Main Page
the Roguelike information resource that you can edit.
Roguelike events of 2025:
What is a Roguelike?One does not simply ask "What is a Roguelike". The term "roguelike" is still growing in popularity to describe any game with procedural content generation, or punishing difficulty. RogueBasin is meant to serve as a repository of knowledge mostly for Traditional Roguelikes. What is a Traditional Roguelike? A traditional Roguelike is usually described as a computer game with a strong focus on intricate gameplay and replayability, where the player has an indefinite amount of time in which to make a move, making gameplay comparable more to chess than to reflex-based games like first-person shooters, and where the game provides new content and challenges on every run, using procedural content generation techniques. There are many other factors one may consider as relevant for traditional roguelikes, including them having an abstract world representation using characters or simple sprites, as opposed to detailed graphics, requiring the player's imagination to come into play (gameplay is more like reading a book than watching a movie). Modern traditional roguelikes often shun this aspect, in favor of accessibility for less hardcore players. Read more about the topic here RoguelikesOf course, the best way to understand what Roguelikes are is to download and play one. Many Roguelikes are freely available online. The most influential ones from the 00's decade are classified as Major Roguelikes in roguebasin: Before their rise in popularity in the late 80s and 90s, the genre was dominated by the Major Classic Roguelikes: Since the control systems of these Roguelikes are geared towards "expert" players, the novice player may be interested in trying a 'lighter' game like some of the coffeebreak roguelikes or just dive in at the deep end and find a roguelike game to suit you. Roguelike CommunityThere are several other important places in the roguelike community that you should consider visiting:
Featured Roguelike: Hokuto no Rogue
A graphical roguelike set in the world of Hokuto no Ken (a.k.a. Fist of the North Star). Features
Do you want your game to be featured here? create a page about it in roguebasin, and announce new releases here and at roguetemple! |
New Roguelike Releases
See also: Old news, Recently Updated Roguelikes
Roguelike DevelopmentIf you have some ideas for a new Roguelike and would like to give development a go (or are already a seasoned developer) the RogueBasin is here to help you expand the Roguelike genre. A complete list of articles is available, but here are some to get you started:
ContributeIf you'd like to contribute to RogueBasin, simply create an account and log in. Feel very free to edit! We especially need more information added to the games pages and the lists - if you're a developer, consider updating your game's page, and making sure that it (and you) are included in the relevant lists. If you're an experienced developer, consider writing articles about creating Roguelikes. There are many people new to Roguelike development, and they often need help. It's especially helpful to write articles about problems you have experienced yourself. |
