A Historic Game Gets a New Lease of Life

NetHack is often regarded as a relic in the world of roguelikes. This isn't because it's outdated—though it certainly has a long history, having been released in the same year that Lethal Weapon hit the big screen—but because it holds a place of significance in the gaming world. It's even part of the Museum of Modern Art, alongside other iconic titles like SimCity 2000 and Portal. As one of the most influential and historic games, NetHack has now undergone a major transformation with its latest release.

The game recently celebrated the launch of version 5.0.0, marking a new chapter in its nearly 40-year journey. Despite being over three decades old, NetHack remains actively developed, thanks to an open-source project managed by a dedicated group of coders known as the DevTeam. This community-driven effort ensures that the game continues to evolve while maintaining its core identity.

NetHack is directly descended from Rogue, the original ASCII-based dungeon crawler that laid the foundation for many modern roguelike games. Titles such as Balatro, Hades, and countless others owe their design principles to this pioneering game. The 5.0.0 update brings a host of improvements, with over 3,100 fixes and changes detailed in the release blog post. However, players should be aware that older saves and "bones files"—which store dungeon floors when a player dies—will not be compatible with the new version. This makes it the perfect opportunity to start fresh and experience the game anew.

For those interested in exploring the full scope of the updates, the changelog can be found on the NetHack GitHub page. The notes are filled with quirky and humorous details, such as "pets avoid eating shapeshifter corpses unless starving or nearly feral" and "demon lords hate Demonbane." These little touches add to the charm of the game and highlight the depth of its design.

Getting Started with NetHack

While NetHack may seem daunting at first, especially for newcomers to the genre, there are resources available to help ease the learning curve. One highly recommended option is PC Gamer's NetHack from aaaa to Zruty series, which features senior editor Wes Fenlon and NetHack expert Jeremy Nissen. This decade-old series delves into the reasons behind the game's enduring popularity and offers insights into how to approach playing it. Given that NetHack is more than four times older than the series, it's safe to say that the content still holds up well.

For those looking to dive into the game, the main menu of the NetHack website provides direct links to downloads for Windows, DOS, and Amiga versions. Whether you're a longtime fan or a curious newcomer, there's never been a better time to explore this legendary title.

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