Summary
- Stardew Valley and Balatro were featured in the USA Today crossword puzzle, showcasing their popularity.
- Stardew Valley has a strong following and won awards.
- Fans of both games on social media expressed delight at seeing the indie games featured in a major publication’s puzzle.
References to Stardew Valley and Balatro have popped up in the USA Today crossword puzzle. The surprising nods to Stardew Valley and Balatro may indicate just how far the games have come since their releases.
Stardew Valley is an extremely popular game despite being an indie title. Over the years since its release, more and more players have found the charm of Pelican Town, its residents, and the overall title. Balatro is no slouch either, earning millions of dollars in short order. This popularity is probably part of why the games showed up in this crossword.
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USA Today’s crossword puzzle for March 19 includes a clue relating to Stardew Valley, and one referencing Balatro. The crossword, which has the theme “Plot Twist” for the day, asks its players for a four-letter word for 40 Across, with a clue of “Items that can be smelted in Stardew Valley.” While the puzzle might confuse those who’ve never been exposed to the game, Stardew Valley fans’ minds might immediately go to something like iron or gold. However, the answer is actually “ores.” Meanwhile, award-winning roguelike deck-builder Balatro gets a nod as well, with 59 Across being a “Balatro level” with four letters. The answer to that particular entry is “Ante.”
Games Appear as Trivia Puzzle References
As it turns out, this isn’t the first time that a major puzzle has featured Stardew Valley. Previously, the long-running game show Jeopardy referenced Stardew Valley. In that case, players were asked what kind of place was inherited from their Grandpa in Stardew Valley, which is, of course, a reference to the farm that players receive the deed to in the opening moments of the game. It’s worth pointing out that the crossword puzzle would be easier to answer for anyone unfamiliar with the game, as smelting ores doesn’t have to be connected to Stardew. Comparatively, knowing about the farm without knowing anything about the game would make the Jeopardy question much tougher.
On social media, Stardew Valley and Balatro fans alike seem to be delighted at the nods to the two hit indie games. Some expressed surprise at the notion of indie games being featured in a well-known publication’s puzzle like this one, but others have pointed out that both Stardew Valley and Balatro have been nominated for and won numerous awards, including the Golden Joystick’s Breakthrough Award for Stardew Valley and Best Indie Game for Balatro. It might still pose a challenge for some, but chances are most gamers will at least recognize their titles.
- Released
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February 26, 2016
- ESRB
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E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)
- Developer(s)
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ConcernedApe
- Publisher(s)
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ConcernedApe