Balatro, the breakout hit of early 2024, boasts over 3.5 million copies sold and three Game Awards wins. Its enduring popularity stems from innovative gameplay and near-limitless replayability. However, seasoned players might seek ways to revitalize their experience.

While modding offers one solution, accessing Balatro's built-in developer debug menu provides an alternative. This cheat menu allows players to craft ideal Joker combinations without seed hunting, while preserving achievements—a perfect option for those avoiding mods.

Quick Links

• Enabling Cheats in Balatro

• Using the Debug Menu in Balatro

How to Enable Cheats in Balatro

Activating Balatro's debug menu requires the free, open-source 7-Zip software. Locate your Balatro installation directory (typically C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Balatro). If not found, access it through your Steam library: right-click Balatro, select "Manage," then "Browse Local Files."

Right-click Balatro.exe and open the archive using 7-Zip (may be under "Show More Options"). Locate conf.lua and open it with a text editor (e.g., Notepad).

Modify _RELEASE_MODE = true to _RELEASE_MODE = false, then save. If saving fails, extract conf.lua to your desktop, make the change, and replace the original file. The debug menu will now activate by holding the Tab key in-game.

To disable cheats, revert _RELEASE_MODE to true in conf.lua.

How to Use the Debug Menu in Balatro

Balatro's cheat menu is user-friendly. Unlock collectibles by hovering and pressing '1'; spawn jokers by hovering and pressing '3'. Initially limited to five jokers, pressing 'Q' four times on a joker in hand transforms it into a negative, effectively allowing unlimited jokers.

All Balatro Cheats (Hold Tab to Open Menu)