LocalThunk, the creator of the wildly successful indie game Balatro, has declared Animal Well his 2024 Game of the Year. Balatro, a deck-building game released in February 2024, sold over 3.5 million copies and garnered critical acclaim. However, LocalThunk's choice highlights the impressive year for indie games, with titles like Neva, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, and UFO 50 also making waves. Animal Well, in particular, achieved a level of critical success comparable to Balatro.

LocalThunk's "Golden Thunk" award, announced on Twitter, celebrates Animal Well's "engrossing experience," "style," and "secrets," calling it Shared Memory developer Billy Basso's "true masterpiece." Basso responded, indirectly praising LocalThunk's humility. Fans in the comments section celebrated the evident camaraderie and positive spirit within the indie development community.

Beyond Animal Well, LocalThunk shared his other top indie games of 2024, including Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, Arco, Nova Drift, Ballionaire, and Mouthwashing, highlighting aspects he particularly enjoyed in each. Notably, Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, like Balatro, is a solo-developed, pixel art deck-building game.

Despite Balatro's phenomenal success, LocalThunk continues to support the game with free updates. Three "Friends of Jimbo" updates have already introduced crossover content from popular titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Among Us, and Dave the Diver. Further collaborations are hinted at, suggesting continued growth and engagement with the gaming community.