Free roguelike games give you a fresh, randomised run each time, and losing usually sends you back to the start with a little more knowledge. The ten below are free on Android, from the traditional Shattered Pixel Dungeon to card, dice and shooter twists. OneBit Adventure is the clearest about offline play on its listing.
The appeal of a roguelike is simple: you die, you start again, and the dungeon is different this time. It sounds harsh, but it's exactly what makes one more run so tempting.
I read each game's Google Play listing and noted the developer, installs, the ads and in-app purchases labels, the content rating and anything said about offline play. The games are in no particular order, and a few lean towards roguelite, where you keep some upgrades between runs.
Phones suit this genre well because a run can last five minutes or an hour, and most of these are built for one-handed or turn-based play.
Roguelikes side by side: ratings, ads and offline notes
| Game | Developer | Google Play installs | Ads / in-app purchases | Offline wording on the listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soul Knight | ChillyRoom | 100M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | Mentions 'offline multiplayer LAN game' |
| Survivor.io | Habby | 50M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Shattered Pixel Dungeon | Shattered Pixel | 5M+ | No ads label, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| OneBit Adventure Roguelite RPG | Galactic Slice | 1M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'can be played offline' |
| Card Guardians Roguelike Games | Tapps Games - PT | 1M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Box Head: Roguelike | PANTHERA GLOBAL | 1M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Rogue Legend - Roguelike RPG | PocketHaven | 1M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Dice of Kalma: Dice Roguelike | Pepperbox Studios | 500K+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| God Rivals: RPG Roguelike | Gamee Global | 100K+ | No ads label, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Depths of Endor: Dungeon RPG | Hernandez Torres | 100K+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
Ten roguelike runs to start on your phone
Soul Knight
ChillyRoom's pixel shooter has more than 100M installs and a cheerful sense of humour about its own story. You blast through randomised dungeons with guns and swords, and the listing mentions online co-op as well as local multiplayer with friends nearby.
Survivor.io
Habby's take is a survival game where waves of zombies pour in and you choose a new skill each time you level up. The controls are one-handed, and it's rated Everyone 10+.
Shattered Pixel Dungeon
The most traditional roguelike here: a turn-based dungeon crawler with six heroes, randomised levels and hundreds of items. It shows no Contains ads label, and the listing says new content arrives roughly every three months.
OneBit Adventure Roguelite RPG
Galactic Slice's game is turn based in a way that makes every step count, because the monsters move when you move. Its listing is the clearest here about offline play, saying you can start a run during travel without worrying about a connection.
Card Guardians Roguelike Games
Tapps Games turns the formula into a card battler: you build a deck as you fight through the land of Valentia, and every run deals you different choices. It's rated Everyone 10+.
Box Head: Roguelike
A 3D zombie survival game from Panthera Global with flamethrowers, katanas and laser rifles to choose from. Its content rating is Teen, so it's one for older players.
Rogue Legend - Roguelike RPG
PocketHaven mixes a board game into the run: you roll a dice to move across the board and meet monsters, treasure and bosses along the way. Each run makes your hero a bit stronger for the next.
Dice of Kalma: Dice Roguelike
Pepperbox Studios' game is a deckbuilder where you play dice against the guardian of the Underworld, building a set of skulls that change how your rolls score. It's a calm, thinky choice rated Everyone.
God Rivals: RPG Roguelike
Gamee Global's dark fantasy action game focuses on fast combat and boss fights. It's one of two games here with no Contains ads label, alongside Shattered Pixel Dungeon.
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Depths of Endor: Dungeon RPG
A retro, turn-based dungeon crawler from an independent developer, with more than 100K installs. Its listing notes TalkBack support and sound cues, which makes it worth a look for players with a visual impairment.
Roguelike or roguelite: what the labels mean
Purists use roguelike for games where every run starts from zero: no permanent upgrades, just your growing knowledge of the dungeon. Roguelite is the looser term for games where you keep something between runs, such as stronger heroes or new cards. On this list, Shattered Pixel Dungeon sits closest to the old style, OneBit Adventure and Survivor.io use the roguelite label on their listings, and Rogue Legend says each run makes your hero stronger.
If you like the fighting side more than the dungeon side, my guide to beat em up games, classic and modern covers a close cousin of the action roguelikes here.
Choosing a run that suits your time and temper
- Turn based: Shattered Pixel Dungeon, OneBit Adventure and Depths of Endor wait for you, so you can play on a bus and stop mid-floor.
- Real-time action: Soul Knight, Survivor.io, Box Head and God Rivals need quick reactions.
- Cards and dice: Card Guardians and Dice of Kalma reward planning over reflexes.
- Fewer ads: Shattered Pixel Dungeon and God Rivals show no Contains ads label.
- Age labels: Box Head and Depths of Endor are rated Teen, so check before handing a phone to a child.
Whichever you choose, give it a handful of runs before judging it. The first few deaths are where you learn what the enemies do, and that's when the genre starts to click.
Playing roguelikes on a computer instead
Plenty of well-known roguelikes started on PC, and there are free ones there too. If you'd rather play on a bigger screen, read where to download free PC games without surprises before you install anything, and my guide on how to find free games on Steam worth playing explains how to sort the good free titles from the filler.
Frequently asked questions
What is a roguelike game?
It's a game where each run has randomised levels and losing sends you back to the start. The name comes from Rogue, an early dungeon game.
Which free roguelike games play offline?
OneBit Adventure's listing says it can be played offline. Soul Knight mentions local multiplayer, and the others don't make an offline claim.
Are there roguelikes without ads?
Shattered Pixel Dungeon and God Rivals show no Contains ads label on Google Play, though both have an in-app purchases label.
Which roguelike is easiest for a beginner?
Survivor.io and Soul Knight are quick to pick up, while Shattered Pixel Dungeon rewards patience.
Are these roguelikes suitable for kids?
Four are rated Everyone, four are Everyone 10+ and two are Teen. The rating covers content, not ads or in-app purchases.
