I’ve been delving into the world of Roguelikes recently. My gateway drug, was of course Dwarf Fortress. Out of curiosity I moved on to looking at Nethack, another cult classic. The number of free indy games I’m piling up on my desktop have necessitated having a folder dedicated to them. Sitting in there as well is Knytt Stories and Cave Story.
But what I’m really coming here to point you towards is Spelunky. Go download it now! It’s getting a swish XBLAh port in July. But until then you can play the free PC version.

So pretty much you’re this little dude, who decides to do the most dangerous dungeon crawl known to man. This game keeps track of how often you die. That’s what sort of game this is. I decided to wait till I got at least 50 deaths before writing about it.
There’s a lot hidden away in this game. It’s a rewarding for uber gamers who are willing to learn and perfect the game. You learn through trial and error. Only the truly talented survive.
If you do happen to die, then you start from the beginning again (well, if you’re persistent enough you don’t.) Fortunately for you the levels are randomized, so playing through the same bit over and over doesn’t get lame. You curse yourself for smashing the pot with a snake in it right next to your face and start again, this time learning your lesson.
I’ve purposefully not looked up any wiki’s or anything. The process of discovery is far too rewarding. A five or ten minute play through can’t begin to show you what’s hidden away in this game. It’s fantastic.