Choose Cthulhu Dungeon
Choose Cthulhu Dungeon if you want an Early Access experience. On Steam, it's currently about 53% cheaper on the Steam Store. Cthulhu Dungeon launched in 2022.
Cthulhu Dungeon vs Balatro
Cthulhu Dungeon 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. Cthulhu Dungeon (2022) is 2 years older than Balatro (2024). Cthulhu Dungeon is currently ~53% cheaper on Steam than Balatro (5.59 USD vs. 11.99 USD). 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 Balatro
Choose Balatro if you want a Casual game with Color Alternatives, Custom Volume Controls, and Playable without Timed Input. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 99,852 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Cthulhu Dungeon and Balatro sit in Strategy and Indie on Steam, 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
 Cthulhu Dungeon |  Balatro | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2024 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Early Access | Strategy, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Verified |
| Price | 5.59 USD | 11.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | — | 98.1% positive (99,852 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | SanYeGame | LocalThunk |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Cthulhu Dungeon (2022) is 2 years older than Balatro (2024).
- Cthulhu Dungeon is currently ~53% cheaper on Steam than Balatro (5.59 USD vs. 11.99 USD).
- Balatro is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Cthulhu Dungeon has no Deck rating yet.
Cthulhu Dungeon vs Balatro — FAQ
- Should I play Cthulhu Dungeon or Balatro first?
- If you want chronology, Cthulhu Dungeon (2022) 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 Cthulhu Dungeon 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.