🎰 The 15 Best Roguelikes and Roguelites (2026)
Published · updated · list data as of
The genre that turned losing into progress: every run reshuffles the deck, and what you keep is what you learned (plus, in a roguelite, a little something extra). Of all the games in the database tagged roguelike or roguelite, 90 have at least 30 ratings. These are the 15 highest-rated — the ones where “one more run” reliably costs you an evening.
Roguelike or roguelite? The strict roguelike — named after Rogue from 1980 — sends you back to zero after every death; the only thing you keep is experience. A roguelite lets you carry something over: upgrades, unlocks, story progress. Most of today’s hits are roguelites, which is why both terms share this list.
How selective is this list?
15 of 90 games meet the criteria
- Release span
- 1991–2026
- Median year
- 2019
- from 2015 or later
- 80%
- Median rating
- 79/100
Counted live in the IGDB games database on this page’s last build.
How we picked
- Tagged roguelike or roguelite in the IGDB games database.
- At least 30 combined critic and player ratings — 90 games clear that bar.
- Main games with a cover only; add-ons and adult titles are excluded.
- Ranked by the IGDB total rating. The list is rebuilt from the database with every update of this site, so new releases move in on their own.
| # | Game | Year | Rating | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hades | 2020 | 91 | 1,780 |
| 2 | Hades II | 2025 | 91 | 174 |
| 3 | Spelunky Classic | 2008 | 90 | 41 |
| 4 | Blue Prince | 2025 | 89 | 129 |
| 5 | Balatro | 2024 | 89 | 405 |
| 6 | Slay the Spire | 2019 | 88 | 547 |
| 7 | Fear & Hunger 2: Termina | 2022 | 87 | 35 |
| 8 | Dave the Diver | 2023 | 87 | 194 |
| 9 | Against the Storm | 2023 | 87 | 53 |
| 10 | Dead Cells | 2018 | 86 | 655 |
| 11 | Returnal | 2021 | 86 | 211 |
| 12 | FTL: Faster Than Light | 2012 | 86 | 431 |
| 13 | Into the Breach | 2018 | 86 | 282 |
| 14 | Vampire Survivors | 2022 | 86 | 394 |
| 15 | Dwarf Fortress | – | 86 | 51 |
Rating = combined critic and player score in the IGDB database (0–100); votes = number of ratings behind it.
- 1
Hades2020
91 / 100Role-playing (RPG)Hack and slash/Beat 'em upAdventureYou play Zagreus, trying to escape the underworld. Fast combat, blessings from the Olympian gods — and a story that moves on with every death, which is why this is the usual first recommendation.
- 2
Hades II2025
91 / 100Role-playing (RPG)Hack and slash/Beat 'em upAdventureThe sequel puts you in the role of Melinoë, a witch fighting the Titan of Time. Same principle, more systems — for anyone who has finished the first one.
- 3
Spelunky Classic2008
90 / 100PlatformPuzzleIndieThe free 2008 original by Derek Yu: randomly generated caves, a platformer with no mercy. Many modern roguelites trace their idea back to it.
- 4
Blue Prince2025
89 / 100PuzzleStrategyAdventureA puzzle game in a mansion that rearranges itself: each day you draft the rooms you walk into. More detective work than reflexes.
- 5
Balatro2024
89 / 100StrategyTurn-based strategy (TBS)IndiePoker hands, but jokers bend the rules of scoring. A deckbuilder that is easy to start and hard to put down.
- 6
Slay the Spire2019
88 / 100Role-playing (RPG)StrategyTurn-based strategy (TBS)The deckbuilding roguelike that shaped the genre: climb the spire, choose your path, build a deck from the cards you find.
- 7
Fear & Hunger 2: Termina2022
87 / 100Role-playing (RPG)IndieA deliberately merciless horror role-playing game whose world runs out over three days. Not for the faint-hearted.
- 8
Dave the Diver2023
87 / 100Role-playing (RPG)SimulatorAdventureDiving by day, running a sushi restaurant by night. The roguelite part is the ever-changing sea; the rest is a warm-hearted management game.
- 9
Against the Storm2023
87 / 100Real Time Strategy (RTS)SimulatorStrategyA city builder in roguelite form: found settlements in a rain-soaked wilderness before the storm returns, one expedition at a time.
- 10
Dead Cells2018
86 / 100PlatformAdventureIndieFast 2D action with the map structure of a metroidvania. Hard, but every run makes you visibly better.
- 11
Returnal2021
86 / 100ShooterA third-person shooter in a time loop on a hostile planet. Loud, fast and demanding — with online co-op for two.
- 12
FTL: Faster Than Light2012
86 / 100Role-playing (RPG)SimulatorStrategyCommand a spaceship on the run: crew, systems and power, managed in pausable real time. Short runs, big decisions.
- 13
Into the Breach2018
86 / 100PuzzleRole-playing (RPG)SimulatorTurn-based tactics with mechs, from the makers of FTL. You see every enemy attack in advance — each turn is a puzzle.
- 14
Vampire Survivors2022
86 / 100Role-playing (RPG)AdventureIndieYou only steer; the weapons fire on their own. Hordes grow, builds explode — the simplest way into the genre.
- 15
Dwarf Fortress
86 / 100Role-playing (RPG)SimulatorStrategyA colony simulation in a generated world, with roots in classic roguelikes. Deep to the point of legend.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a roguelike and a roguelite?
In a roguelike every death resets everything, and only your own experience carries over. A roguelite keeps some progress between runs — upgrades, unlocks or story. Hades and Dead Cells are roguelites; the strict form is rarer today.
Which roguelike is best for beginners?
Hades is the usual recommendation: the story moves forward with every death, so failing never feels wasted, and an optional God Mode makes you a little tougher after each death. Vampire Survivors is even simpler — you only steer, the weapons fire on their own.
Are there roguelikes you can play in co-op?
Yes. In this list, Returnal and Risk of Rain 2 have online co-op documented. For games you can play together on one screen, our co-op compendium records the player count for every title.
How many roguelikes are there?
Far more than anyone can play — but only 90 games tagged roguelike or roguelite in the IGDB database have at least 30 ratings. This list shows the 15 best-rated of them.