Choose Balatro
Choose Balatro if you want an Indie game with Color Alternatives and Touch Only Option. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 99,852 Steam reviews back the pick.
Balatro vs A game about cards
Balatro and A game about cards both land in Strategy, Casual 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, Casual on Steam. Balatro (2024) is 1 year older than A game about cards (2025). Balatro scores higher on Steam reviews (98.1% positive) than A game about cards (81.8% 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 A game about cards
Choose A game about cards if you want the Camera Comfort and Save Anytime side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 79% cheaper on the Steam Store. A game about cards launched in 2025.
Both Balatro and A game about cards sit in Strategy and Casual on Steam and both list Custom Volume Controls, Playable without Timed Input, and Mouse 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 |  A game about cards | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Strategy, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 11.99 USD | 2.49 USD |
| Steam reviews | 98.1% positive (99,852 reviews) | 81.8% positive (11 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | LocalThunk | SUPERita |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Casual on Steam.
- Balatro (2024) is 1 year older than A game about cards (2025).
- Balatro scores higher on Steam reviews (98.1% positive) than A game about cards (81.8% positive).
- A game about cards is currently ~79% cheaper on Steam than Balatro (2.49 USD vs. 11.99 USD).
- Balatro is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; A game about cards has no Deck rating yet.
Balatro vs A game about cards — FAQ
- Should I play Balatro or A game about cards first?
- If you want chronology, Balatro (2024) came out before A game about cards (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 A game about cards similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Casual 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.
- Does Balatro run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Balatro is rated Deck Verified by Valve. A game about cards doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.