Release Date: 1980

Original Platform: UNIX

Played On: iOS

Objective: Descend through the procedurally generated dungeon to retrieve the Amulet of Yendor

How it Works: You control an avatar (represented by '@' on ASCII versions) which can move freely about rooms in the dungeon. Until visited, hallways and other rooms cannot be seen by the player. Rooms can contain items, gold, monsters, traps, and stairwells. Stairs can be used to descend (but not ascend) through the dungeon in order to reach lower levels.

You begin equipped with a short ranged weapon and a bow that can be used to defeat D&D-inspired enemies. Combat is turn based, and is initiated by moving into a space occupied by a monster. Defeating monsters earns experience points which translate into improved stats. Items found include food (needed to stave off hunger, which can be deadly), potions, and spells. The effects of potions and spells is unknown until used, and thus can be helpful or harmful. New weapons and armour can be found scattered around the rooms.

The HUD displays several pieces of information: the current floor of the dungeon, remaining HP, strength and armour stats, gold (points), and experience points.

Thoughts: The version of Rogue I played on my iPhone offers either ASCII graphics (as seen pictured) or more modern sprite-based graphics. I prefer the sprite graphics, as fewer rooms are shown on-screen, allowing for more precise use of the touch controls. The game itself is actually quite fun, especially on a mobile device where I can play in small chunks. Since the game is "roguelike" (meaning permanent character death, also the origin of the term), the procedurally generated map changes entirely upon each play, making the game feel fresh constantly.

My biggest complaint about Rogue is that occasionally the generated dungeon will not be navigable, or if it is, a lack of instructions on how to proceed. During one particularly successful playthrough, I descended into a room that had no exits that weren't dead ends. Regardless, this is a very fun game. I recommend picking up the mobile version.