Raccoin: Ben Starr's New Addiction is a Chaotic Coin-Pusher Roguelike That's Blowing Minds (and Stacking Tickets)
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Ben Starr, the undisputed king of Balatro, has a new digital addiction, and fair dinkum, it's a chaotic coin-pusher roguelike called Raccoin that's taking the 'make a big number' genre by storm, delivering a constant stream of dopamine hits and surprising strategic depth.
Right, mates, gather 'round! I've been tinkering with this new one all morning, and bloody hell, it’s wilder than a rogue spell cast at a dragon convention. You know Ben Starr, right? The bloke who basically *is* Balatro’s spirit animal, our beloved Jimbo? Well, he's found his next obsession, and honestly, after a few hours with the demo, I reckon he’s onto something truly special with a game called Raccoin.
Now, a coin pusher, eh? Sounds a bit… frivolous, doesn't it? Like watching your hard-earned digital gold just disappear into the ether. I used to feel the same way, standing there at the arcade, pretending the claw machine was my *real* favourite. But there’s a secret sauce to that chaos, a primal satisfaction in watching a cascade of coins. Raccoin, from debut devs Doraccoon and published by Playstack (the same legends behind Balatro, no less), takes that raw, unadulterated pandemonium and cranks it up to eleven, shoving it into a roguelike deckbuilder… or rather, a 'Make a Really Big Number' machine, as some are calling the burgeoning 'Balatrolike' genre. It’s unapologetically a 'coin-pushing dopamine machine,' and fair dinkum, it delivers.
Despite only being in its demo phase, Raccoin has already garnered serious praise. We’re talking 'very positive' Steam reviews, with some keen players sinking over 20 hours into the demo alone. Even Ben Starr himself couldn't help but gush about it in an interview, directly comparing it to the poker roguelike phenomenon. That, my friends, is high praise indeed, like a wizard vouching for a new, powerful (and slightly unstable) spell.
On the surface, it’s deceptively simple. Press one of two buttons, drop a coin. Easy peasy, right? Like casting a basic 'light' cantrip. But then you’re hours in, your brain is doing somersaults trying to keep track of a dozen different mechanics, and you realise you’ve accidentally summoned a sentient coin-eating vortex. I’ve sunk a fair few hours into the demo, and I’m still convinced there are ancient, forbidden strategies I haven't unearthed. But here’s the clever bit: that knowledge gap isn’t frustrating. It feels like learning, like uncovering new magical formulae with every run, which, for a roguelike, is one of the best qualities you can ask for. The game isn’t shy about giving you chances to pull things back from the brink of disaster, even letting you powerfully shake the machine when you've gone bankrupt. Pure, unadulterated chaos, but with a safety net… mostly.
So, what are we juggling in this digital coin cavern? You’ve got three types of coins – regular copper ones, special ones, and the absolutely villainous 'bad coins' – those annoying little gremlins that actively try to ruin your fun, like a spell backfiring spectacularly. Then there are keychains, chips, prizes, and a reward wheel, all affecting your run in different ways. To put it in Balatro terms, think of keychains as your vouchers, adding modifiers like extra scoring, and chips as your jokers, providing persistent boons. Prizes are your single-use items, helping you out of a sticky situation, like spawning a black hole to hoover up coins.
The reward wheel, oh the reward wheel, is one of the biggest providers of pure, unadulterated chaos within the game. It spins automatically when you score enough combos, granting big boons like a tall coin tower spawning in the middle of the board. Imagine the sheer, raw dopamine hit of that!
You're not just buying a 'deck' of coins here; the entire board is your ever-evolving arsenal. Copper coins are shot out from the sides, while special coins are stored in a clip (which you can upgrade, naturally) and can be aimed with a bit more precision. Some coins provide passive benefits and are better left on the board, like the Clover Coin that ups your chances of converting copper into silver. Others do wackier things, like the backwards-hopping Frog Coin or the explosive Boom Coin. And those pesky bad coins? They infiltrate your machine every few rounds, like the Minus Coin that subtracts value or the Profiteer Coin that jacks up shop prices. Never fear though, mate, items like the aptly-named Killer Coin can take care of them quickly, or they can be shoved off the board by other means.
Beyond the actual coin-pushing madness, you’ve got choices before you even start flinging digital currency. There are two characters available in the demo: the manager, who’s more focused on 'ticket econ' and math-based combos (sounds like my tax wizard), and the biologist, who's all about flora and fauna-centric items. Each brings their own unique flavour to the chaos, much like choosing a different school of magic. The final version promises even more characters – the Steam listing hints at four in total, which is exciting for replayability.
And then there are 'slot cards,' which are basically like picking your starting deck in Balatro, adding subtle modifiers like an extra chip slot or an exchange each round. The full game will even have a difficulty system reminiscent of Balatro's coloured chips, which is a clever touch, eh? It’s all about giving players meaningful choices to augment their chaotic journey.
And then there are those moments, those utterly glorious, heart-stopping, ‘I probably should have abandoned this run’ moments. You’re staring down bankruptcy, convinced you've messed up the whole arcane ritual, when suddenly, a single rogue coin tumbles, triggers a combo, spins the prize wheel, and *BAM*! A massive coin tower spawns, cascading tickets and points like a dragon hoarding treasure. It’s the gaming equivalent of shouting 'Avada Kedavra!' and accidentally summoning a flock of friendly unicorns. That rollercoaster of ‘it’s so over’ to ‘we’re so back’ isn't just a promise; it's a fundamental part of Raccoin's chaotic charm, delivering those dopamine hits like clockwork.
So, what's the verdict, you ask? Raccoin might take a few well-loved pages from the Balatro playbook, but don't you dare call it a copycat. It's an original, vibrant roguelike that genuinely amplifies the simple pleasure and underlying chaos of a classic arcade coin pusher. It's innovative, it's addicting, and it serves up those glorious 'make a big number' moments like they're going out of style. The final release date is still a bit of a mystery, but the demo? It’s out there, free for the taking. Honestly, if you're looking for your next brain-scratching, dopamine-cascading obsession, you'd be a mug not to give it a whirl. Go on, mate, what are you waiting for? Your next addiction awaits.
Tags: Raccoin, Balatro, Roguelike, Coin Pusher, Indie Game
Original article: Polygon