Games Like Balatro is a popular game featuring deck building by using a standard card deck. This video game is the most recent addition to the card game genre and was launched on 20 February 2024. Initially, it was released for platforms like Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. However, due to its immense popularity in such a short time, we can see this game on Android, and iOS in the coming times.
Players have found this game quite interesting and play it among their groups. On the other side, gaming platform owners also seek it as a great opportunity and are looking to launch a similar game so they can attract global players and drive high ROI for their platforms/sites. If you are looking to develop games like Balatro? If yes, this blog is for you! Here we will discuss various aspects of developing a similar game that will help you make informed decisions.
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Balatro is a card game inspired by poker. This game requires the players to build decks using a standard deck of 52 playing cards. In this game, the players have to combine valid poker hands with unique joker cards to create different builds. As you progress, you uncover several hidden bonuses and decks and also get to earn chips to beat blinds. Blinds are nothing but obstacles that must be defeated to progress in the game. You need to defeat the blind and beat the final ante to win the game.
There is one Ante which is made of three blinds. To secure victory, you have to win a run of all 8 antes by scoring enough chips which are earned through playing high-score hands. Additionally, the players can improve their decks with several items that can change the rule of Balatro. These items can be bought from the shop during rounds.
Creating a Balatro-like game is a challenging task and requires several steps. Various steps are needed to build the game from conceptualisation to implementation to deployment. Let’s explore each step and know how the game is developed.
It is a pre-development phase that includes target market analysis and the making of a blueprint of the game.
The first step is to analyse the target market to know your competitors and their offerings. With proper market research, you can identify the strong and weak points of the competitors and the demands of the customers in the market. This will help you make informed decisions in developing your own game like Balatro.
The next step after analyzing the market is to create a blueprint, also known as the whitepaper. It is basically a document that rules the complete development process of the application software. It’s just like comparing it to the blueprint of the construction of a building. Here the blueprint contains the necessary information on Balatro-like game development including features, cost, and more that guide the game developers throughout the development process.
Development stage which includes designing and developing the game akin to Balatro and its testing.
In the production phase, the first step involves creating the game’s user interface. The difference between UI and UX is that UI refers to the interactivity, overall look and appeal of the game, on the other hand, user interface (UI) refers to the interactivity, look, and feel of a game’s interface while user experience refers to the overall experience with the game.
The second step in the production phase after UI/UX design is to create the game app by leveraging modernistic tools and tech stack, advanced programming languages. The game developers integrate the features into the game as per the documentation and make the Balatro game-like app live. When the app is live to use, it is then checked by the game tester team.
The game testers check the newly developed app to identify bugs in the app that can deteriorate the game’s performance. For testing, the team uses advanced testing tools and strategies like functional testing, regression testing, functionality testing, combinational testing, play testing, etc. When the testing part is complete, a similar app like Balatro will be ready for launch.
A stage after development including game deployment on the market and marketing for increasing the reach to a wider audience.
The final step is to launch your game similar to Balatro in the market like Android’s Play Store, and Apple’s App Store. You also need marketing for your game to enhance its reach to a large audience across the world. For marketing, there are various marketing strategies such as digital content marketing, social media marketing, advertising, etc which boost the game’s user base.
Post-deployment support is a necessary part of the game development process. It is important to hire a developer who provides maintenance and support after game deployment. This benefits you in the long run as you will get timely app updates, bug identification and removal, and the addition of new features to the game akin to Balatro as per the latest trends.
Also Read:- Develop Best Poker Game App
Cost is one of the prominent factors when you are developing a similar game. Several factors make up the overall cost of Balatro game development. The average cost of building a game similar to Balatro starts from $5,000 to $11,000 with optimum features and functions for any platform like Android, iOS, and Windows. The cost can go up to $18,000 or more with high-end features. It is important to note that these costs are an average estimation. If you want to know the exact cost of your project then contact BR Softech and share your business idea with them.
Also, several factors affect the cost of creating games like Balatro. Here is the list of top factors affecting the cost:
Here is the cost of developing a game matching to Balatro for different platforms:
| Platform | Cost Range |
| Android | $5,000 ~ $8,000 |
| iOS | $7,500 ~ $11,000 |
| Windows | $6,000 ~ $ 9,500 |
BR Softech is a leading card game development company with years of experience in creating top-notch card games like Balatro for various platforms. Our highly skilled team of designers and developers are well-versed in using modern tools and technologies to create best-in-class card games for gaming platforms across the globe. If you are inspired by the concept of this game and want to have your own game that is highly matching to Balatro, then look no further than BR Softech. Share your idea with us and we will make the best game app for you. Choose us and get the best perks:
Ans. Balatro is a poker-style game where players have to create decks with the objective of winning the game by scoring sufficient points (chips) with the help of high-scoring hands. Additionally, the players can also improve their decks with several items that can alter the game rules. These items can be bought from the in-game shop during the game.
Ans. The player has to build a beck that can make a strong hand with enough score to defeat the blind. Here blind is the major obstacle that the player must overcome to progress in the game. In every round, the player must score enough points to defeat the blind, if failed to do so the player may lose the game.
Ans. We develop top-notch card games like Balatro for clients worldwide. Contact BR Softech to get customized and cost-effective similar games for your business.
Ans. Our diverse range of card game dvelopment solutions for various platforms including Android, iOS, and Windows includes games similar to Balatro with customizations available.
