Roguelikes have been a beloved genre in the gaming community for decades, known for their challenging gameplay, procedural generation, and permadeath mechanics. While many titles in the genre can be purchased, there are some fantastic roguelikes that you can play entirely for free. Here’s a list of the best free roguelikes that are sure to keep you entertained for hours.

1. Tiny Heist

Tiny Heist is a minimalist free puzzle-roguelike by Terry Cavanagh, the developer behind Super Hexagon and VVVVVV. The game places you in a procedurally generated tower, where your goal is to sneak past enemies, avoid traps, and collect gems as you ascend to the top. You can also collect and buy a variety of items that will help you along your journey. The simple yet challenging gameplay combined with its retro pixel-art style makes Tiny Heist an addictive experience. The game is perfect for those who enjoy quick and strategic gameplay sessions.

• Developer: Terry Cavanagh
• Platform: Windows, Browser
• Play it here: Tiny Heist 🔗

2. Spelunky Classic

Before the massively successful Spelunky HD and its sequel, there was the totally free Spelunky Classic. This game is a true pioneer in the roguelike genre, combining platforming with randomized levels. Players explore a series of increasingly difficult caves filled with traps, treasures, and dangerous creatures. The permadeath feature and tight platforming mechanics ensure that no two runs are the same. Even years after its release, Spelunky Classic remains one of the best free games in the genre.

• Developer: Derek Yu
• Platform: Windows
• Download it here: Spelunky Classic 🔗

3. Brogue

Brogue is a more traditional free roguelike that hearkens back to the genre’s ASCII roots. Despite its simple visual design, the game is deep and complex, offering a rich tactical experience. Players descend into the Dungeons of Doom, where they must fight monsters, collect items, and avoid deadly traps. The game is known for its elegant design and accessibility, making it a great entry point for newcomers to the genre, while still offering plenty of depth for veterans.

• Developer: Brian Walker
• Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux
• Download it here: Brogue 🔗

4. Roguelight

Roguelight is a free roguelite platformer with a unique twist: the amount of light you have is limited, and your arrows are your only source of illumination. This adds a layer of tension and strategy, as you must manage your light carefully while exploring the dark, dangerous levels. The game’s minimalist design and atmospheric music complement its challenging gameplay, making Roguelight a standout title in the roguelite genre. Unlike all other games on this list, roguelight features permanent Upgrades that will make you stronger across all runs.

• Developer: Daniel Linssen
• Platform: Windows, MacOS
• Play it here: Roguelight 🔗

5. Mamono Sweeper

Mamono Sweeper is a free puzzle-roguelike that combines the random generation and deduction-based gameplay of minesweeper with (heavily accelerated) turn-based combat and a leveling system reminiscent of old role-playing games, making it the perfect roguelike for your coffee breaks. Mines are replaced with Monsters with different levels, and cells display the sum of the monster-levels in adjacent squares. You start at level 1, meaning you can only kill level 1 Monsters without taking damage. Each monster gives you experience according to its level, allowing you to level up and slay stronger foes. Kill all monsters to win!

• Developer: hojamaka
• Platform: Browser
• Play it here: Mamono Sweeper

6. hets

hets is a action-roguelike developed by Ditto, who also made the GoNNER Games. Destroy all of the statues in a level to proceed. You collect upgrades to deal with monsters that increase in amount from level to level. The gameplay is backed up by really nice lighting effects that result in beautiful visuals. Can you defeat the evil final boss?

• Developer: Ditto
• Platform: Windows
• Download: hets 🔗

Conclusion

The roguelike genre continues to thrive, offering a wide range of experiences for players who enjoy challenging and unpredictable gameplay. The games listed here represent some of the best free roguelikes available, each offering something unique. Whether you’re a fan of stealth, platforming, traditional dungeon crawling, or open-world survival, there’s a game in this list of the best free roguelikes for you to explore.

Happy gaming!