Game Groups > DND versions

Variant home conversions of the mid-1970s mainframe fantasy role-playing game DND that was very successful and spawned dozens of variants. DND is a 2D, top-down, dungeon crawl, similar to Rogue-like games, but with some differences.

For example, most traditional DND-likes don't have random dungeon level generation. They mostly feature one or more fixed levels, albeit often with randomly generated monsters and treasure.

Another defining feature of "DND-likes" is the limited view of the surrounding. During dungeon exploration, the player is only shown the immediately adjacent 3x3 fields (although some DND variants have a larger view). This window follows the character, who is always displayed in the center. The player is not shown an overview of the level; in contrast, traditional Rogue-likes display the whole map level map, with the player avatar moving on screen. (DND-like games are infamous for the amount of map-drawing required by players, even if some have automapping to relieve the player -- the first being the mainframe game orthanc in as early as 1976!).

Traditional DND-likes are single-character crawls and have turn-based gameplay; however, some later games added party support and real-time play (notable is the home computer rpg classic Telengard); these variants can be included here as long as they stick to the non-random level and limited surrounding view criterion.

Many early 2D top-down rpg's lie halfway between Roguelikes and DND-likes. Games like Randall Masteller's Warriors of Ras games (non-random levels, full view) or Automated Simulations' Dunjonquest games (non-random levels, limited view, but moving character and page-flipping) should not be added here.