They're frustrating, responsible for a surge in controller sales thanks to rage-induced breakages, and they'll leave your clothes drenched in tension-induced sweat, but we can't help but love a good roguelike game. The best roguelikes are learning experiences where you feel like you can take a lesson back with you when you revisit square one, apply it to your next journey, and delve deeper into an unforgiving world that wants to keep you knocked down.
That sense of triumph is hard to beat, and with the genre packed with dozens of great games--and more releasing seemingly every week--we're taking a look at the 30 best roguelikes that'll have you pumping your fist in the air when you earn a victory that you had to fight for. Our list isn't organized in any specific order, and the games featured span across numerous sub-genres within roguelikes.
Easily one of the most influential roguelikes of all time, Spelunky's fine-tuned descent into procedurally-generated darkness has made a massive impact on the genre. Pure passion expressed through excellent game design, this is easily one of the best «just one more run» games that you'll find on this list. Spelunky originally debuted in 2008 and then was remade for Xbox 360 in 2012 before being ported to just about every console you can think of. It's the type of roguelike that you can easily sink hundreds of hours into and still find new surprises and delights on your next run.
Read our Spelunky review.
Spelunky's highly anticipated sequel had a high bar to reach when it launched in 2020, and, in many ways, it surpassed expectations. Spelunky 2 uses everything that made the first game such a success while managing to squeeze even more magic out of those elements and throws in new
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