Balatro creator Localthunk has done what most players wouldn’t even attempt—completing every last challenge in their own game, including the brutally tough “Completionist++” achievement. That means winning with every deck at the toughest difficulty (gold stake) and earning gold stickers on all joker cards, stuff that usually takes even seasoned players hundreds of hours.
The roguelike deckbuilder, which landed in 2024, has built a loyal following for its strategic depth and tricky gameplay, as players put together poker hands and hunt for special cards to beat crazier and crazier rounds. Completionist++ is pretty much the badge of honor in the game, demanding not just top-level wins, but all those little achievements with every single joker card.
“This gives me valuable perspective on the game’s systems, balance, and user experience,” Localthunk said recently. The developer pointed out that really grinding through the hardest stuff has given them a ton of insight that’ll come in handy for the big update coming up.
Finishing Balatro at the highest level takes some serious know-how—from picking the right deck, to working out the best joker combos, and top-scoring plays. Winning on gold stakes is one thing, but getting gold stickers means you have to finish the last boss with the right Joker cards still in your deck.
“That’s an insane achievement,” one fan said after nearly 200 hours on Balatro. “I’ve won with every deck on gold stake, but Completionist++ would take easily double that time.”
Another player admitted, “Completionist++ turned out to be more fun than I expected. It creates an interesting challenge to see how many useful jokers you could swap out at the end just to grab the ones you need for those gold stickers.”
What Localthunk pulled off shows that despite the random stuff the game throws at you, real skill and clever choices can make all the difference—a big deal for a genre where people always argue about luck versus skill.
Dev mode: Activated
Localthunk’s do-it-yourself playthrough really stands out, especially since so many devs never end up putting themselves through everything their most hardcore fans do. By smashing through it all, the creator gets a genuine feel for what’s fun, what’s annoying, and what’s broken—stuff that could have slipped through the cracks otherwise.
There’s no word yet on when the major update will land, but players should feel confident knowing the new content is designed by someone who’s seen every nook and cranny. The community is itching for fresh challenges, jokers, and game-changing ideas to push Balatro even further.
