The Inspiration Behind 2024's Best Indie Game Is Finally Coming To Consoles: Here's Why You Should Be Playing
, the 2024 smash-hit that redefined the roguelike genre and dominated player's playtimes across all platforms, felt like it came out of nowhere. Developed by just one person, LocalThunk, someone who was convinced it wouldn't sell well, Balatro feels like the epitome of why indie games are truly the greatest gift to gaming. However, what few may know is that Balatro was inspired by a similar indie roguelike with gambling themes.
may have showcased why 2024 was great for games, but one of its biggest sources of inspiration had helped lay the foundations a whole year before. This game, also developed by just one person, may not have been quite as big of a cultural phenomenon, but it is nevertheless worth playing. Now that incredible indie game is coming to consoles, and players have plenty of reasons why they should try it out.
was inspired by the roguelike deckbuilder game, , which was developed by TrampolineTales and released in January 2023. It, much like, sees players aim to earn high scores — or, in this case, money — by stacking a slot machine full of unique slots each with their own unique effects, and then spinning. The goal is to earn as much money as possible to pay off the landlord. The roguelike structure is actually the biggest point of inspiration for, with LocalThunk explaining in a Reddit AMA that it made him rethink design entirely. He stated:
«The one largest influence on Balatro was Luck Be a Landlord. I watched Northernlion play for a few videos and loved the concept of a non-fanatsy themed score attach roguelike a ton, so I modified the card game I was working on at the time into a roguelike.»
There are definitely a lot of similarities between and , although they do absolutely feel like their own experiences, if only because of the key differences between the core gambling games they are replicating. Interestingly, LocalThunk also mentioned in that Reddit AMA that, while people have cited similarities between and — one of the best roguelike
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