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Rogue

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description Rogue Overview

Rogue is a pioneering 1980 video game that established the roguelike genre. Developed by Michael Toy and Glenn Wichman, it’s notable for its procedural generation creating unique dungeon layouts with each playthrough. The game features turn-based combat and permadeath, demanding strategic resource management. It remains popular among players who enjoy challenging, replayable experiences in fantasy settings.

Originally designed for Unix systems, Rogue gained prominence through commercial releases and continues to be appreciated by those interested in classic computer gaming.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

info Rogue Specifications

Country	United States
Year	1980

help Rogue FAQ

Why is Rogue considered the origin point for roguelikes?

Rogue, first developed around 1980 by Michael Toy and Glenn Wichman with later work by Ken Arnold, established many genre rules. Procedural dungeons, permadeath, turn-based movement, and item identification all became core roguelike traits.

What is the goal in Rogue?

The player descends a randomly generated dungeon to retrieve the Amulet of Yendor. Because death is permanent, one bad fight or unidentified potion can end a run completely.

Why does Rogue use ASCII characters instead of graphics?

Rogue was built for text terminals, so walls, monsters, items, and the player are represented by characters such as letters and symbols. That limitation became part of the genre identity and influenced later games like NetHack and Angband.

How is Rogue different from modern roguelites like Hades?

Rogue is turn-based, grid-based, and resets almost everything on death. Hades, released decades later by Supergiant Games, keeps permanent progression and action combat, which is why many players call it a roguelite rather than a strict roguelike.

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