Did you know there's an AJAX implementation of nethack? It seems to be pretty full-featured -- not a rouge-like light, supporting every option that the normal version does, right down to tiles. For traditionalists, there's also the internet nethack server known as NAO, where you can mingle with and watch other players struggle through the Dungeons of Doom and lose time in a stunning amount of trivia and statistics. To extend your chances of success you might also want to visit wikihack, which will certainly spoil your experience, detailing the tiniest details and tactics of the game.
posted by boo_radley on Jun 18, 2009 - 86 comments

What can one learn from the design choices of past games? John Harris discusses different game aspects, 20 games at a time, at Game Design Essentials. You can read on 20 Open World Games (where generally the player is left to his own devices to explore a large world), see your destroyed controllers in a new light with 20 Difficult Games or check out 20 Mysterious Games (that rely on algorithmically-generated content or emphasize secret-hunting), 20 Unusual Control Schemes and 20 Atari Games. What about roguelikes, you say? [more inside]
posted by ersatz on Sep 30, 2008 - 51 comments

Time stands still while you view NetHack porn... The incubus seems to have enjoyed it more than you. NSFW.
posted by hoverboards don't work on water on May 2, 2006 - 48 comments

ChessRogue = Chess + Rogue. (Open source, versions available for Linux and Windows.)

This console-based game takes the pieces of chess and puts them into a Roguelike environment. You start out with a weakened King who can only move and capture horizontally and vertically, in a randomized board full of multi-directional Pawns. As you capture more pieces, the king slowly gains additional powers, like diagonal capture and movement, Knight jumping, and eventually even Rook movement, among others. The opposition gets tougher too, until eventually the entire selection of pieces is out to get you.
Originally created for a three-day programming challenge on rec.games.roguelike.development, it's surprisingly cool, and works rather better than you might expect. It's useful as a break between Nethack fatalities.
posted by JHarris on Aug 2, 2005 - 19 comments

Asidonhopo hits! --more--


--------                                -----------
|...d.%|         -----                  |.....%.%.|
|K.....-#####    |..<|      ############-...%??!))|
|..@@.%|    #####+.%.|      #           |.!%..(%.+|
|.>...%|       # |%..|      #           -----------
|K..KKK|       ##-...-#######
|F.KK%.|         -----
-------- 

posted by felix on Apr 13, 2005 - 93 comments

In these difficult times it's a relief to know that Nethack is still being updated.
posted by chrisgregory on Feb 25, 2003 - 23 comments

Nethack for the rest of us. Ok, all you Nethack purists... sit on your hands for this one. Finally someone has come out with a graphical interface for the venerable ASCII game. Isometric, "Diablo" style -- Maybe it lacks some of the charm and character of the text version. At least I can see what the damn boulder and bear trap looks like. Windows/DirectX only.
posted by crunchland on May 3, 2002 - 13 comments

Nethack 3.4.0 has just been released...If you're not excited then, well, sucks to you.
posted by chrisgregory on Mar 22, 2002 - 10 comments

Nethack 3.3.1 released today. This wonderfully addictive game has been under development for 15 years. That fact alone is major bonus points. Also, a quote from the d/l page: "This version might work on a 286 machine, but it has not been tested on one." Heh. 'cause they probably can't find one to test on. Well, the consolation prize is that it does run on Atari and Amiga.
posted by syn on Aug 10, 2000 - 4 comments