Balatro's poker-themed version of a deck-building roguelike was an instant hit earlier this year, so when I heard there was a 'Balatro but Solitaire' game floating around, of course I had to jump on it. free demo.
Solitaire Battle is the appropriately named deck builder “that combines solitaire and auto-battle, inspired by games like Balatro.” The rules here are largely the same as the solitaire many of us have wasted hours chasing after fireworks, but in reverse. Instead of creating columns of cards that line up on the screen, you separate them by clicking on consecutive cards. In an auto battle turn, you will attack your enemy once you have a streak, and when you have no more moves to make, it will be your opponent's turn.
All Balatro-ness comes with random upgrades you can purchase between solo battles that could, say, increase your base attack damage, give you more shop reps, weaken enemies, and generally alter your playstyle. Things get even more complex when you start unlocking entirely new characters, separate from the default robed Link lookalike, who twist your runs even further.
The itch.io demo of Solitaire Battle has been available for months, but it recently received another major update that brings the game up to “13 heroes to play or face on the battlefield, over 50 skills and artifacts to acquire, 10 bosses to defeat, Over 30 achievements to unlock, 3 difficulty levels” and a “looped post-game that continues until you lose.” Some of the tutorials and upgrades aren't as clear as Balatro's, meaning you can't just jump in and have fun in about 15 seconds, but Solitaire Battle is still on and I was hooked, regardless of a few small caveats.
For more, look at other interesting ones upcoming indie games on the horizon.