Best Roguelike Games: 12 Run-Based Classics Worth Dying For

The best roguelike games turn dying into the point: each run is a fresh, randomised attempt where you grow stronger, learn more and inch toward victory. Our top picks are Hades, Slay the Spire and Balatro, but the twelve games below span action, deckbuilders and survivors-likes so there is a perfect “one more run” for everyone.

What is a roguelike, and how is it different from a roguelite?

Classic roguelikes are defined by procedurally generated levels and permadeath – when you die, you start over from scratch. The genre is named after the 1980 dungeon crawler Rogue. Over time a softer cousin emerged, often called the roguelite, where death still resets the run but you keep some permanent progress – new characters, unlocks or upgrades – that make each attempt a little easier. In everyday use, most people say “roguelike” for both, and so will we here. What every game on this list shares is that core loop: start a run, get randomised challenges and rewards, push as far as you can, die, and come back smarter.

What are the best roguelike games?

Here is our ranked shortlist with each game’s sub-genre and platforms, so you can find the flavour that suits you – whether that is fast action, tense card battles or chaotic survival. Rankings reflect design quality, replayability and how hard it is to put the controller down.

Which roguelike should you play first?

Hades is the easiest to recommend to almost anyone. Supergiant Games wrapped the genre’s punishing loop in a gorgeous, welcoming package: fluid combat, a story that actually advances every time you die, memorable characters, and a permanent-upgrade system that means every run leaves you stronger. It brilliantly solves the biggest hurdle for newcomers – the feeling that death wastes your time – by making failure part of the narrative. If you have bounced off roguelikes before, Hades is the one that will win you over. Its Early Access sequel, Hades II, builds on that foundation and already plays superbly.

What are the best deckbuilding roguelikes?

The roguelike deckbuilder might be the genre’s most addictive sub-type, and Slay the Spire invented the modern template. You climb a spire, building a deck of attack and skill cards from what the game offers, and a great run is about spotting a powerful combo and leaning into it. It is deep, endlessly replayable and superb on the go. Balatro is the newer sensation – a roguelike built around poker hands, where you assemble jokers and multipliers into absurd score-chasing engines. It looks simple and swallows entire evenings. Loop Hero is a stranger, quieter deckbuilder-meets-auto-battler that is well worth a look once the big two hook you.

Which roguelikes are best for short, casual sessions?

If you want quick hits rather than tense 40-minute climbs, the survivors-likes are ideal. Vampire Survivors kicked off a whole wave of imitators: you move a character around while weapons fire automatically, surviving escalating hordes and building a ridiculous power fantasy in minutes. It is cheap, runs on anything and is dangerously easy to keep playing. Dead Cells offers snappy, fast runs with tight action-platforming, and Cult of the Lamb mixes bite-sized combat runs with a charming cult-management layer between them. These are perfect handheld games – see our best Steam Deck games guide for how well they run portably.

Which roguelikes are best played with friends?

Several roguelikes support co-op. Risk of Rain 2 is the standout – a fast 3D action roguelike that gets gloriously chaotic with friends as your items stack and enemies swarm. Cult of the Lamb and others have added co-op modes too. If shared play is your priority more broadly, our best couch co-op games list covers local multiplayer beyond the roguelike genre. And for a wider view of why so many of these gems come from small teams, read our feature on why indie games are having their best year in a decade.

What are the hardest roguelikes?

If you want the genre at its most punishing, Spelunky 2 is the classic answer – a deceptively cute platformer where a single mistake, or a chain reaction you triggered yourself, ends everything in an instant. It is fair but merciless, and clearing it is a genuine badge of honour. Enter the Gungeon is another test of nerve, a bullet-hell where dodging is as important as shooting. Noita, which simulates every pixel of its world, is chaotic and lethal in ways you will never fully predict. These games lean toward the traditional roguelike end of the spectrum, with less permanent progress to soften the blows, so they reward mastery and pattern recognition rather than grinding. If you have finished Hades and want the training wheels off, this is where to go next.

Which newer roguelikes are worth watching?

The genre keeps evolving, and a few standouts prove there is still plenty of room for fresh ideas. Balatro showed that a roguelike built on poker could become a phenomenon, and its success has inspired a wave of “roguelike plus an unexpected system” designs. Inscryption blends a card game with an escape-room mystery and is best played knowing as little as possible. Cult of the Lamb keeps refining its mix of combat runs and base-building. Rogue Legacy 2 sharpened the generational-inheritance hook of its predecessor into one of the most approachable action roguelikes around. The lesson across all of them is that the core loop – randomise, attempt, die, improve – is flexible enough to fuse with almost any other genre, which is exactly why new roguelikes keep appearing and keep surprising us. Griftlands fuses deckbuilding with branching dialogue and negotiation, and there is a steady stream of survivors-likes chasing the runaway success of Vampire Survivors, so the genre shows no sign of slowing down.

Why are roguelikes so addictive?

It comes down to variety and momentum. Because every run is randomised, no two feel identical – you are always adapting to a new hand of cards, layout or item pool. Because runs are self-contained, there is always time for “just one more.” And because most modern roguelikes give you permanent progress or new knowledge after each attempt, even a failed run feels like progress rather than punishment. That combination – fresh every time, quick to restart, always advancing – is why the genre has exploded, and why it dominates handhelds. There is also a satisfying learning curve baked in: your first hours are about survival, but soon you start recognising item synergies and planning builds from the opening moments, and that growing mastery is its own reward long after the novelty of a new run wears off. Browse more picks in our gaming section or head back to WorldGeek for the rest of our guides.

Quick picks by taste

• Best overall / best for beginners: Hades.
• Best deckbuilder: Slay the Spire, then Balatro.
• Best casual pick-up-and-play: Vampire Survivors.
• Best with friends: Risk of Rain 2.
• Hardest for veterans: Spelunky 2.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best roguelike game?

Hades is the best roguelike game for most players. Its fluid combat, story that advances with every death, and generous permanent upgrades make it welcoming for newcomers while staying deep enough for experts. Slay the Spire and Balatro top the list for deckbuilding fans.

What is the difference between a roguelike and a roguelite?

A traditional roguelike features procedural levels and full permadeath, so death sends you back to the start with nothing. A roguelite keeps some permanent progress – unlocks or upgrades – between runs. In common usage the terms are used interchangeably, and both share the core run-based, randomised loop.

What is the best roguelike for beginners?

Hades is the best entry point because its story rewards you for dying and its meta-progression makes each run stronger. Vampire Survivors and Balatro are also very beginner-friendly thanks to their simple controls and short, casual sessions.

Are there good roguelikes on mobile?

Yes. Slay the Spire, Balatro, Vampire Survivors, Dead Cells, The Binding of Isaac and Loop Hero all have strong mobile versions. Deckbuilders and survivors-likes in particular translate well to touchscreens and short sessions.

What is the best deckbuilding roguelike?

Slay the Spire is the definitive roguelike deckbuilder and the template most others follow. Balatro is the newer standout, built around poker hands and score-multiplying jokers, and is just as addictive in a different way.

Can you play roguelikes with friends?

Some, yes. Risk of Rain 2 is the best co-op roguelike, offering chaotic online and local play, and games like Cult of the Lamb have added co-op modes. Many roguelikes, however, are designed as solo experiences focused on individual runs.