussttv Oh I bought it just because of the hype. My wife loves it.
@Yosher And I understand that. I also appreciate the levelheadedness of your response, because I can’t count the number of times the response to such a comment is just max volume Alex Jones “No, everything is a conspiracy against me, the consumer!!” So I’m glad I woke up to a much more reasonable response.
There are some games I feel are well equipped for digital, and do think this is one of them. No disrespect to physical. I’d be amassing a larger physical collection if I wasn’t planning on moving across the world in a couple years. But I certainly get the disappointment of, “Dang, prefer this physical. Guess I have no choice.” Purchase then “We are excited to announce…” I get it. 😅
@TotalHenshin I do try to be generally reasonable with people! Plus your response just made sense, you know? And I'm sure there's generally a reason behind physical versions being announced after digital releases, and I doubt most of them are with malicious intents like trying to leech more money out of the consumer. ..well, of course they want to make money, but you know what I mean. lol
But yes this is certainly one of those games that does lend itself to being digital, and as such I certainly don't regret the purchase still. Plus I've had a lot of fun with it so I certainly feel like I've gotten my money's worth out of it already; this announcement of a physical edition isn't gonna change that.
Also best of luck to you when you do get to your move across the world in a few years!
Very intrigued by this game. Fingers crossed for GameFly to pick it up.
@Yosher Well thank you! For both comments!
Did you do the higher difficulty levels? I did five colors and one difficulty level up.
@TotalHenshin I have not yet, I'm not too good at the game yet as I struggle to make a good combo game with jokers. I've only actually beaten like, three games up to the 8th round so far, maybe four. I'll get there though! Sounds like you're definitely having an easier time with it. Or you just played it more than me, haha. Either way.
@Yosher Yeah, for me I found focusing on planet cards for flushes was very effective, as you could dispose of other suits and increase your preferred suits. Then lucking into some good jokers that complement that well, especially the jokers that multiply and keeping them on the right side of the joker deck. lol talking about all this makes me want to fire it up again, but I should keep trekking through XC1: DE.
My Switch says I’ve played Balatro for over 15 hours, so I imagine I’ve probably done like 18 or 19 hours.
It's so hard for me to buy digital on release day. Either a game sells well and gets a physical or doesn't and gets a deep discount. Kudos to y'all who buy on day 1 and determine which of those two outcomes transpires.
@TotalHenshin That's exactly the strategy I've been trying to apply most of the time, but I often don't get the jokers I need to really keep it going. Either I just suck at finding the jokers or I just have bad luck!
Also good luck on XC!! I've played through that like a year or two ago myself and it's become one of my top favorite games. It's so good! How far into that are you?
@Yosher Oh interesting! Have you tried to diminish two suits and build up the two others? I also prefer the blue deck as it does give you that extra hand per round, which also means an extra $ per round (I did fire Balatro up for another run last night oops 😅). Won that run with the same strategy, but I also lucked into some tags that gave me a polychrome joker.
I just started XC1 this weekend while visiting the in-laws so I haven’t gotten very far in. It also takes me longer since I’m playing in Japanese to reinforce my language learning so occasionally I’ll have to stop to double-check the meaning or reading of a word. I’ve been looking forward to it for ages, and hear nothing but good things. Have you played the other games in the series and what are your thoughts on them? Do you like JRPGs generally? (This is a time it’d nice if NL had a DM feature, but c’est la vie)
@TotalHenshin I've tried yeah, but that's easier said than done too if you don't get the cards needed to diminish suits. It's worked out a few times so far, though. A lot of it does depend on getting lucky with getting good jokers; negative ones in general are just really good!
I have not played other games in the XC series yet no, but I do have all of them (X, 2, and 3). I do want to play them eventually, but these games are a huge investment to get into time wise. One day though. And I'd like to say I'm at least somewhat of a fan of JRPGs- I haven't played many of them, but FFIX is another one of my top favorites. If the story and characters are interesting (and the anime waifu side of it is toned down), I can generally enjoy a good JRPG.
Also funny you should say you're learning Japanese as I picked up on that not too long ago myself. I'm using the Duolingo app for it; it's really really tough! The alphabets are the hardest, especially when they toss Kanji into the mix as well or just generally mix katakana and hiragana. Maybe I should try playing simple games in Japanese to see if that will help my skill with it too, and then gradually build up to more story centered games.
Also yes; if you're reading this, Nintendolife staff, DM feature please.
the game was great but dont want any part of the update since the community cheeses out with high card which makes the dev nerf and buff way too many things
@CornflakeCookie I’m a physical diehard
So I preordered it, physical games matter and takes up less storage and will actually own my copy, I will always recommend the physical copy of any Switch game🤣🤣🤣
@Drew250 I will support any developer who releases physical games, swapping cartridges is just like the in the early 90s and would rather a cartridge then a disc that basically acts as installer. Physical games matter!
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...