Step into a dark, twisting dungeon and look through the eyes of a survivor. Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard takes the chaos of Vampire Survivors and reshapes it into a first-person, card-slinging roguelike adventure. It’s not just a new angle—it’s a total transformation that swaps screen-filling swarms for tight corridors, tactical cards, and eerie exploration.
A bold new direction that keeps its fangs sharp
This isn’t just more of the same with a new coat of paint. Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard carves out its own identity while staying true to the spirit of the original. Gone is the top-down pixel battlefield where players dodged endless waves. In its place: grid-based dungeon crawling seen from a first-person view. Every step feels deliberate. Every corner could hide something dangerous—or powerful.
The world still pulses with Vampire Survivors’ signature weirdness. Familiar enemies leer from shadowy halls. Iconic powers like garlic clouds and flying bibles reappear, but they’ve been reborn as cards in a deck that decides whether players live or die. It’s like stepping into one of those old-school dungeon crawlers from the ‘90s, only this time with magic decks and monsters waiting around every bend.
Classic dungeon crawling meets fast-paced card strategy
Movement in Vampire Crawlers is simple but satisfying. Players tap giant on-screen buttons to move forward, turn left or right, or look around their blocky surroundings. It might sound basic, but that stripped-down interface gives the game an old-school charm—like playing Eye of the Beholder on modern hardware—but with much faster pacing thanks to its unique combat system.
Deck-building is the heart of the experience. Instead of swinging weapons or casting spells directly, players choose their actions by playing cards drawn from their custom-built decks. These cards are built from Vampire Survivors lore—expect plenty of garlic bursts, whirling books, deadly whi
ps, and more twisted upgrades. Combat is strategic without being slow; each encounter pushes players to think ahead without losing momentum.
The card system keeps fights fast while rewarding smart play
The “Play All” button stands out as one of the most clever features here. With one tap, every card in hand can be played in sequence—perfect for those who want to keep things moving at breakneck speed. But don’t let that fool anyone into thinking strategy isn’t important.
The real magic comes from how players build their decks before diving into dungeons. Matching abilities across cards leads to powerful combos that feel earned and explosive when triggered correctly. One well-placed garlic burst followed by a whip strike can wipe out multiple enemies if timed right—and if another character on your team has synergy with those effects? Even better.
Old favorites return in strange new forms
Longtime fans will recognize many powers returning from Vampire Survivors—but they’re not just copy-pasted in for nostalgia’s sake. Each ability has been reshaped to fit this new format. The whip isn’t just an attack—it can now be part of chain reactions when paired with other character triggers. Garlic creates an aura that changes how players approach corners and ambushes in tight dungeon paths.
The bible? Still spinning like mad—only now it might combo with defense buffs or set up for area-clearing finishers later in combat rounds. There’s something hauntingly familiar about it all… but also excitingly different.
Tactical depth grows with multicharacter team building
Instead of going solo into the unknown, players build a squad—up to three characters deep—with each bringing their own flavor to battle. Their abilities aren’t just stacked next to each other; they interact in ways that can completely change strategies mid-run.
A single card can trigger effects across multiple teammates if lined up right: maybe one character buffs damage while another spreads status effects like poison or burn across enemies nearby. These layered systems mean even early runs feel full of possibility—and invite experimentation between playthroughs.
During an early test run through the game’s haunted catacombs, an unexpected combo triggered when two characters’ passive traits synced perfectly—a garlic aura drained health while another character reflected incoming damage back at attackers at double strength. The fight ended quickly, but left behind questions about what other hidden combinations might exist deeper within these digital tombs.
Dungeons offer more than just fights—they offer choices
This isn’t just a hallway-to-hallway monster mashup either. Between battles, players navigate branching paths filled with decisions: take a risky detour for treasure? Heal now or save resources for what might lie ahead? The layout encourages curiosity without overwhelming players with endless menus or maps.
Every door feels like it leads somewhere unknown—and important. Sometimes it’s better gear; sometimes it’s an event tied to one character’s backstory or ability set that changes how certain cards work for the rest of the run. There’s enough depth here to make every choice matter—but not so much that it slows everything down.
Pacing stays snappy while replayability shines bright
Despite all these layers, Vampire Crawlers never loses sight of what made its parent game so fun: speed and satisfaction per session remain front and center. Runs are quick enough to fit into short bursts but deep enough to pull players back again and again.
The fast feedback loop—the thrill of finding better combos, testing riskier paths through dungeons, trying different character mixes—is pure roguelike gold. And like its predecessor, it doesn’t demand hours to get going or break wallets wide open: affordability and fun remain twin pillars holding up this entire wild structure.
When does Vampire Crawlers come out?
Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors is currently scheduled for release sometime in 2026 on Steam. Though details are still coming together as development continues, anticipation is already high among fans eager for something fresh yet familiar lurking in dark corridors ahead.
Buckle up—it looks like this spin-off could change what people expect from both roguelikes and dungeon crawlers alike.
If survival means building smarter decks and reading danger before turning each corner… who’s ready to draw their first card?
F.A.Q.
What type of game is Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard?
Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard is a first-person, deck-building roguelike dungeon crawler. It combines elements from the popular game Vampire Survivors with a new gameplay perspective, offering players a unique blend of strategic card combat and exploration.
When does Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard come out?
Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard is scheduled for release sometime in 2026 on Steam. For the latest updates, you can follow the game’s progress on its Steam page.
What platforms will Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard be available on?
As of now, Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard is planned for release on Steam, which is typically available for PC platforms. There is no current information on whether it will be available on other platforms.
Is Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard a roguelike?
Yes, Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard is a roguelike game. It features elements typical of the genre, such as procedural generation, permadeath, and a focus on strategic decision-making through deck-building and exploration.
Does Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard include elements from Vampire Survivors?
Yes, Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard incorporates iconic elements from Vampire Survivors, such as familiar enemies and powers like the garlic cloud and spinning bible. These elements are reimagined as cards within the game, providing a fresh take on familiar mechanics.
How does the deck-building mechanic work in Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard?
In Vampire Crawlers, players build custom decks of cards that represent various attacks and abilities. The cards are drawn from Vampire Survivors lore and allow strategic combat decisions. Players can also use a “Play All” button to automate card plays, maintaining fast-paced gameplay while rewarding strategic deck construction.
