From Johnny Silverhand to Lewis and Marnie, there’s a host of new cosmetics now available in Balatro.
Poker-themed roguelike deckbuilder Balatro has been captivating attention across PC, consoles, and mobile for a while now, and yesterday’s free update promises to bring in a new host of players, thanks to a variety of crossover cosmetics from some new, beloved franchises.
The ‘Friends of Jimbo 2’ update was announced on X, and with artwork paying homage to games like Cyberpunk 2077, Slay the Spire, The Binding of Isaac, and Stardew Valley, there are multiple fandoms now taking a proper look at the runaway indie hit. This is the second cosmetics update for the game, following the release of cards inspired by games like Dave the Diver, The Witcher 3, Vampire Survivors, and Among Us earlier this year.
Each crossover features a fun interpretation of the King, Queen and Jack cards, leaning into the aesthetic of the featured title, without losing any of the signature Balatro energy. For instance, with the Cyberpunk 2077 cosmetics, you can boast a hand featuring Johnny Silverhand himself as the King (naturally), plus Rogue Amendiares and Jackie Welles to round out the trio.
You’ll also spot some familiar face in the Stardew Valley cosmetics, which feature beloved NPCs Lewis, Marnie, and Pierre (and yes, Pierre is holding money bags, to social media’s great amusement). The cards were designed by Stardew Valley creator ConcernedApe himself, and are an easy highlight.
As for The Binding of Isaac and Slay The Spire inspired cards, the pixel art was designed by popular content creator NEATOQUEEN, and each card does a remarkable job of capturing the games’ aesthetics.
Balatro continues to be a force of nature
Having only been on the scene since February (and only being available on mobile since late September), Balatro has now solidified itself as a major success story.
In our GamesHub review, Nidula Geeganage said, “The innovations of Balatro are designed with an impressively cohesive intentionality; deftly balancing new ideas, depth, and player comprehension, while conveying its own distinctive player fantasy. With such artful design, the game’s success is not only well-deserved but also a boon to players – the genre has received yet another entry to its hall of fame.”
It’s exciting to see an indie game go from strength to strength like this – especially when collaborations like these demonstrate how well it fulfils a mainstream desire for a solid roguelike deckbuilder.
Check out the full trailer for the new update below.
The gang’s getting bigger! Friends of Jimbo 2 FREE update is available today on PC, Console, and Mobile!
— Balatro (@BalatroGame) October 24, 2024
Is this the full squad, or is there more to come? 👀
👉https://t.co/bMjMzoIsXQ pic.twitter.com/4WyrWO8Wtd
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By Steph Panecasio 25 October 2024
