Traditional Roguelike
GnollHack is a traditional roguelike, being based on the game design of Rogue. Thus, GnollHack features:
- Turn-based gameplay
- Grid-based movement
- Procedural generation of dungeons and items
- Permadeath (classic mode only)
- A great number of different game mechanics
- High fantasy world
NetHack Variant
GnollHack is also a true NetHack variant that retains most of its mechanics, complexity, and spirit, while adding new features. GnollHack is aimed at making NetHack more beginner-friendly while at the same time trying to keep the game interesting for veterans, especially in the late game. In this regard, GnollHack introduces:
- Difficulty levels
- In-game item and monster information
- In-game hints and quest and gameplay guidance
- Removal of unnecessary instant-death situations
- Large number of new late-game monsters
- Interesting late-game items
NetHack Remaster
GnollHack can also be viewed as a NetHack remaster, adding the following modern features:
- Graphics and animations — Over 23000 64x96-pixel base tiles
- Sounds — Over 1100 sound effects
- Music — 37 music tracks
- Voiceovers — 97 voice actors and over 5000 voiceover lines
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Cross-platform support — Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows
- macOS can run the iOS version (Macs with an M1 or later processor)
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Modern UI
- Mobile touch-based UI on Android and iOS
- Modern UI for desktop, adapted from the mobile UI
- Windows supports touch, mouse, and keyboard
- macOS supports mouse only (keyboard support coming in the future)
All graphics, sounds, music, and voiceovers have been made by real people — nothing has been generated with AI.
Open Source
GnollHack is an open-source game, based on NetHack's source code. This means that you can fork it.
- GnollHack's code is licensed under NetHack General Public License.
- GnollHack's graphics and sounds are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Public License.
GnollHack is developed by Sound Mind Games, a nonprofit organization based in Finland, working in the fields of gaming and mental health.