Dice of Kalma is a masterclass in risk management disguised as a tabletop RPG. It belongs to the growing genre of 'dice-builders,' where your primary weapon isn't a deck of cards, but a custom set of polyhedrals. The strategy here is immense—you aren't just rolling and hoping; you’re building your dice to have higher probabilities for specific elemental types or defensive shields.
The game feels incredibly tactile for a digital experience. There’s a weight to the dice physics that makes a critical roll feel genuinely impactful. The synergy between relics and your dice faces is where the true depth lies. It’s a game where a 'bad roll' isn't necessarily a failure, but a prompt to use your reroll resources or secondary abilities to salvage the turn. For fans of Slay the Spire or Balatro, this is a perfect next step.
Roguelikes are a dime a dozen these days, but Dice of Kalma at least brings a decent dice-management mechanic to the table. It’s reminiscent of Dicey Dungeons, but with a darker, more serious aesthetic. I like that you can manipulate your rolls to an extent, which mitigates the 'RNG' frustration. However, some enemies have absurdly powerful abilities that feel unfair if you don't have the perfect build. It's a bit too reliant on meta-progression to feel rewarding in the short term. It’s a good game for someone who likes thinking three turns ahead, but it’s not reinventing the wheel.
Performance: Solid performance; battery consumption is moderate.
Buy if: You enjoy Slay the Spire or Dicey Dungeons and want a new challenge.
Skip if: You have zero patience for RNG or slow-paced combat.
Available on: iPhone, iPad, iPod
Version 1.3.7Thu Apr 09 2026
- Fixed a freeze when running out of a skull color in endless mode.
- Fixed being able to reach the level limit in endless mode.
- Fixed getting stuck in the hand upgrade window when continuing a save with all hands at max level.
- Fixed random skulls rendering over the lock icon in daily mode.
Requires iOS 15.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.Dice of Kalma is a deckbuilding roguelike where you play dice against Kalma, the grim guardian of the Underworld.
"A roguelike that scratches the post-Balatro itch" - Qualbert
"Beautifully simple and utterly engrossing" - The Escapist
Looking for your next obsession? Dice of Kalma is a deckbuilding roguelike where you challenge Kalma, the grim guardian of the Underworld. Roll dice to build poker hands, collect powerful skulls with game-changing abilities, and discover devastating synergies. Every run is different. How far can you push your luck before Kalma claims your soul?
ROLL THE DICE
Select and reroll unwanted dice to chase ever more valuable hands. Strategically pace your rerolls or go all in chasing the ultimate hand to play!
BUILD A DECK OF SKULLS
Choose skulls to add to your deck and find new opportunities to increase your score. Experiment, find synergies, and try different playstyles. Construct a deck of skulls to turn even the worst hand of dice around, or pick skulls that reward risky play and pushing your luck.
PLAY HANDS
Activate as many skulls as possible with every hand and use your rerolls to gain every advantage you can. Upgrade chosen hands to increase their value and complement your deck of skulls to meet increasingly difficult challenges.
FAIL AND TRY AGAIN
If you run out of hands, it's game over for you. Don’t worry, though. Persistence is rewarded, and the guardian of the Underworld seems to grow fond of you coming back to challenge him for just one more round.
















Dice of Kalma is a unique blend of strategy and chance. Players navigate through challenging encounters using a custom pool of dice to cast spells and defeat enemies. As you progress, you can upgrade specific faces of your dice and discover relics that synergize with your playstyle, making every run a fresh tactical puzzle.
Deep dice-face customization
Tactical reroll and locking mechanics
Over 100 mystical relics to collect
Procedural world map with branching paths
Don't go all-in on damage. Ensure your dice have at least two 'Shield' or 'Heal' faces to survive the attrition of later stages. Luck can be mitigated with a balanced build.
With over 100000 downloads on the iOS App Store alone, Dice of Kalma has proved to be pretty dang popular, and you'll soon be able to dive...
Pocket Gamer - Tue Jan 27 2026
Take a look at the launch trailer for Dice of Kalma, a deckbuilding roguelike game where your ultimate mission is to win a game of dice...
IGN - Wed Dec 03 2025
Pepperbox Studios has presented its reimagining of the classic gambling game.
IXBT.games - Wed Dec 03 2025
Take on the Finnish god of death with this roguelite dice-battler, picking from over 200 different modifiers to suit your build.
Pocket Gamer - Wed Dec 03 2025
Review: Dice of Kalma feels a little too much like Balatro, but with dice - though it's still an enjoyable roguelike.
GameSpew - Wed Dec 03 2025
The best roguelike games are those that feature a simple gameplay loop, allowing players to harness their strategies and grab powerful items...
The Escapist - Mon Nov 03 2025
You get two rerolls per turn. Lock in your 'Utility' dice first—these provide mana for your relics. Then, spend your rerolls chasing the big damage combinations needed for elite enemies.
No. Strategy lies in how you customize your dice faces and mitigate risk through rerolls and relic abilities.