NetHack

NetHack is a free and open-source roguelike game originally developed in 1987 as a successor to Hack. The game has been in continuous development for over 35 years and is known for its complexity and depth. It was inducted into the Museum of Modern Art's video game collection in 2022.

Development:
NetHack was created by the NetHack DevTeam and is distributed under the NetHack General Public License. The development team follows the philosophy "The DevTeam thinks of everything," referring to their attention to detail in implementing item interactions and special cases.

Gameplay:
The game features over 400 monster types and more than 1,000 items with complex interaction systems. Players can choose from 13 character classes, each with unique quests and abilities. The game includes a pet system with AI mechanics and multiple victory paths through different dungeon branches.

Technical Implementation:
NetHack is written in C and has been ported to numerous platforms including Windows, Linux, macOS, Unix, DOS, BeOS, VMS, Haiku, and OS/2. The game uses ASCII graphics with optional tile support and has minimal system requirements.

Variants:
NetHack has spawned over 50 documented variants including SLASH'EM, UnNetHack, and SporkHack. These variants modify gameplay mechanics, add content, or modernize the interface while maintaining the core NetHack framework.

Cultural Impact:
NetHack is widely studied in academic programs related to artificial intelligence and game design. It has influenced numerous other roguelike games and established many conventions for the genre.