Dicevaders: The Roguelike Deckbuilder That'll Hook You

Dicevaders is a roguelike deckbuilder where you roll dice to activate units on a grid. With clever resource management, it offers deep strategy and fair challenge.

Ever find yourself sneaking in one more run before work? That's exactly what happened with Dicevaders, a roguelike deckbuilder that's dangerously addictive. You play as the captain of an alien invasion force, activating units on a grid using three dice. Each column on the grid corresponds to a dice number, and after you roll, the outcome determines which columns score. Your units don't fight; they just have strength stats that form your base score each turn. For example, roll a pair of threes and a six, and units in the third column get their strength doubled, while the sixth column scores base strength. Hit a target damage number across four turns to trigger the invasion; miss it and you start losing health until it's game over.

What sets Dicevaders apart is how much control you have over the dice. You've got two key resources: Budge, which lets you nudge a dice roll up or down by one per turn, and Chrono, which lets you re-roll all dice. Both are finite but not stingy, and you can earn more between turns. You also get cash to buy units, artifacts, and these currencies, and you can freeze an item for later if you're short on cash. All this gives you the power to turn your luck around, making the game feel fair rather than frustrating.

Managing your units is just as important. Most have special abilities: teleporting, attacking multiple times if placed on the bottom row, or randomly activating other units. Positioning and boosting strength stats are key. You can even sacrifice one unit to give its strength to another, creating powerful synergies. For instance, feed a buffed unit to one that attacks six times in the sixth column, and suddenly it's six times more useful. Or build a network of Swarmers that share one giant strength stat, dealing consistent damage regardless of rolls. The strategic depth is staggering, and the game teaches you as you go.

Dicevaders repackages art and characters from last year's Starvaders, another roguelike deckbuilder with a shooter bent. But this one is different: it's a cartoonish alien invasion skin over a game about managing outrageous numbers. It might not feel completely new, especially if you're burned out on Balatro-likes, but it's the real deal in terms of high-level synergies and control. You won't feel like you're wasting time; there are too many unit types to rely on a single strategy, keeping each run fresh.

After just a few tutorial screens, I was already scoring in the millions, but I still don't fully understand the game's shape. That's the roguelike sweet spot. So, will you be picking this up? Let us know in the comments!