Spelunky

Spelunky is a 2008 source-available 2D platform game created by independent developer Derek Yu and released as freeware for Microsoft Windows. It was remade for the Xbox 360 in 2012, with ports of the new version following for various platforms, including back to Microsoft Windows. The player controls a "spelunker" who explores a series of caves while collecting treasure, saving damsels, fighting enemies, and dodging traps. The caves are procedurally generated, making each run through of the game unique. "Spelunky" is one of the first games that borrowed concepts from roguelikes and combined them with real-time side-scrolling platformer elements. Due to its popularity, it was the influence for many later rogue-like games.
The first public release was on December 21, 2008. The source code of the Windows version was released on December 25, 2009. An enhanced version for Xbox Live Arcade was released on July 4, 2012. The enhanced version was later released for Windows and PlayStation 3 in August 2013, and for PlayStation 4 on October 7, 2014. The remake was also made available on Xbox One via backward compatibility in December 2015. A Chrome OS version of the original game was made as well, titled "Spelunky HTML5". A port for Nintendo Switch is planned for release in Summer 2021. A sequel, "Spelunky 2", was released in September 2020.
Spelunky received critical acclaim for its gameplay, atmosphere and design; though some controls and multiplayer were polarized by critics. Many critics and publications regarded it as one of the greatest video games of all time.
Gameplay.
The player controls an unnamed adventurer, known as the spelunker. The aim of the game is to explore tunnels, gathering as much treasure as possible while avoiding traps and enemies. The spelunker can whip or jump on enemies to defeat them, pick up items that can be thrown to either attack enemies or set off traps, and use a limited supply of bombs and ropes to navigate the caves. Levels are randomly generated and grouped into four increasingly difficult "areas", each with a distinctive set of items, enemies, terrain types and special features. Later areas contain more valuable treasures, secret locations, and items. If the player loses all their hearts or runs into an instant-kill trap, they will have to start from the beginning.
Enemies include animals like bats, snakes and spiders of varying sizes, other characters, and monsters like yeti, man-eating plants and ghosts. The player can collect many items, mainly gold and jewels which add to the player's score, but also useful objects including bombs, guns, climbing gear and archaeological artifacts. Some of the latter have supernatural abilities, including kapalas, hedjets, crystal skulls and golden ankhs, though many of these special items can only be gained through secret methods, like combining other items together. Some items may be purchased or stolen from shops scattered about the caves, though the shopkeepers become powerful enemies if you steal from them.
The player can also encounter damsels in distress trapped in the caves, who can be picked up and carried to an exit. Successfully doing so returns health to the player. It's possible to unlock the damsel as a playable character; gameplay is identical, except that the player encounters spelunkers to rescue. Another unlockable character is the "Tunnel Man", who possesses a mattock instead of a whip.
The Xbox Live Arcade, as well as the PlayStation Network versions of the game feature local multiplayer (co-op and deathmatch) for up to four players. There are 9 different characters to play as.
The original "Spelunky" also includes a level editor, in which players can create their own non-random levels to share with others.
Development.
"Spelunky" was created by Derek Yu and released as freeware for Microsoft Windows on December 21, 2008. The source code of the 2008 Windows version was published under a software license permitting noncommercial distribution and modification on December 25, 2009. Based on this source code the game community created a community patch which added support for Mac OS X. Since the game source code became available community members have created many modified versions, or mods, of the original game. Most of these are available via the forums on the website for Derek Yu's video game company, Mossmouth, where a list is maintained of finished mods.
An enhanced remake version for Xbox Live Arcade was released on July 4, 2012. The enhanced edition was also released on PC on August 8, 2013 and for PlayStation 3 on August 27 and 28, 2013.
Influences.
"Spelunky" draws from "La-Mulana", "Rick Dangerous", and "Spelunker" for its visual styling, character design, gameplay elements and general mechanics. Essentially a dungeon crawl, it also adds elements from the roguelike genre, including randomly generated levels, a lack of save points, frequent and easy death, and discovery mechanics. It draws equally from the 2D platformer genre, including real-time interactions with enemies. According to Yu, the "Super Mario" series of video games was one of the game's biggest inspirations, especially in "feel and physics."
Reception.
"IGN" gave the XBLA version a score of 9.0 and an Editor's Choice award, calling it "a superb 2D platformer that's as easy to hate as it is to love." "GamesRadar" gave the game 5/5, praising its gameplay and constant sense of discovery. GameTrailers gave the game a score of 8.3, praising its design but criticising some control quirks and throwaway multiplayer. "1UP.com" gave the game an A ranking, saying "it offers the same immediate, pick-up-and-play fun of "Geometry Wars", but demands much more than the simple reflexive reactions of your lizard brain."
"PC Gamer UK" chose the remake of "Spelunky" as its 2013 game of the year. Eurogamer ranked "Spelunky" third on its Games of the Generation list. In 2015, Rock, Paper, Shotgun ranked the original "Spelunky" 1st on its The 50 Best Free Games On PC list. A difficult challenge run of "Spelunky HD", known as an "eggplant run", was reported on by various video game news websites. In 2019, "Spelunky" was ranked 36th on "The Guardian" newspaper's The 50 Best Video Games of the 21st Century list.
The spelunker, the main character of "Spelunky", is one of several indie game characters who can be unlocked and played in "Super Meat Boy". Referred to as "Spelunky" in "Super Meat Boy", the character has the special power of explosive jumps (referencing the bombs he carries in the original game), and he is exclusive to the Xbox Live Arcade version. He also makes an appearance in "Runner2" as a DLC character.
"Spelunky" was a commercial success, selling over one million units by 2016. The Steam launch was noted to be particularly successful by Derek Yu, with 61,408 units sold within the first week, and 577,185 units throughout the game's lifetime.