Choose Balatro
Choose Balatro if you want an Indie and Casual game with Color Alternatives and Playable without Timed Input. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 98.1% positive across 99,852 reviews.
Balatro vs 9 Kings
Balatro and 9 Kings both land in Strategy 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 are Strategy games on Steam. Balatro (2024) is 1 year older than 9 Kings (2025). Balatro scores higher on Steam reviews (98.1% positive) than 9 Kings (93% 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 9 Kings
Choose 9 Kings if you want a RPG and Early Access game with Camera Comfort, Adjustable Difficulty, and Save Anytime. 8,985 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Balatro and 9 Kings sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Custom Volume Controls, Mouse Only Option, and Touch Only Option, 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
 Balatro |  9 Kings | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Strategy, RPG, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Verified |
| Price | 11.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 98.1% positive (99,852 reviews) | 93% positive (8,985 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | LocalThunk | Sad Socket |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Balatro (2024) is 1 year older than 9 Kings (2025).
- Balatro scores higher on Steam reviews (98.1% positive) than 9 Kings (93% positive).
- Balatro is currently ~40% cheaper on Steam than 9 Kings (11.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Verified.
Balatro vs 9 Kings — FAQ
- Which is better, Balatro or 9 Kings?
- On Steam reviews Balatro scores higher (98.1% positive) than 9 Kings (93% 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 Balatro or 9 Kings first?
- If you want chronology, Balatro (2024) came out before 9 Kings (2025). 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 Balatro and 9 Kings similar?
- They overlap on Strategy 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 Balatro and 9 Kings 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.