Balatro

Balatro takes the basic idea of poker and turns it into one of the most addictive roguelikes that has ever existed. You play familiar hands such as pairs or straights, but the goal is to create increasingly ridiculous scores instead of simply beating another player’s cards.

Much of the strategy comes from Jokers. There are tons of them, and each one can change the way your deck scores or behaves. One run might reward you for playing face cards, while another encourages you to build everything around a particular poker hand.

You’ll also find vouchers and upgraded cards that can completely change your strategy. Of course, not everything is as easy as it sounds. You’ll need to build the right strategy to get the job done. Plus, there are things like Boss Blinds that introduce additional restrictions, forcing you to adapt a deck that may have seemed unstoppable a few rounds earlier.

Balatro is one of the most addictive games you’ll ever play, so maybe it’s not a good idea to download it onto your iPhone. Challenge modes and several unlockable decks give you plenty to chase after long after you understand the basic rules.