LocalThunk, the creator of the wildly successful indie game Balatro, has declared Animal Well his personal Game of the Year for 2024. This accolade, playfully dubbed the "Golden Thunk" award, highlights the captivating gameplay and unique style of Animal Well, calling it a "true masterpiece" by its solo developer, Billy Basso.
Balatro, a deck-building game released in February 2024, achieved phenomenal success, selling over 3.5 million copies and earning critical acclaim. Its success, however, didn't overshadow LocalThunk's appreciation for other indie gems of 2024, including the critically lauded Animal Well, which rivaled Balatro's own reception.
On Twitter, LocalThunk praised Animal Well's "engrossing experience" and its abundance of style and secrets. Basso, in response, affectionately recognized LocalThunk as a remarkably humble and kind developer. This exchange generated positive feedback from fans, celebrating the camaraderie and mutual respect within the indie game development community.
Beyond Animal Well, LocalThunk also highlighted several other 2024 favorites, including Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, Arco, Nova Drift, Ballionaire, and Mouthwashing, detailing his appreciation for each in a subsequent Twitter thread. Interestingly, Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, like Balatro, is a pixel art deck-building game created by a solo developer.
Despite Balatro's massive success, LocalThunk continues to actively support the game with free updates. Three "Friends of Jimbo" updates have already introduced crossover content from popular titles such as Cyberpunk 2077, Among Us, and Dave the Diver. Further collaborations, potentially with another prominent 2024 game, are hinted at for the future.
