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.
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