Definitely Spelunky.
There's the free (Windows only, I'm afraid) original version, and then a massively expanded version from Steam etc.
Procedural generation, nethack-style shops and what have you. I'd recommend it.
Sad but true. I blame Spelunky.
Most gamers don't actually like real roguelikes, it seems. Being turn-based is a vital part of why I love them so much, though!
Upvote for Spelunky. That game is awesome. expect to die horribly everytime, & it gets less frustrating. I found out yesterday that there's a Jetpack :D ! (then I died on spikes D: )
Edit for link: http://www.spelunkyworld.com/
I really wish the game had gotten more attention and Bioware would make more titles with such dynamic combat mechanics instead of the tired RPG combat.
A platformer-roguelike crossover with randomly generated levels and with perma death it's as punishing as old school games.
XCOM: EU or XCOM 2
Titan Souls
Reigns
Alien: Isolation
Hotline Miami
Race The Sun
Most roguelikes would be good too, like The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, Dungeons of Dredmor, Nuclear Throne, Spelunky, etc. Spelunky has a free version you could try out.
Some games, that others did not mention:
Spelunky - free, very fun platformer with random generated levels
Mount and blade - dunno if this counts..
Bridge builder series - i love especially the first one (which is free)
You can build great games using GM. It's slow when compared to other programming languages but it's much easier to use and comfortable.
Spelunky and Castle of elite are two of my favorite games ever and the authors used GM to create them.
The original and free version of Spelunky is super lightweight to download and also doesn't require Steam, personally love playing it since it uses ZXC AS whereas new Spelunky is ZX only, might be ZXC totally forgot.
Likewise, you can even download Cheat Engine to change life, ropes, and bombs to 99 and freeze the value at that for non-stop fun with bombs lol, you could even use the program for Borderlands and Borderlands 2 (yes, even in multiplayer lol)
Edit: to be clear, this is something I'd recommend to play on school computers, and for Work computers with closed internet and also no other devices allowed on-site the Dino Game Easter Egg is so good. welp for some reason it doesn't work.
Highly recommend three of my favorites, Spelunky, Crypt of the NecroDancer and One Way Heroics. The first two games are games with roguelike elements (Spelunky is a 2D-platformer, while NecroDancer is top-down grid & turn-based, but you move to the rhythm of the BGM!); OWH is a retro JRPG-styled, more similar to a traditional roguelike (has some between-run progression). All three are fantastic games which run well (60FPS 1366x768) on my old laptop with HD 3000, so your laptop should run them without a hitch.
Given the kind of games you've played and enjoyed (so called roguelites, like @WinterShine said), you may enjoy Spelunky. The original one is free and as good as the remake : )
I've looked into information about coin-operated machines for my city and the tax requirements, but one question still remains:
What legal requirements do I have to have to sell 'time' on a computer (or game)? If I constructed my own arcade machine, and built an overlay on a system that allowed users to insert money for either 'time' in a game, or some other arbitrary requirement (like a life system), do I need specific permission and licenses from the games playable on the system?
Could I put a game like Spelunky in an coin-op machine that allowed you one 'life' for a certain price? What if I had the original, free game in there instead?
Edit: Thanks for doing these, by the way! It's always fun to read all the answers!
You can still download the original version of Spelunky for free.
Spelunky was one of the early December topics of discussion over at /r/GameSociety. /u/RJ815 went into massive detail comparing the HD version available on Steam to the original. I suggest looking there if you want a really in depth response. Personally, I enjoy Spelunky (it's one of the games I'm actively playing these days) and would say it's worth $2.99.
Spelunky (free Windows version)
It's a platformer with a great feeling of adventure created by randomly generated levels, permadeath and variety of items - discovering what items do and using them to your advantage reminds of roguelike mechanics.
If we're talking about Binding of Isaac and Risk of Rain, you have to mention Spelunky! I often see these 3 games grouped together as the most popular modern "rogue-lites." Spelunky is one of my favorite games of all time, and it is definitely my favorite rogue-lite.
There's so much replayability. I have about 100 hours logged on Steam (this doesn't include the countless hours I played the original before it was out on Steam), and there's still so much I haven't done (Hell runs!).
Try out the old free version if you want -- but trust me -- the "HD" version improves on everything!
You can try the original free version of Spelunky, which is AWESOME.
Vagante, I played the early free alphas and I love it, it's my number one game in my wishlist (somebody? =P)
I haven't played Catacomb Kids, but I heard good things about it.
Spelunky is a free dungeon-crawler / roguelike platformer. I think it's really fun and I'm kind of surprised it wasn't mentioned yet. Basically most roguelikes are quite difficult. I say give it a try. It's free!
Spelunky. It’s a rogue-like where you explore a cursed cave system. There’s a free classic version and a paid updated version on steam that has achievements if you decide it’s something you like. Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/239350/Spelunky/ Free version: http://www.spelunkyworld.com/original.html
+1 for good answer! I would also recommend that the parent redditor check out the freeware version of the game. Derek Yu still hosts a link to a compiled, zipped version of it on his own website, here. The source is also available on the same page.
I've made a game in RPGmaker VX before. It was okay but I needed something more. So far, Gamemaker has been both the easiest to use and have pretty much everything I need to make a game.
I can't say anything about other game engines but I have to say Gamemaker is perfect for 2D games and 3D doom style games. Games like the original Spelunky and Undertale are some of the professional works done in gamemaker.
Nice sprites, I love the vibrant colors, the oldschool arcade style and the shading!
The main character reminds me of Spelunky. Are you somehow associated with that project?
The original is freeware. Maybe try it out first before you buy. The paid version has improved graphics, multiple playable characters, more items and co-op amongst other things, but it's still the same base game.
She could try Spelunky. It's an action platformer where you delve deep into randomly generated caves searching for treasure and other goodies. Think Indiana Jones. It's not really horror themed, but it's a good pick up and play game because you will die a lot.
YES. The original Spelunky is one of my most favorite games of all time, and it’s FREE! Graphics, music, gameplay is all A+. The XBLA remake is okay, but I miss the pixel charm and the music is crap.
The only thing I can think of is Spelunky. You can download the older, original version for free from their website. It's just a .zip file that you can extract and run.
The game is a side scrolling platformer, where you play an Indiana Jones type character delving into a temple. The runs are usually very quick, since death can occur almost instantly, but a full run run could take up to a maximum of around 45 minutes (it is very hard to make it that far, though).
Just in case you didn't know; the original spelunky is free. The paid version on steam has improved graphics and some minor content additions, but the gameplay is the same, if you are interested in checking it out.
That was indeed an absolute classic. Might even have been the first real-time game in which action takes place on the side screens.
Also a major influence on the modern masterpiece Spelunky.
Trust me, Super Meat Boy may look like a flash game (most of the developers games do because they originally were) but it's got some of the tightest controls of any platformer and some of the hardest and most addictive levels. $2.84 is a great price for all the fun you'd get out of the game.
Since you're on a budget you might look into Rayman Origins, which is basically the same as Legends. GOG has it for $6.66.
Also you could grab the free, original version of Spelunky if you're truly broke.
I was pretty close to purchasing this game. After spending some time with it, it's very much worth the 3 USD asking price, it has so much potential too. I'll keep an eye out for future updates for sure. Probably one of the best games Indiegala has given away.
Edit: I see some people bashing the game and calling it a Spelunky clone. It obviously took Spelunky's framework, from there you can tell that the developer is actively working to create his/her own game. This game is still in early development, it's not fair to compare it to a game that is already an updated version of a complete title.
On top of the original Spelunky being a pretty awesome game, an online-compatible multiplayer mod was released for it last year. I haven't heard anything else about the mod since that news article though, so you might have to do some digging to get your hands on it.
> gildawat
[](/bjmanic) C'mon, it's not that weird.
>What's Spelunky
[](/bjcute) An awesome roguelike platformer game with damn-near infinite replayability.
You can also try the original free version here to see if you like it. It's not nearly as pretty, but it's good for seeing if it's your kinda thing.
Spelunky Classic is free and my girlfriend plays it on her netbook. One of my favorite games of all time. Eventually I did 100% it, and haven't come back to it much since, but it took a long time to get to that point.
For Spelunky you can get the source code even from http://www.spelunkyworld.com/original.html
but you are right: if you want l'Abbaye des Morts sourcecode you need to take it from the HumbleBundle
You do not need humblebundle for these freeware games...
l'Abbaye des Morts and other locomalito's games:
Spelunky:
Spelunky is great. It doesn't exactly fit your specifications: it's not a puzzle game, more of a roguelike platformer, with every level procedurally generated (within some parameters) on each playthrough, with a slightly different layout, items, enemies, and occasional rare scenarios like blackout or graveyard levels. Action is very fast. Deaths can feel cheap but the mechanics are super-solid, with very crisp platforming, so any time you die it's because you made a mistake, didn't dodge an enemy, missed a jump, mistimed a bomb toss etc. Dying will cause you to start over with a new game, but games are made to be completed quickly, and once you master the mechanics it's possible to complete a playthrough in less than 10 minutes. Reaching that point will take quite a while though.
The original 8-bit version is available as a free download on the dev website. An updated version with remastered graphics and other improvements is available on PC, PS, and Xbox.
So my nickname is tunnel for reasons no one would probably guess. Back in high school a popular game amongst my friends was Spelunky. The game would be played pretty often during computer science and one day one of my friends gets to the part with the tunnel digger for the first time. He takes a quick glance at me, then to the tunnel digging NPC and then back to me and proclaims "your tunnel nigger!" (I'm black btw). gg no re, my name was forever 'tunnel' after that point.
There is not really a "best" engine. Game maker has totally been used to produce commercial games: http://www.spelunkyworld.com/original.html Unity is all right, but if your going 3d you might find that a 2d framework like love2d is simpler and easier. Pygame is an option, though i would not suggest it, its pretty slow. LibGDX is a nice option if you want to use java and are looking for something a little more full featured.
Spelunky is free, there's a new remake on steam that's pretty cheap as well.
The original Roller Coast Tycoon usually floats around 5 dollars, sometimes lower during sales. If you hate having money check in on Steam and GOG every few days to see if they have a special going on, you can get some pretty awesome stuff really cheap.
If you had a little more money lying around and want a full game with multiplayer and support, get Diablo 2 from Blizzard. The game is still live, BattleNet still works, you can play with friends, and there's an offline single player mode which is great for trains and... I don't know where else. But it's a chill game. They just reset the ladders a month or so ago so there's a few people on /r/diablo who are playing, but be warned that it's one of the nastiest subreddits out there for no real reason so expect downvotes.
If you well and truly hate yourself, Cookie Clicker is getting an update soon.
The first two Fallout games will serve you pretty well. They've both just been put back on Steam after having been pulled out for legal reasons. Right now it appears that they're on sale for $5 each! Neat.
Spelunky is also a nice little game that doesn't require much power either. You can download the original game from their website, but there's a rebooted version on Steam for $15.
If you want more games, just head on over to /r/lowendgaming. They're a lovely bunch of folks that would be happy to steer you in the right direction!
Yeah. If you like Dark Souls and Rogue Legacy then I couldn't imagine that you wouldn't love Spelunky. There's a free version you can download so why not give it a shot? This is the 2009 freeware version of the game. It has since been remade with fancier graphics but the gameplay remains the same.
For an idea of the difficulty, I have beaten Dark Souls multiple times and DkS 2, but I've still never beaten Spelunky..
Well I've only ever worked on games independently. In small group collaborations, it's kind of too small a group for people to break into factions over art-versus-engineering, or whatever. Of course it's possible for disagreements to occur for any number of reasons, but I haven't felt any clash between art and programming. The programmers I've worked with have been very appreciative of artistic skill and am always impressed with what can be done with code. And then there are jerks like Derek Yu who can do it all (#FYDY!!!!) I can't speak to a larger studio environment.
>Sorry, I meant it's freeware on the pc. :o http://www.spelunkyworld.com/original.html
Oh shit I thought you meant xbox. My bad. I might try this out tonight. :O
>I just watched a gameplay video where somebody beat the game in a mater of three minutes. @_@ >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMU9rz0T4ZQ
"The total number of resets was 8684, or more like 15000 if you include the ones I did for my old 3:02 run. I don't know on how many of those attempts I got a nicely positioned shop early on."
That's serious dedication. Holy shit. @_@
Sorry, I meant it's freeware on the pc. :o http://www.spelunkyworld.com/original.html
I just watched a gameplay video where somebody beat the game in a mater of three minutes. @_@
I'm a fan of most of the stuff in here, but my current choice is Spelunky in windowed mode.
The most important thing is that it's got super low requirements; the game doesn't even make my fans spin up any more than they already are.
Also, the play style fits: a game takes about 15 minutes from beginning to end, but the roguelike style means you'll end most games in much less time.
It's also a spectacular, if underloved, platformer.
or
those are both two free games that I've invested hours upon hours upon hours on. Also highly suggest joining netflix and starting Star Trek Next Generation from Season 2. Best Scifi Show Ever!!!
I loved Braid and Machinarium as well, both are great picks. Do you own any consoles? I think you'd enjoy LittleBigPlanet. Spelunky is another favorite of mine, plus it's free.
You can also check out the list of free games that I'm working on if you want to try new things without dropping any cash.
it's hard to suggest titles because a lot of games incorporate exploration, but very few explicitly reward on exploration. Journey is really the only one but is both a paid title and PS4 exclusive.
Classic Spelunky is the only free title off the top of my head for PC. it's about exploring caves and, well, spelunking.
Spelunky Classic is pretty fun. Not as polished as the commercial version, but on the plus side there's a level editor and a ton of user-made levels you can try.
Time for some classics. If you grabbed MDK while it was free that would be a good one for this system. Shadow Warrior Classic is still free at GoG. If you grabbed some of the past GoG freebies like Dungeon Keeper, Saints Row 2, Stronghold, Mount & Blade, etc; they would all be good choices. Maybe try Spelunky Classic, another freebie.
Diablo II should run (the original definitely would), Torchlight, Starcraft (the original, and it's a freebie). I could go on but there's some ideas.
I think you top out at DX 9/OpenGL 1.5/Shader Model 3, and 128MB of vRAM (from system RAM).
Cataclysm DDA: https://www.reddit.com/r/cataclysmdda/comments/3yv7d7/cdda_game_launcher_automatic_updates_and_more/
Spelunky (FREE): http://www.spelunkyworld.com/original.html
Tales of Maj'Eyal: https://te4.org/
I play on a laptop all the time. Seconding the suggestion of Spelunky (the original version is free and holds up great). Also Broforce, Risk of Rain, Fez, N++, Undertale, Night in the Woods... Too many great games to name.
What about the original Spelunky? http://www.spelunkyworld.com/original.html I've only played the recent HD version on PS4 and Vita and one of the characters to can play with is a girl, but it does have item shops and some spike type boots you can buy.
If it hasn't already been said, Derek Yu made Spelunky PC and it has always been free. While Spelunky HD is cool and all, I love the classic and it's aesthetics way more.
http://www.spelunkyworld.com/original.html
Can't beat that cave theme <3
> Does it capture your interest?
As a fan of duck game, the gameplay does capture my interest. The graphics combined with the gameplay? Ehh.. sorry to say, but the graphics make me lose my interest. I think the player selection portraits look fine, but the ugly brown background on the level, and the random looking blocks that don't follow a theme, yikes!
Spelunky has the same setting as you, take a look at some of those screenshots for inspiration.
> Does it portray the game in an easy-to-understand way?
Yep, seems clear to me.
> Is there any gif or screenshot in which you don't understand what it's supposed to be showing off?
Something other than a blue rectangle on the scorescreen to indicate who won (I assume?) would be better. Maybe make it green. Or a green checkmark. Or a "win" tag.
Have you played Spelunky? It's definitely one of my top 5 games with interesting achievements, addictive/fast-paced gameplay (the current time WR for the game is 1 minute and 39 seconds, and the usual run takes around 20-40 minutes), and loads of secrets. I have 219 hours in the game and I haven't even done everything yet.
There's a demo/free classic version you could try but keep in mind there's less content, less good graphics, and the physics are way less satisfying. So if the only thing putting you off about the game in the classic version are some of those things then you will probably like the newer HD version.
I would love to receive Spelunky! its a Rogue like with Tough as nails gameplay mechanics.
i'll sum up this game for you in 1 sentence: "Oh, I died by that one explosion from across the map, which i made sure i was far enough from, that explosion shot an arrow that was on the other side of the explosion, bounced off of several diffrent grounds and hit me"
Boom, summerised the entire game for everyone. It is unforgiving, Everything is there to hunt you. EVERYTHING.
Spelunky is currently 3.74 dollars on steam, with a -75% sale. i would love to recieve this game because of the sheer replayability of it, i could be playing for years and will still find things to do!
For anyone who wants to try it out themselves, here is the original and free version of the game.
The game is 3.75$ and i would be extremely happy and would simply love the person who decides to gift me it! :D
-orbistruct
On desktop Linux, I play Pixel Dungeon which is a roguelike with graphics. It's originally an Android game, but there is a desktop version (it requires Java). I'm playing one of its spinoffs, Shattered Pixel Dungeon.
I'm also playing Spelunky Classic which is a roguelike platformer. It's available gratis and also the source code, but because it is made in Game Maker, you have to use Wine to play it.
Mostly that's the two games I play, because of their exploration aspect. Most other free games in this category are either lack graphics, or have a very steep learning curve.
I would recommend looking into Binding of Isaac: Rebirth over any other roguelike. I personally found it to be the best roguelike out there and I got a lot more playtime out of that one than most others. Spelunky is good too but it has a different feel. You could check out the free version of Spelunky first before deciding if it'd be worth $15 (non-sale price) to get the upgraded version.
There's also Terraria if you want a long playtime and enjoy building and crafting things, exploring, fighting enemies, and digging out tunnels in a 2D environment.
But of course if you wait for sales you could get all of them much cheaper so it's up to you. Just thought I'd throw out some more recommendations.
Definitely worth it at current price. At 75% off you'd only be saving a tiny bit more, but if that matters, wait. I'd buy it now, but then again, I paid full pop for it. If you've yet to play the free original: http://www.spelunkyworld.com/original.html
The first thing you should know is that formatting of code and the way it is done often depends upon the person doing the coding, each programmer has their own style of coding.
Generally if you have a piece of very specific code then it is ok to put it directly in a step event (or whatever) of the object that will use that code. It's a good idea to put code into a script if you plan on re-using it a lot, a good example of this is a piece of simple collision detection code that will be used by many objects.
In terms of the actual layout of your code, you should try to make consistent use of indenting and tabbing so that the code looks clearer and more readable for anyone else who would look at the code (but mainly for yourself! You don't want to come back to a piece of code and not know what it does! ;) )
As you program in GML or any language then you'll slip into your own style and find something that works for you. If you really want some examples then watch some tutorials and look at how those people format their code. You could also look at source code such as the original spelunky's (available here: http://www.spelunkyworld.com/original.html ).
For objects and code really just follow these guidelines:
If you write a single-use piece of code, then it's fine in it's related object
If you plan on re-using a piece of code more than a few times then put it in a script!
I hope this helps! Sorry if it isn't very well written, it's pretty late here and I should have probably let someone else answer.
EDIT: One more thing! It's sometimes a good idea to put large pieces of code in scripts too, just to keep step events and the like tidier. This is entirely down to personal preference though! :)
Uhh... it sounds like maybe the works of Daniel Remar might appeal to you? Especially Garden Gnome Carnage and Hyper Princess Pitch.
There's also the works of Derek Yu, which are fairly hard but offer plenty of cartoon slaughter. (Including the original Spelunky.)
Also maybe Torchlight 2? It's a colorful Diablo-clone, and while I haven't gotten that far into it, you spend the early sections killing very goofy looking kobolds and bear-men... there's lots of skeletons too, but the skeletons also have a sort of silly feel to their animation.
You can try the original version of Spelunky for free and see if you like the gameplay. Keep in mind that the version on the Vita (and on Steam) is very much enhanced over this version, but the gameplay is very much the same, and if you don't like this version, you won't like the one on vita, either.
Another possible consideration is that if you buy Binding of Isaac, you're going to be starting over. Also, personally, I find the analog sticks on the vita to be a little cumbersome to play Isaac with (I play it on the PS4 with no trouble, however).
Spelunky. Extremely well-designed roguelike platformer. If you've played Mario Brothers, you already know the mechanics, but you can play it for hundreds of hours without mastering it.
Indie
Platform: PC, Xbox 360
Year: 2013
Genre(s): Platformer, Adventure
Approx. Length: 18hrs, infinite replayability
Multiplayer: Local
Why you feel it's a good choice:
Again, a visual remake of an older freeware title. Spelunky has you exploring a set of randomized caves filled with treasure, traps and enemies.
Pretty challenging, it requires you to think while also hurrying your ass up with a soft time limit in the form of a spooky ghost. If you're into that sort of stuff it's also great for speedrunning or trying to top score leaderboards with the daily challenge mode.
Minimum Requirements
OS: Microsoft® Windows® XP / Vista / 7 / 8 Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.8GHz or equivalent processor Memory: 2 GB RAM Graphics: 3D graphics card DirectX: Version 9.0c Hard Drive: 200 MB available space Additional Notes: Xbox 360 controller or other XInput-compatible controller
I would suggest Spelunky. It is a platform game mixed with roguelike elements (randomised levels, perma-death) and is very challenging. It's also free.
Spelunky - a platformer with randomly generated levels and many, many deaths. Discovering what items do and using them to your advantage reminds of roguelike mechanics.
Here's mine: Joedev.net - I usually post about a couple times a month about various projects. It's probably not exactly what you are looking for because it is mostly smaller scale indie type games.
Spelunky XBLA - Blog about the development about the XBLA version of Spelunky. Not updated very often, but the updates themselves are usually pretty good and interesting.
Procedurally generated platformers definitely work. Ever heard of Spelunky?
But I would also argue genres that rely on level design are boring compared to things that can be done with procedural generation. Who cares if games no longer have a "main storyline" if every play through is different? Who cares if there is no "main quest" in a sandbox game if everytime you start a new one you get a new world, with new factions and cultures and creatures and conflicts? Have enough things randomly determined, with enough interaction between these random variables, and dramatic happenings will emerge.
A couple obstacles I see with this idea:
1) An island doesn't really lend itself to the idea of infinite exploration. If you're on an island, you'd expect to eventually be able to walk from one shore to the other. It would be more plausible if you were lost on an uncharted continent, or maybe in an archipelago.
2) If your child keeps the same abilities, what is the consequence of dying? The way death is handled is (IMO) one of the essential qualities of a roguelike.
3) Metroidvania games typically have some type of lock-and-key system that guides the player through the game world. You need powerup A to get into the area that contains powerup B, which you need to get into the area that contains powerup C, et cetera. While it would certainly be possible to randomly generate level structures that enforce this constraint, extending this pattern indefinitely could be difficult without making the powers totally arbitrary. Getting to new areas by using the "double jump", the "power glove", or the "fireball" is interesting because each ability continues to serve a purpose in gameplay after reaching the new area. If these "key" powerups were randomly generated, you'd either have to mix the functional ones with non-functional ones (that is, powerups like "yellow keycard") or give the game a more linear structure--one in which the main obstacle preventing you from entering an area is safe passage through the previous area.
You might also consider looking at Spelunky for inspiration. It's one realization of a randomly generated platformer.
You need to start playing indie games. There's thousands of titles out there created by induviduals or small teams of developers that ooze charm, polish, and most important of all - great gameplay. Most of them also happen to be free or dirt cheap.
I'd suggest starting off with Spelunky, it's an adventure platformer with 16-bit era graphics that is randomly generated every time you restart (which you will be doing a bunch since it's also pretty hard.)
Spelunky, Minecraft, Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup, Dwarf Fortress, and Cave Story are my top five go to indie games, there's literally thousands hours of gameplay between them.