Hit deck-builder Balatro is now available for mobile [VGC]

Worth noting Google play store is having issues processing payments. So if you are unable to purchase it, this is why

PEGI 18 for gambling imagery 😐

I can't hear about this game and not remember that some boomer actor thinks Belatro is going to destroy humanity, because it's addictive.

I'd kind of like to see a Balatro HD DLC option.

I don't have a problem with low-resolution artwork; I think that it's often an effective way to reduce asset costs. But when a game makes it big, as Balatro has, I'd generally like to have the option to get a higher-resolution version of it. For some games, say, Noita, that's hard, as the resolution is tightly tied to the gameplay. But for Balatro, the art consists in significant part of about 150 jokers. That's not all that much material to upscale.

EDIT: And specifically for Balatro, I think that it's worth pointing out that there's a whole industry of artists who make (very high resolution) playing cards for print.

kagis

Okay, here's my first hit:

https://playingcarddecks.com/blogs/all-in/10-top-playing-card-designers

These guys don't hyperlink to the designers, but going down the list and digging up a link for each playing card design company or artist:

1. Midnight Cards

2. Encarded Playing Cards

3. Seasons Playing Cards

4. Elettra Deganello

5. Black Ink Branded Playing Cards

6. Stockholm17

7. Oath Playing Cards

8. Kings & Crooks

9. Thirdway Industries

10. Kings Wild Project

That's a large variety of competently-done, high-resolution artwork.

Now, granted -- Balatro doesn't use a standard deck; it's not a drop-in approach using existing decks, the way it might be with a typical solitaire game.

But it seems kinda nutty to me that there are artists out creating decks, but only selling them in small volume, and also video games that sell in large volume but don't have much by way of card artwork options.

Yikes, kinda expensive on mobile. I already repackaged it from my Steam copy and side-loaded it on to my phone so I'll stick with that. It would be nice if I could keep my progress from one to the other though.