IMHO.

Luck be a Landlord vs Balatro

Luck be a Landlord and Balatro both land in Strategy, Indie on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam. Luck be a Landlord (2023) is 1 year older than Balatro (2024). Balatro scores higher on Steam reviews (98.1% positive) than Luck be a Landlord (94.8% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.

Which should you pick?

Choose Luck be a Landlord

Choose Luck be a Landlord if you want a Simulation game with Adjustable Text Size, Narrated Game Menus, and Keyboard Only Option. On Steam, it's currently about 67% cheaper on the Steam Store. 5,274 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose Balatro

Choose Balatro if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 98.1% positive across 99,852 reviews.

Both Luck be a Landlord and Balatro sit in Strategy and Indie on Steam and both list Color Alternatives, Custom Volume Controls, and Playable without Timed Input, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.

Side-by-side comparison

Luck be a Landlord vs Balatro — Steam metadata comparison
Luck be a Landlord — Steam game coverLuck be a LandlordBalatro — Steam game coverBalatro
Released20232024
GenresStrategy, Indie, SimulationStrategy, Indie, Casual
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows, macOS
Steam DeckDeck VerifiedDeck Verified
Price3.99 USD11.99 USD
Steam reviews94.8% positive (5,274 reviews)98.1% positive (99,852 reviews)
MultiplayerSingle-player onlySingle-player only
DevelopersTrampolineTalesLocalThunk

Side by side

Luck be a Landlord vs Balatro — FAQ

Which is better, Luck be a Landlord or Balatro?
On Steam reviews Balatro scores higher (98.1% positive) than Luck be a Landlord (94.8% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Balatro is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
Should I play Luck be a Landlord or Balatro first?
If you want chronology, Luck be a Landlord (2023) came out before Balatro (2024). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
Are Luck be a Landlord and Balatro similar?
They overlap on Strategy, Indie on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
Do Luck be a Landlord and Balatro both run on Steam Deck?
Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.
Luck be a Landlord vs Balatro — Verdict (2026) · imho.run