LocalThunk, the creator of the wildly successful indie game Balatro, has declared Animal Well his personal Game of the Year for 2024. This accolade, playfully dubbed the "Golden Thunk" award, highlights the exceptional experience and captivating secrets found within Animal Well, praising solo developer Billy Basso's "true masterpiece."
Balatro, a deck-building game launched in February 2024, achieved phenomenal success, selling over 3.5 million copies and earning critical acclaim. However, 2024 was a banner year for indie games, with titles like Neva, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, and UFO 50 also garnering significant attention. Animal Well, in particular, rivaled Balatro's critical reception, prompting LocalThunk's public commendation.
Basso, Animal Well's developer, responded to LocalThunk's praise, acknowledging him as a particularly kind and humble developer. The exchange generated positive comments from fans celebrating the camaraderie and mutual support within the indie game development community.
Beyond Animal Well, LocalThunk shared his appreciation for several other 2024 indie titles, including Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, Arco, Nova Drift, Ballionaire, and Mouthwashing, highlighting their unique strengths. Interestingly, Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers shares stylistic similarities with Balatro, being a pixel art deck-builder created by a solo developer.
Despite Balatro's remarkable achievements, LocalThunk continues to actively support the game, releasing free "Friends of Jimbo" updates featuring crossover content from popular IPs such as Cyberpunk 2077, Among Us, and Dave the Diver. He has also hinted at a future collaboration with another prominent 2024 title.
LATEST ARTICLES 19
2025-04
Azur Lane, the popular side-scrolling shoot 'em up with RPG elements, lets players dive into a world of anthropomorphized warships drawn from various historical navies. Among these, META ships stand out as unique, alternate versions of standard shipgirls, boasting enhanced skills, different abilitie
Author: AvaReading:0
19
2025-04
Blizzard finds itself in the spotlight once again amidst controversy surrounding Overwatch 2. The issue centers around the newly released Cyber DJ skin for Lucio, which was initially sold to players for $19.99. However, just a day later, Blizzard announced that this skin would be available for free
Author: AvaReading:0
19
2025-04
Ever dreamed of turning random words into magical spells? With YourSpell, that fantasy becomes reality. Now available on the App Store and Google Play, this innovative RPG developed by Kamegiwa transforms any word you can think of into a unique spell, allowing you to ascend to the pinnacle of the ma
Author: AvaReading:0
19
2025-04
In a fascinating blend of reality and fiction, Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team is set to renew its partnership with Nankatsu SC, a club that embodies the spirit of the iconic series. Fans of the series will instantly recognize Nankatsu SC as it is named after the fictional hometown of the protagonist, T
Author: AvaReading:0
