Balatro 2025 Review: I Finally Get It! [Mobile/PS5/Steam]

BALATRO REVIEW Review - iOS Steam Android

I finally get what in the heck is going on with Balatro, and am now fully aboard the bandwagon.

It’s funny how in my mind the game transitioned from “meh” into this. [YouTube]

Yes, today I’m going to dive into Balatro and ask if it’s worth playing in 2025.

Don’t be fooled by its basic retro-style pixel design or seemingly complicated gameplay; Balatro represents the standard all modern games should be aiming for.

~~If you like poker, deck-building,~~

Scratch that.

If you understand or are willing to learn poker hands, then you’ll likely love Balatro.

This post may contain speculation, personal opinion, and comedy. It is not advice and is solely for entertainment and informational purposes.

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How To Play Balatro: 2025 Review for Mobile, PS5, & Steam

In Balatro, the objective is to win as many rounds as possible. This process is called a Run.

You begin each round with a hand of eight cards that you are dealt from your deck.

You can then create poker hands such as a Full House, Two Pairs, or a Straight Flush from your hand. And these earn you points and in-game currency.

The goal is to accumulate more points than the CPU score for the round (the “Big Blind” score in the image below).

Screenshot of BALATRO in 2025 - a Round against Big Blind

Seems simple enough.

But add to that unique cards that grant bonuses (Jokers), chances to improve your deck (deck-building), and luck as to what opportunities and decisions you make along the way, and you have the formula for a fantastic game.

Playing Balatro is all about trying to shift the odds in your favour.

Between rounds, you are given the opportunity to make purchases at the shop. And as you’ll discover, the in-game shop is a pivotal part of the game.

It offers you a small selection of random cards and boosters to purchase.

Your strategic decisions at the shop are central to your ability to beat the ever-rising CPU scores in the upcoming rounds.

BALATRO Shop Screenshot - Buy Joker Cards and Vouchers

The genius of Balatro lies in how it draws you into the game’s economy. It’s absolutely captivating.

Balatro Is Addictive (A 2025 Review Of The Poker Deck Builder)

There’s more to Balatro besides the top-drawer gameplay and compelling strategy loop.

Balatro manages to make a solo Player Vs CPU game feel emotive.

The soundtrack helps to set the mood with a futuristic synthesiser track. It definitely has notes of a gambling parlour circa 3042.

The artwork has a retro-pixel style, executed with appreciation for the era. Every pixel counts.

But what keeps you coming back is the idea of getting better options at the shop, making better decisions, and improving on your high score.

When I first encountered Balatro, months and months ago, I assumed the game wasn’t for me. -It just didn’t seem to interest me, and I couldn’t work out what was going on.

It all felt overly complicated.

Then, one day, I booted up the PS5 and tried it again as it was free with PS Plus. Within minutes, it all made sense and I recognised its awesomeness.

I should caveat this review with the fact that I have a lot of experience playing poker-like card games. So I didn’t have to learn anything on that side of things.

That said, there is an in-game guide for those wanting to learn:

BALATRO Poker Hand Guide In-Game (2025 Review)

Before I move on, I want to highlight a key point about Balatro; it’s not free, costing £9.99 at the App Store/Google Play and £12.79 on Steam.

That’s fantastic news because paid games tend to collect less data and have fewer microtransactions (Balatro has none that I can see).

If you like the idea of Balatro, but don’t want to pay, you might already have access to it for free. Balatro is currently available as part of PlayStation Plus and is also included in the Apple Arcade, where it is called Balatro+.

Is Balatro Worth It? PROS & CONS:

Balatro Pros and Cons.

PROS:
✓ Top-Tier, incredibly fun mobile game
✓ Your choices and decisions matter, and it feels rewarding as you advance
✓ One single payment: No microtransactions or Ads
✓ Keeps you coming back for more: very replayable with lots to unlock
✓ It will automatically save your progress between rounds
✓ Can be played OFFLINE!

CONS:
✗ At first, Balatro can seem complicated
✗ £9.99 seems a tad pricey, but I can’t see much competition out there
✗ You need to know or learn about poker hands, making the game a little niche. Not really a con, but I need to add some text here to balance out this box or the graphic won’t work!

Do I recommend Balatro?

YES!

The most flattering thing I can say about Balatro is that if all game developers operated in this way, and were focused on fun, quality, depth, and creativity, rather than maximising profits and enhancing microtransactions, we’d be living in a better future.

Instead, general graphics have improved, while most “games” don’t deserve to use the word.

After playing Balatro on the PS Plus, I paid £9.99 to get it on my iPad. There was no hesitation and no regret.

As long as the Devs stay true to Balatro’s current form, I know I’ll always have something fun to play when I’ve got a spare half hour.

— Get this. According to Wiki, [Wikipedia] LocalThunk, the anonymous solo developer who created Balatro, made it as a side project to put on their resume! Crazy stuff. Congrats on not needing the job.

Old Cynic’s Grade: