Choose Insane Robots
Choose Insane Robots if you want an Adventure and RPG game with Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online PvP. Insane Robots launched in 2018.
Insane Robots vs Balatro
Insane Robots and Balatro both land in Strategy, Indie, 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, Indie, Casual on Steam. Insane Robots (2018) is 6 years older than Balatro (2024). Balatro scores higher on Steam reviews (98.1% positive) than Insane Robots (76.9% 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 Balatro
Choose Balatro if you want the Color Alternatives, Custom Volume Controls, and Playable without Timed Input side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 25% cheaper on the Steam Store. 99,852 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Insane Robots and Balatro sit in Strategy, Indie, and Casual 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
 Insane Robots |  Balatro | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2024 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Verified |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 76.9% positive (13 reviews) | 98.1% positive (99,852 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer | Single-player only |
| Developers | Playniac | LocalThunk |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Insane Robots (2018) is 6 years older than Balatro (2024).
- Balatro scores higher on Steam reviews (98.1% positive) than Insane Robots (76.9% positive).
- Balatro is currently ~25% cheaper on Steam than Insane Robots (14.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Balatro is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Insane Robots has no Deck rating yet.
Insane Robots vs Balatro — FAQ
- Should I play Insane Robots or Balatro first?
- If you want chronology, Insane Robots (2018) 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 Insane Robots and Balatro similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, 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 have multiplayer like Insane Robots?
- No. Insane Robots supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer), while Balatro is listed as single-player only.