Roguelikes can be a daunting genre to step into. There are some, like Spelunky, that seemingly everyone on the Internet loves. While both games in the series are great, they demand a lot of time to master as there is not much of a progression system between runs. That’s what can make the difference in a roguelike: progression.
That’s why these examples were chosen as a way to ease more casual gamers into the genre. Once the skills are learned, they can be transferred into something more demanding like Spelunky. That’s the idea anyway but whether or not that experience transfers over will depend on the player. Either way, these eight games are great roguelikes for any level of player.
8 Cadence Of Hyrule: Crypt Of The NecroDancer Featuring The Legend Of Zelda
Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda is a tongue-twister of a name but a great exclusive for the Switch. It’s both a sequel and a spinoff to the original Crypt of the NecroDancer wherein the female hero from that game winds up in Hyrule.
Death will still claim everything players hold dear, but there are permanent upgrades to find as well like in a normal Zelda title. It may take a few tries to get the hang of it, but overall it is a much easier experience than its predecessor.
7 Rogue Legacy
Rogue Legacy can be thanked for revolutionizing the genre to create a system of rewards that mattered. Players are part of a cursed lineage that has to defeat an evil entity within an ever-evolving castle. If one son or daughter dies, another arises to take their place. Every upgrade, from stat boosts to gear, will carry over. The only thing lost in death is temporary boosts along with some gold. Hopefully, the sequel will come out soon on Switch as well because it is an even more accessible title with options galore.
6 Children Of Morta
Children of Morta has a similar setup to Rogue Legacy in that it revolves around a family of guardians. There is no death involved though and instead this close-knit community bands together to stop evil from awakening below their homestead.
Each member of the family has a class from a nimble thief to a powerful mage. Upgrading the home will in turn upgrade the family. There is a two-player co-op too which helps with the challenge and makes it unique as far as roguelikes go.
5 Moonlighter
Moonlighter is part action roguelike and part shop sim. Players are a merchant by day wherein they must manage their store to get the best price for their goods. At night players can go out and explore dungeons to fill said shop with items.
There are no difficulty levels but the overall challenge is on the easier side of things. If players manage their resources right, they can finish this roguelike relatively fast around the ten-hour mark.
4 Hades
Hades blew up the gaming community when it launched in its 1.0 state in 2020. The great thing about this roguelike for beginners is that there is an option in the menu that can lessen the damage. The more players die with it activated, the stronger this option will become.
Overall, even without this option activated, Hades offers players a fair fight. There is plenty to buy and upgrade to make the hero, Zagreus, an unstoppable force in the underworld.
3 Skul: The Hero Slayer
Skul: The Hero Slayer has the same option as Hades except it doesn’t get any stronger. The feature will lessen damage to the hero by half which is a fair number. This game has all the trappings of a well-balanced accessible roguelike including a skill tree.
The unique thing about this experience though is that the hero can take off his own head, replace it with another, and turn it into a new class. From genies to ninjas, there are tons of costumes to discover, and each with a special ability.
2 Shovel Knight Dig
Shovel Knight Dig is the latest spinoff in this platforming series. As the name suggests, Shovel Knight will dig his way through vertical dungeons that are ever-evolving. It’s a tough nut to crack on the default settings but there are adjustable features, like a way to increase health, that can help lessen the challenge.
It’s not a huge game, especially if players take the easy way out, but it is another solid adventure starring this blue-armored knight. Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon is another roguelike spinoff, but one based on puzzles, and it has assist options as well.
1 ScourgeBringer
ScourgeBringer is one of the lesser-known roguelikes to have come out in the last few years. It’s almost like a bullet hell shooter mixed with a roguelike as the game is faster-paced than most out there. Not only is there a way to slow down bullets fired by enemies, but players can turn invincibility on. That is the ultimate assist option in a roguelike or any game.
It is advised to test the game out first before going into full godlike mode. ScourgeBringer is a frantic, colorful game that has a difficulty level players can adjust on the fly, making it one of the most accessible on this list.