The best new mobile roguelikes of 2020
When it comes to subgenres, there are so many of them! Roguelike, or Roguelites as they are sometimes also known, is a subgenre of the RPG genre. There are lots and lots of roguelikes released each and every year - with 2020 being no expectation. Roguelikes are defined as dungeon crawlers with procedurally generated levels, turn-based gameplay, tile-based graphics and often perma-death within the game.
Yeah, they are hardcore. Procedurally generated levels mean that each time you play the game, the levels will be slightly different, as they are generated on the playthrough. This amount of variety and challenge are one of the reasons why roguelikes are so well-loved - who wouldn’t be lured in by ever-changing levels, attacking creatures and fighting your way through dungeons, upgrading your character along the way?
We have played many, many roguelikes this year and have compiled a list of the best, new, mobile roguelikes that have come out in 2020. Let’s dive into the list!
1
Seven Scrolls
Seven Scrolls is a simple looking rougelike, with so much depth behind the casual graphics, that you will spend a lot of time trying to masture it! You play a monk-looking character, who is able to move around a map, picking one of four directions. There are also monsters appearing on the map, looking to attack you, and scrolls that you can grab. You won’t know what these scrolls do until you pick them up - and you can only hold a limited amount - so you’ll need to be careful and lucky!
2
Slay the Spire
Slay the Spire, a popular PC game, released on mobile this year! This game adds deck building and cards to the rouglike genre, where you need to gather cards, power them up, and play them to help your hero live on and destroy the monsters appearing on your screen. You’ll have choices on a map as to what level to take on next, but these maps have paths you need to follow, so thinking ahead is key. It’s an intense game that’s so addictive!
3
Endurance
A roguelike in SPACE, Endurance takes you into a spaceship, where a virus has spread through the population, killing nearly everyone. You are one of the survivors and you are looking to find those who are still living and help stop this virus, in hopes of someday making it home alive. This ronguelike has weapons, shooting, and lots of upgrades for you to explore - as well as aliens to kill off.
4
Dead Cells
Another popular roguelike that has made its way from PC to mobile, Dead Cells has made our top list this year. Fighting your way through a procedurally generated world, you will find yourself running, slashing, firing and otherwise trying to survive as you defeat massive enemies and get further into the castle. Each time you die, you get to upgrade your character and learn from your mistakes, before taking the game on again.
5
Maze Machina
Maze Machina has you playing a small character, trapped inside of a glass chamber of ever-changing challenges. Your enemy is outside the glass, constantly changing the maze you are trapped in and challenging you with tricky labyrinths that you must overcome. It’s a game for him, but for you, your goal is to be clever, think before you move, and survive a little longer. It’s a neat and quite different roguelike.