Game Studio's Top Pick Unveiled: Balatro Dev's Favorite of 2024

LocalThunk, the solo developer behind the wildly successful indie game Balatro (3.5 million copies sold!), has declared Animal Well his 2024 Game of the Year. Both Balatro and Animal Well were critical and player darlings in 2024.

LocalThunk, known for his humorous online presence, bestowed the "Golden Thunk" award upon Animal Well and its creator, Billy Basso of Shared Memory. He lauded Animal Well's "engrossing experience," "style," and "secrets," calling it Basso's "true masterpiece." Basso responded with a gracious acknowledgement, praising LocalThunk's humility. The exchange highlighted the positive camaraderie 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, highlighting specific aspects he enjoyed about each. The inclusion of Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, a fellow pixel art deck-building game created by a solo developer, is particularly noteworthy.

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 IPs like Cyberpunk 2077, Among Us, and Dave the Diver, with more collaborations potentially on the horizon.