Here’s a video game crossover that’s pretty cool: You can actually play a version of indie card game Balatro in Dave the Diver. It makes sense: Dave is already in Balatro. It’s only natural for Balatro to come to the fishing and restaurant management simulator.
The version of Balatro found in Dave the Diver is playable underwater in the Sea People Village, where it’s referred to as Jimbo’s Game — a nod to the joker in Balatro. It’s not common for a game crossover to actually put another game inside the other, so this one feels pretty special. Players who defeat several sea people in Jimbo’s Game will get a special charm that makes weapons more powerful. It makes sense for Dave the Diver, too: The Sea People Village has lots of games, including a memory card game that sea person Junak is stupid good at.
Announced earlier this year but released on Thursday, the Dave & Friends update brings two other collaborations into the game, too: singer mxmtoon and alchemy simulator Potion Craft. It’s the latest in a series of updates for Dave the Diver, which has racked up lots of interesting crossovers, including Dredge and Godzilla himself.
On Balatro’s end, developer LocalThunk announced a new update that drops Thursday adding new cosmetic card skins that cross over with other games. (Dave the Diver is already in there.) This update adds card faces inspired by Stardew Valley, Cyberpunk 2077, Slay the Spire, and The Binding of Isaac.
It’s a good time for Balatro. Bigger gameplay updates are on the way, and LocalThunk just released the game on mobile — something that’s been a real challenge for my productivity. And, per Polygon’s Oli Welsh, Balatro is a frontrunner for this year’s indie game of the year awards.
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