Tag: Balatro

March 20, 2025
Balatro’s Wild Multiplayer Mod: Installation Guide & Future Teasers
Key Takeaways
1. Multiplayer Transformation: BalatroMultiplayer mod changes the game from a solo experience to a competitive multiplayer format with two modes currently available and more planned for future updates.
2. Game Modes and Features: The mod includes modes like Attrition and Showdown, offering custom lobby options where hosts can adjust various gameplay settings.
3. Future Plans: Upcoming modes will allow for more players and include new gameplay styles such as Battle Royale, Precision, and Speedrun, enhancing competitive play.
4. New Rulesets and Content: Various gameplay rulesets are planned, including Vanilla, Competitive, Tournament, and Weekly, along with around 20 new jokers and unique Trap cards.
5. Installation and Support: Players need to set up LovelyInjector and Steammodded to install the mod, with resources available on the Balatro Multiplayer server for troubleshooting.
This is the inaugural article of Mod Mania, a magazine series that highlights remarkable mods that enhance their original games in exciting or distinctive ways. In this debut piece, we are featuring a new multiplayer mod for Balatro, developed by the creators Virtualized and TGMM.
Transforming Gameplay
BalatroMultiplayer is an innovative mod that pits players against one another, changing the solo gaming experience into a competitive multiplayer event. Currently, the mod offers two modes with four more planned for the full 1.0 launch. There is already plenty to enjoy, with more features expected in future updates. I gained valuable insights from my short conversation with Virtualized, covering topics from jokers to consumables and various rulesets for lobbies. We will delve into all these aspects in this article, and at the end, you will find instructions on how to download the mod.
Game Modes and Features
At this moment, the mod includes 5 jokers and 1 asteroid card, along with all the multiplayer features you would expect. The two modes, attrition and showdown, have players competing in PvP blinds after a specific time, where the player with the highest score wins. Each player starts with a set number of lives (typically 4), and once they run out, they are eliminated. In Attrition mode, players face a boss blind, making each round a thrilling contest to see who has the best hands. Showdown mode allows players to prepare with 3 normal antes before entering an endless ante, where they compete until one player has no lives left.
Currently, the beta offers a rich set of features, including custom lobby options for every game. Room hosts can adjust settings like comeback money, blind rewards upon round loss, lives lost on non-PvP losses, and much more. They can also decide whether players share the same seed or deck, and choose to enable or disable the multiplayer cards included in the mod.
Future Plans and Updates
Keep in mind that, according to Virtualized, all of this information could change. They are still finalizing details about added content like jokers and consumables. I had a quick chat with Virtualized regarding their future goals and how they achieved this level of popularity. When I inquired about their sudden rise, Virtualized mentioned, “I’ve been working on this mod since Balatro launched. Our Discord had about 2,000 members before Bean’s video dropped. It flew under the radar until the YouTube algorithm caught wind, and by early January, our Discord exploded to around 10,000 members, and now we’re at over 20,000.”
During our discussion, Virtualized revealed exciting plans for the future. The modes are set to undergo a redesign, allowing up to eight players per mode. The new modes include:
– Attrition: Similar to the current setup, focusing on 1v1 matchups against bosses.
– Battle Royale: Every player competes in boss blinds, and the bottom 25% will lose a life.
– Precision: Instead of aiming for high scores, players try to get as close to a target score as possible; the closest wins.
– Speedrun: No PvP, the first to complete ante 8 wins, and if you lose a blind, you’ll restart on a new seed.
New Rulesets and Content
Virtualized also shared various rulesets they plan to implement:
– Vanilla: Enjoy the base game of Balatro without any modifications.
– Competitive: Focused on multiplayer gameplay with balance adjustments.
– Tournament: Ensures lobby settings remain unchanged for tournament play.
– Weekly: An arcade-style experience where certain jokers and cards are banned, refreshing every week or two.
Regarding new content, Virtualized mentioned around 20 jokers are planned for the update, with some confirmed jokers like:
– Conjoined Joker: Grants X1 Mult for every Hand your Nemesis has remaining during PvP blinds.
– Jack-in-a-Box: If the first hand is a single Jack, it gets destroyed, creating 2 Trap cards.
– Handshake: If multiple players have this joker at the start of a PvP blind, it gets destroyed, and they gain $20.
– Mastermind: A 50% chance to create a spectral card when activating a trap.
Additionally, they confirmed a unique gimmick called Trap cards, which will function as consumables stored separately. These will be sent by opponents, featuring various effects, with a total of 17 planned. The art competition for these cards recently concluded, and the effects are detailed below:
All of this sounds quite exciting, and there’s a lot of potential ahead. Remember, though, that everything is still subject to change. As a final note, Virtualized mentioned another possible card type called Sabotage, which would activate when a player loses a PvP blind, allowing them to choose an effect that impacts the next round.
For those eager to stay updated on future releases, you can join their Discord for a chance to connect with others interested in this awesome mod.
To install the mod, ensure you have both LovelyInjector and Steammodded set up, along with downloading the Multiplayer mod. Follow the instructions provided, and you should be all set.
A helpful tip: make sure there’s no -main at the end of any mod folders, as this can sometimes interfere with functionality. If you encounter any issues, the Balatro Multiplayer server is a great resource for assistance.
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Tags: Balatro, Mod Mania, Virtualized
February 27, 2025
Balatro’s 4th Friends of Jimbo Update: Fallout, Critical Role & More
Key Takeaways
1. The latest update, Friends of Jimbo 4, introduces 8 new collaborations to Balatro.
2. Each suit in the game now has 2 additional deck customization options.
3. Collaborations include major titles like Assassin’s Creed, Dead by Daylight, and Fallout, alongside indie games like Slay the Princess and Bugsnax.
4. The update features Sid Meier’s Civilization VII and Rust, both adding to the diversity of content.
5. Support for Xbox Game Pass has been added, with more content updates expected later this year.
Only a year after the launch of Balatro, the developer LocalThunk continues to enhance the game with fresh collaborations from both major and indie titles. The newest update, titled Friends of Jimbo 4, introduces an additional 8 collaborations.
Deck Customization Options
As always, these collaborations offer new deck customization options, granting each suit an extra 2 choices for personalization. Let’s kick things off with Spades:
In this suit, you’ll find a mix of a popular AAA game and an indie title. Assassin’s Creed brings forth Ezio and other beloved characters from the franchise. The indie collaboration is from Black Tabby Games, known for the game Slay the Princess. Next, we move to the Hearts suit, which has a unique addition this time.
Unique Collaborations
While there is indeed an indie collaboration here, instead of a AAA game, we see a partnership with Critical Role, a D&D tabletop show that has been gaining massive popularity. Alongside this, the indie game Bugsnax, developed by Young Horses, joins the mix. Next up is Clubs, featuring perhaps the most significant collaborations of this update:
The Club cards showcase two major collaborations. The well-known multiplayer horror game, Dead by Daylight, displays several of its notorious villains on the cards. In addition, the Fallout collaboration features the iconic Vault Boy along with a few new characters. Lastly, we have Diamonds, which includes a collaboration that was released just two weeks before this update:
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII makes its debut in this update, having been released on February 11th. This is paired with the last collaboration featuring Rust, a survival indie title from Facepunch Studios. Furthermore, Balatro’s latest update now includes support for Xbox Game Pass. You can read more about that here.
What’s Next for Players?
Players can be excited for more content from LocalThunk as a highly anticipated update is expected later this year. For those interested in a physical edition, there is one available on Amazon that comes with 10 Balatro cards as a special gift.
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Tags: Balatro, Friends of Jimbo 4, Xbox Game Pass
February 25, 2025
Game with 100K Positive Reviews Now Available on Game Pass
Key Takeaways
1. Gameplay Mechanics: Balatro combines deck-building and poker elements, where players aim to score points by creating strong poker hands while enhancing their deck over multiple rounds.
2. Unique Features: The game includes special jokers that can enhance hands or activate abilities, along with tarot and regular playing cards that introduce new gameplay rules.
3. Positive Reception: Since its release in February 2024, Balatro has received over 100,000 reviews on Steam, with 98% being positive, and a 90 Metascore on Metacritic.
4. Accessibility and Depth: The game is easy to learn but offers deep strategic gameplay, appealing to players who enjoy experimenting with different tactics and card combinations.
5. Xbox Game Pass Availability: Balatro was added to Xbox Game Pass on February 24, 2024, allowing subscribers to access the game without prior announcement, increasing its player base.
Balatro is a game where you build a deck and mix poker with roguelike elements. You play multiple rounds, enhancing your deck and striving to last as long as you can, quite like Slay the Spire but with a poker flair. You start with a basic poker deck, and your aim is to gather points by playing your cards wisely. The better your poker hand, such as a full house or a straight, the more points you can score.
Unique Features
What makes it interesting is the addition of jokers that can boost your hand or activate special abilities. For instance, the Double Joker can double the points of your hand, while the Wild Joker allows you to turn one card into any other. Plus, the game includes tarot cards and regular playing cards that bring new rules into play, making the experience even more diverse.
Impressive Reception
On Steam, Balatro has received more than 100,000 reviews, with an astonishing 98% positive feedback, which is remarkable since it was only released in February 2024. Created by a solo developer named LocalThunk and published by Playstack, the game has also scored well on Metacritic, achieving a 90 Metascore and a User Score of 8.2.
Why Players Love It
It’s clear why Balatro has garnered such a following: The game is straightforward to pick up but has lots of depth. Many gamers enjoy testing out new tactics and playing with various card combinations. Moreover, Xbox Game Pass subscribers can now dive into some roguelike poker fun, as Balatro was added to Microsoft’s gaming subscription on February 24 without any prior announcement. Microsoft shared this update through a trailer on YouTube.
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Tags: Balatro, LocalThunk, Xbox Game Pass
February 21, 2025
Addictive Roguelike Deck Builder Now 15% Off on Steam
Key Takeaways
1. Balatro was highly successful in 2024, achieving millions of sales and receiving multiple awards.
2. The game is currently on sale for 15% off on Steam, with a reasonable initial price.
3. Balatro has minimal system requirements, making it accessible on most PCs from the last 20 years.
4. The game features a Roguelike aspect, ensuring unique experiences in each playthrough.
5. A vibrant modding community enhances the game with new content, including a recent addition of multiplayer mode.
Balatro was without a doubt one of the most impressive games released in 2024. It achieved millions of sales and earned praise from both fans and critics. Although it didn’t take home the major Game of the Year title, it still received numerous awards in various other categories. To celebrate its first year, the game is now on sale on Steam.
Pricing and Discounts
Currently, Balatro is available for 15% off on the platform. Even though the initial price was already reasonable, a discount is always a nice perk. The game has minimal system requirements, meaning you can run it on just about any PC made in the last 20 years, as long as it has a 64-bit operating system. However, don’t be fooled by Balatro’s simple appearance. It contains a lot of complex mechanics that you’ll need to grasp in order to succeed.
Unique Gameplay Experience
Additionally, Balatro features a Roguelike aspect that guarantees every playthrough is unique. Each run is seeded, allowing you to share your experiences with friends or replay it to test different strategies. The game also boasts a lively modding community that offers everything from fresh deck cosmetics to completely new game modes and mechanics. A recent mod has even introduced a multiplayer mode to the game as well.
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Tags: Balatro, roguelike, Steam