User Interface
- GnollHack has a modern graphical user interface on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows.
- GnollHack has real 2D animations. NetHack has no animations.
- GnollHack has sound effects, music, and voiceovers. NetHack has no sounds.
Android screenshot
Gameplay
- There are more items found in the dungeon.
- GnollHack is easy in the start and hard in the end, while NetHack usually is hard in the start and easy in the end.
- GnollHack is more a game of plenty, where you have many items and options. You have far more options for the ascension kit. You can also carry more in GnollHack.
- GnollHack has difficulty levels and game modes appropriate for beginning players.
- You can use money on several useful services. In NetHack, there are little uses for money, except for the donation in the temple.
- There are plenty of identification items and services available, which means that you can identify your items easily. In NetHack, players often have to resort to price-id'ing or hope that a blessed scroll of identify identifies the whole inventory by chance.
- There are fewer insta-deaths in the game compared to NetHack. Many insta-death have become delayed insta-deaths, which allow you to react to the situation for several turns.
- You have plenty of information about item statistics inside the game.
- Magic is resource-based.
- Ranged combat works better.
Roguelike Comparison
Please also see Roguelike Comparison for the comparison of NetHack, GnollHack, Pathos, and Shattered Pixel Dungeon.
Preserving the Spirit of NetHack
GnollHack preserves most NetHack mechanics to keep the game familiar to NetHack veterans. GnollHack aims to extend the NetHack experience with new additions while keeping the core of the game intact. It also aims to modernize NetHack without losing the depth of the original.