The developer behind the indie sensation Balatro, LocalThunk, has crowned Animal Well as his top game of 2024. Both Balatro and Animal Well, released last year, have garnered immense praise and success within the indie gaming community.
Balatro, a deck-building game crafted by the solo developer LocalThunk on a modest budget, has taken the gaming world by storm since its launch in February 2024. It has not only received critical acclaim but also sold over 3.5 million copies, showcasing its widespread appeal among players. 2024 has been a banner year for indie games, with titles like Neva, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, and UFO 50 also making waves. However, Animal Well has stood out, matching Balatro's level of critical success. In recognition of this, LocalThunk has publicly praised Animal Well's solo developer, Billy Basso of Shared Memory.
In a humorous Twitter post, LocalThunk awarded Animal Well his "Game of the Year 2024" and the "Golden Thunk" award, highlighting the game's "engrossing experience," "style," and "secrets." He described it as Basso's "true masterpiece." Basso responded by calling LocalThunk the "(The) Nicest Most Humble Dev of the Year." Fans in the comments section celebrated the mutual respect and solidarity among indie developers. LocalThunk also shared his other favorite indie games of 2024, including Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, Arco, Nova Drift, Ballionaire, and Mouthwashing, noting their unique qualities.
In the thread following his original post, LocalThunk listed his other top picks for 2024, with Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers standing out due to its similarities to Balatro—both being pixel art-based deck-building games developed by solo creators.
Despite Balatro's success, LocalThunk has continued to enhance the game with free updates. Over the past few months, three "Friends of Jimbo" updates have introduced crossover content from popular IPs such as Cyberpunk 2077, Among Us, and Dave the Diver. LocalThunk has recently teased a potential collaboration with another top game of 2024 for a future Balatro crossover.
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