Buckshot Roulette Guide: Everything You Need to Beat the Dealer
Buckshot Roulette is a tabletop horror game by Estonian developer Mike Klubnika, first released on itch.io on December 28, 2023, and later published on Steam by CRITICAL REFLEX on April 4, 2024. Instead of a revolver, you and the Dealer take turns with a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with a visible mix of live shells and blanks. By December 2024 the game had sold over 4 million copies — and the free browser version above lets you experience the same nerve-shredding loop without downloading anything.
The rules fit on a napkin: the Dealer loads the shotgun and shows you how many shells are live and how many are blank. On your turn, you point the gun at the Dealer or at yourself. Shooting the Dealer with a live shell deals damage; shooting yourself with a blank gives you a free extra turn. Everything else is math, memory, and nerve.
All Items at a Glance
Items are what turn Buckshot Roulette from a coin flip into a strategy game. Here is the complete reference — see the full items guide for detailed usage tips.
| Item | Effect | Available In |
|---|---|---|
| Magnifying Glass | Reveals the shell currently in the chamber | Base game |
| Beer | Racks the shotgun, ejecting the current shell | Base game |
| Cigarette Pack | Restores 1 charge (health) | Base game |
| Handcuffs | Opponent skips their next turn | Base game |
| Hand Saw | Saws the barrel — next shot deals 2 damage | Base game |
| Burner Phone | Reveals a random shell further down the sequence | Double or Nothing |
| Expired Medicine | 40% chance to heal 2 charges, otherwise lose 1 | Double or Nothing |
| Adrenaline | Steal an opponent's item and use it immediately | Double or Nothing |
| Inverter | Flips the chambered shell: live becomes blank, blank becomes live | Double or Nothing |
| Jammer | Forces a chosen player to skip a turn | Multiplayer only |
Core Strategy: Count the Shells
- Track every shell fired. If the round started 3 live / 2 blank and two lives have gone off, the remaining pool is 1 live / 2 blank — now the odds favor pointing at yourself for a free turn.
- Shoot yourself only when blanks are the majority (or when you have information from the Magnifying Glass or Burner Phone).
- When lives are the majority, shoot the Dealer. Simple expected-value play beats gut feeling.
- Known live shell + Hand Saw is the strongest combo in the game: 2 damage, no guesswork.
- Never waste the Magnifying Glass on a known shell. Use it when the pool is close to 50/50 — that's when information is worth the most.
For a full walkthrough of Dealer patterns, item combos, and round-by-round decision rules, read the complete strategy guide.
Free Web Version vs Steam Version
The browser version on this page covers the core single-player experience against the Dealer. The paid Steam release ($2.99) adds several layers on top:
| Feature | Web (free) | Steam ($2.99) |
|---|---|---|
| Core Dealer run (3 rounds) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Double or Nothing mode | — | ✔ (with 4 extra items, up to $70,000 winnings) |
| Online multiplayer (up to 4 players) | — | ✔ (added October 31, 2024) |
| Achievements & trading cards | — | ✔ |
Details and a recommendation on when the upgrade is worth it: web version vs Steam compared. Curious about the 4-player mode? See the multiplayer guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Buckshot Roulette free?
The original itch.io release and the browser version on this page are free to play. The full Steam version costs $2.99 and adds Double or Nothing, multiplayer, and achievements.
How long is a run?
A standard run against the Dealer takes about 15–20 minutes across three rounds with rising stakes.
Can I play Buckshot Roulette on mobile?
The web version runs in mobile browsers, though a desktop browser gives the smoothest experience. There is no official mobile app; the official releases are itch.io, Steam (Windows/Linux), and Xbox (July 2026).
Is it actually scary?
It's tense rather than jump-scare horror. The dread comes from the odds, the industrial nightclub basement setting, and the Dealer's unblinking stare — which is exactly why the formula works.
Why Buckshot Roulette took over
The genius is showing you the shell count up front. Pure Russian roulette is a coin flip you can't influence; Buckshot Roulette turns each trigger pull into a calculable, item-modified decision. It's poker odds wearing a horror mask — the same "deadly game of chance you can outsmart" appeal that made Orange Roulette a classic.