Games Like Balatro: 8 Addictive Card Roguelites to Try

If you loved Balatro, play Slay the Spire: it's the card roguelite that started the wave and the closest in depth. After that, Luck be a Landlord and Peglin take the idea of runaway combos to slot machines and bouncing orbs. Here are eight games that bring back that 'just one more run' feeling.

Why Balatro is so addictive

Balatro, made by solo developer LocalThunk and released in 2024, starts from something everyone knows: poker hands. Pair, three of a kind, flush. Except you're playing against a target score, the blinds, and you buy Jokers that bend the rules. One Joker boosts your multiplier on hearts, another pays you for every face card, and suddenly your humble three of a kind scores millions.

All the fun comes from synergies you find yourself. According to players on IGDB, a first win takes about 4.5 hours, exploring the content around 46 hours and unlocking everything close to 175 hours. In other words, those short runs keep stacking up for a long time.

How to pick your next roguelite

Think about what gets you going. If it's deck building, go for pure card games like Slay the Spire or Monster Train. If it's the odds and the exploding numbers, slot machine, orb or dice games will click. And if you want a five-minute run instead of an hour, stick to the short formats. We list more in our roguelike guide.

1. 

   1. Slay the Spire

   2019 · Main story 12 h

   The benchmark for deck-building roguelites. You climb a tower, fight enemies turn by turn and build your deck from rewards, with relics that change everything. It's more tactical than Balatro because you can see what enemies plan to do. Essential if you love squeezing value out of every choice. More ideas here.

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2. 

   2. Inscryption

   2021 · Main story 10 h

   A strange, unsettling card game played against a mysterious host in a dark cabin. You sacrifice creatures to summon others, and the game hides far more than it shows at first. It's less about score chasing than Balatro, but just as inventive with its rules. Go in knowing as little as possible.

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3. 

   3. Luck be a Landlord

   2023

   The closest to Balatro in spirit. You have to pay your rent by spinning a slot machine, and every symbol you add interacts with the others. Cats drinking milk, coins multiplying: the combos get out of hand fast. Short runs and a guaranteed 'one more' effect, perfect for late nights.

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4. 

   4. Monster Train

   2020

   A deck builder where you defend a hellish train across three floors against waves of enemies. You combine two card clans, each with its own mechanics, which leads to wild synergies. There's more positioning than in Balatro, but the same joy of watching a combo flatten a boss in a single turn.

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5. 

   5. Peglin

   2024

   Part Peggle, part roguelite. You fire orbs onto a board of pegs, every hit deals damage, and you pick up relics that transform your shots. It's the ideal pick if you like Balatro's controlled randomness, with a bit of physics on top and a very lighthearted mood.

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6. 

   6. Dicey Dungeons

   2019 · Main story 29.5 h

   A dice roguelite from Terry Cavanagh. Each character has their own equipment cards, and you slot your dice into them to attack or defend. The rules change with each hero, which keeps runs fresh. Colorful, funny and really clever in the way it handles luck.

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7. 

   7. Cobalt Core

   2023

   A deck builder where you pilot a tiny spaceship. Your cards shoot, but they also move you to dodge enemy fire or line up their weak points. You build your crew from several characters, each with their own cards. A great change of pace after hours of poker hands.

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8. 

   8. Vampire Survivors

   2022 · Main story 15 h

   Not a card game, but the same drug: short runs where upgrades stack until the screen is full of effects. You barely do anything but move, and the fun comes from the weapon evolutions you discover. Perfect for those same nights you used to start 'just one run' of Balatro.

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FAQ

What game is most like Balatro?

Luck be a Landlord is the closest in spirit, with symbols chaining into combos on a slot machine. For deck-building depth, Slay the Spire is still the genre's benchmark and an excellent next game if you want something a bit more tactical.

How long is a run of Balatro?

A full run often takes between half an hour and an hour depending on your pace. On average, a first win takes about 4.5 hours of play, but the game keeps going for ages with its decks and difficulty stakes.

Do you need to know poker to enjoy Balatro?

No. The game only borrows poker hands, like a pair or a flush, and shows them on screen. There's no betting and nobody to bluff. Everything depends on Joker combos, which you pick up naturally as you play.