Balatro vs Star Wars Zero Company
Fast, cheap deck-building runs versus deliberate tactical campaigns — pick your pacing, not your genre.
Updated 22d ago
Definitive deck-building poker roguelike that holds up past 100 hours, with free Friends of Jimbo updates adding new collab card packs.
The best Star Wars tactics game since the IP went AAA — buy, but wait a patch for the save corruption.
By the numbers
Prices checked Sep 9; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Sep 9.
| Measure | Balatro | Star Wars Zero Company |
|---|---|---|
| Value Balatro wins on value | ||
| Price now | $11.34 −24% · GameBillet | $49.99 Steam |
| All-time low | $10.15 | $49.99 |
| Cost / hour | $1.49/hr $11.34 · 8 h main story | — |
| Off its low | +12% low was Jul 2026 | At its low low was Jun 2026 |
| Main story | 8 h | — |
| Health Balatro wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 98% 198k reviews | 83% 21k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 97% 2k votes · vs 98% lifetime | 82% 21k votes · vs 83% lifetime |
| Peak players | 10,017 Aug 2026 · ↑ 5% MoM | — Not yet charted |
| Launch peak | 29% of Feb 2024 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 | — |
| All-time peak | 43,825 Jan 2025 | — |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 23 months ago | 13 days ago |
| Patch cadence | 0 in last 90 days | 1 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Platinum | Platinum |
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
Balatro
The addictive roguelike loop of Balatro, with its endless joker and tarot combos, keeps 100+ hour players chasing new synergies.
The reliance on early-game luck and frequent restarts after bad tags or discards is the frustration veterans with 100+ hours consistently hit.
from our May 2026 verdict
Star Wars Zero Company
Unit synergy built around support and intra-squad combos is what 50-hour fans keep replaying, not raw firepower.
Save-file loss on crashes, UE5 smear, and an in-game economy long-haul reviewers call slack for a $50 buy.
from our September 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Balatro if
- You have 15-minute chunks and want a portable run on mobile
- You love Slay the Spire and poker hand recognition puzzles
- You replay games for mastery rather than a one-time story
Pick Star Wars Zero Company if
- You want a gritty Star Wars narrative with character arcs
- You crave XCOM-style tactics and accept slow pacing
- You can tolerate bugs at launch if the story is strong
Bottom line
Balatro's 98% positive reviews and low cost per hour make it a safe pick; Zero Company's 8.8/10 verdict is strong but wait for patches if bugs bother you.