roguelike
/ˈroʊɡlaɪk/
Very CommonA game genre defined by procedurally generated levels, permadeath, and high replayability.
The term has strict and loose definitions among fans. Purists reserve it for tile-based dungeon crawlers. Casually it describes any game with procedural generation plus permadeath, including 'roguelites' that carry over some progress.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 400 hours in Hades and i still pick it up for one more run | The game's roguelike structure makes it infinitely replayable. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | is it actually a roguelike or just a roguelite with meta progression | Asking whether the game has true permadeath or carries over some progress between runs. | reddit, 2023 |
| 03 | died on floor 12 again, roguelike pain is real | Losing progress late in a run due to permadeath. | x, 2024 |
| 04 | roguelikes are the best genre for people who hate tutorials | The genre rewards learning through repetition rather than reading instructions. | reddit, 2024 |
Use it when
- Describing a game with procedural levels and permadeath.
- Recommending a game genre known for high replay value.
- Discussing a run-based game where each attempt is unique.
- Comparing strict roguelikes with roguelites that carry over some progress.
Do not use it when
- The game has random elements but no permadeath.Use “roguelite” instead.
- You just mean the game is hard.
Variations and related forms
Roguelike vs roguelite
roguelike
Roguelikes have true permadeath and no persistent progress between runs.
VS
roguelite
Roguelites soften permadeath with meta-progression, unlocks, or other carry-over rewards.
Origin and context
Named after Rogue (1980), a dungeon crawling game with procedurally generated levels and permadeath. The genre gained mainstream popularity through indie titles like Spelunky, The Binding of Isaac, and Hades.
- First seen
- 1980
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/roguelikeUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0