The WhatsNext verdict
If you enjoy learning unforgiving systems, improvising through unpredictable hazards, and turning repeated failure into skill, Spelunky delivers a remarkably durable run-based challenge. Skip it if permanent death and occasional randomness feel more frustrating than compelling.
What it does best
Every run creates its own chain of disasters and discoveries
You improve more than your character ever does
A brutal climb where mistakes teach you the rules
What might put you off
Extreme difficulty and permadeath
Randomness can produce frustrating deaths
The setup
What you are walking into
Spelunky (also known as Spelunky HD) is a remake of Spelunky (now known as Spelunky Classic), an open source indie platformer video game created by Derek Yu and originally released as freeware for Microsoft Windows. The player controls a spelunker who explores a series of caves while collecting treasure, saving damsels, fighting enemies and dodging traps. The caves are procedurally generated, making each run through the game unique. Spelunky is one of the first examples of a roguelike-like, borrowing concepts from the roguelike genre, and was the influence for many later roguelike-like games.
Where it lives
Genre
Vibe
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