Diecast turns dice rolling into a dangerously addictive roguelite game

I play a lot of demos, and there is nothing that makes me happier than finding one that keeps me playing for hours. Admittedly, this can play havoc with my productivity, but the games behind these demos often go on to become some of my favorite indie games of all time. The latest addition to that already long list is Diecast, and I’m hooked. 

Diecast is a dice-rolling roguelite game by solo dev Sofamire that feels like buildable Yahtzee, challenging you to throw dice and collect hands (not throw hands, that’s entirely different) to beat increasingly higher target scores. As you progress, you unlock new hands while building up your collection of dice. Pins provide additional perks, and gradually, the numbers start to go brrr in a way that has never felt so satisfying.  

Yahtz-eat your heart out

If you’ve ever played Yahtzee, you’ll know the exact vibes of Diecast: within a certain number of rolls, you need to collect matching dice that form certain patterns to earn points. Two, three, four, and five of a kind are the basic ones, but then there are other hands like full house (three of one and two of another) or straights (a selection of numbers that go in sequence). 

That’s the basic premise of both Yahtzee and Diecast, but Diecast does something Yahtzee only wishes it had thought of: it removes limits and offers upgrades. 

No shade on Yahtzee; it remains one of my all-time favorite non-screen games to play, but there are certain limitations to it, not least the fact that you’re limited to five dice and three rolls per turn. In Diecast, you can buy additional dice that get added to the mix with your original five, unlock different types of hands, and even earn additional rolls per turn to maximize your chances of getting the best hand. 

There is something incredibly satisfying about throwing nine dice at the same time and seeing all the little groups of matching dice appear, knowing that somewhere in the pile, there’s an absolutely massive score waiting to be found. Thankfully, you don’t need to do too much guesswork in Diecast, because it doesn’t force you to lock in your dice until the last moment.

Money comes, money goes

Like most roguelites, Diecast progresses through different levels, letting you pick which opponent you take on next. Easy opponents have the lowest target scores but lower-rarity loot in the store, while more difficult opponents could wipe you out. But hey, you get to explore the rare loot, so swings and roundabouts. 

The store is where you really start making the numbers go brrr. Of course, there are new dice to be purchased, and you can even sell old ones to make room for new, more valuable dice, but that’s not all you can buy. There are also pins, which add overall multipliers if certain conditions are met, but perhaps the most valuable purchases are hands. 

You start a run of Diecast with the four basic hands available to choose from: two through five of a kind, plus the “Trash” option, which gives you a small consolation reward for a hand that doesn’t fit anywhere else. Side note: I’ve never used the Trash option because you’re more than likely to get at least a pair. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, though!

For the remaining three slots, you’re free to choose from new hands as they appear in the shop, but picking well is important. You could buy the straights, but they’re statistically more difficult to roll than, say, a full house. I love messing around with different combinations of hands, and luckily you can always sell them back if you feel like one is just taking up space and not getting any use. 

Unpredictable numbers

I’m not sure if it was just something my parents did or a more generally accepted rule of Yahtzee, but once I picked a die to keep, it was locked in, even if I had two rolls left on my turn. This was always particularly frustrating for young Paula, because it meant I had to forfeit some potentially high-scoring hands through hasty decisions. 

In Diecast, you can constantly move your dice around. For example, if you roll three fives in the first roll but then roll four sixes in the second, you can remove the fives you already saved and put the sixes in their place. Sometimes this results in a massive points boost, which is nice, but higher numbers on the dice don’t necessarily mean a higher score. 

Your hands level up as you play them, meaning the ones you select more often eventually earn higher scores. However, leaving a hand unused also temporarily increases how much it’s worth, so maximizing your points needs some critical thinking. Sure, you could play three hands of five sixes in a row, but you could also forfeit some of the score to build a multiplier boost on that option, then hit it for huge numbers. 

I’m now in the terrible predicament of having found a new favorite game that hasn’t been fully released yet, but thankfully Diecast is releasing on November 3, 2026, so I don’t have too long to wait. Until then, we can all play the demo on Steam and get hooked on dice rolling.