Slay the Spire
A deckbuilding game that mixes card battles with roguelike structure.
Where Slay the Spire comes up1 episode or test
- 1Deckbuilding card battlesThe base genre
- 2Add roguelike rulesRandom runs and permadeath
- 3Slay the SpireStarted a new genre line
- 4Later games copy itLuck Be a Landlord, Balatro
From Page note on roguelike genre hybrids
What was said about Slay the Spire
Slay the Spire crossed roguelike with deckbuilding and started a new genre line. It mixed the random runs and permadeath of a roguelike with deckbuilding card battles. That blend led to later games such as Luck Be a Landlord and Balatro.
Roguelike tied for the most popular genre of 2025 with about 20 releases. The source frames this as a pattern: Derek Yu merged Super Mario style platforming with roguelike rules to make Spelunky, and others then applied the same rules to new genres.
The History of Every Video Game Genre
It mixed roguelike with deckbuilding and led to Luck Be a Landlord and Balatro. Roguelike tied for the most popular genre of 2025 with about 20 releases.
Slay the Spire crossed roguelike with deckbuilding and started a new genre line. It mixed the random runs and permadeath of a roguelike with deckbuilding card battles. That blend led to later games such as Luck Be a Landlord and Balatro.
Roguelike tied for the most popular genre of 2025 with about 20 releases. The source frames this as a pattern: Derek Yu merged Super Mario style platforming with roguelike rules to make Spelunky, and others then applied the same rules to new genres.
More in Games
GamesNintendo
A Zelda adventure where Princess Zelda copies objects and monsters as echoes to solve puzzles and fight.
GamesThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Nintendo's long-running action-adventure series about Link exploring Hyrule, solving puzzles and fighting Ganon.
GamesDead Space
A major video game publisher and the guest's employer.
G
29 sources · 94 tipsMind Over Magnet
A puzzle platformer where you escape a factory using a magnet and a magnetic field.
GamesFar Cry 2
An open world action game where you recruit and play any of London's citizens.
GamesGod of War
A combat-focused action adventure game from Santa Monica Studio with Norse mythology and light puzzles.
Mind Over Magnet
Mark Brown's first game, a puzzle game he made while learning Unity.
GamesDishonored
A first-person stealth action game from Arkane with supernatural powers and the Clockwork Mansion level.