Pumpkin Rogue
Survive the nightmare realm in this pixel-art PICO-8 roguelike adventure
Pumpkin Rogue
Pumpkin Rogue â Escape the Nightmare Realm One Floor at a Time
Pumpkin Rogue throws you into a procedurally generated nightmare realm where every floor brings new dangers, enemies, and challenges. Built with PICO-8's distinctive retro aesthetic, this roguelike demands quick thinking and strategic planning as you battle through 15 increasingly difficult floors. With 34 unique enemy types, 35 collectible items and spells, and 5 unlockable character classes, every run in Pumpkin Rogue offers fresh tactical possibilities and deadly surprises.
đŽ What is Pumpkin Rogue?
Pumpkin Rogue is a fast-paced roguelike dungeon crawler where survival depends on mastering both combat and environmental awareness. Your goal is to navigate through 10 nightmare areas across 15 floors, reaching portals that transport you deeper into the realm. Each floor is procedurally generated, meaning you'll never face the same layout twice.
The game combines classic roguelike permadeath stakes with accessible PICO-8 controls. Die on any floor, and you start over from the beginning â but with new knowledge about enemy patterns, item synergies, and environmental tactics. As you explore, you'll encounter destructible walls hiding secrets, enemy portals spawning endless reinforcements, and environmental hazards like fires, spider webs, water pools, and deadly pits.
Pumpkin Rogue features a fog of war system that obscures unexplored areas, forcing you to venture into the unknown with every step. Combined with increasingly aggressive enemies and hazardous terrain, each floor becomes a tense battle for survival where one wrong move can end your run.
đšī¸ How to Play Pumpkin Rogue
Basic Controls
Pumpkin Rogue uses simple keyboard controls optimized for the PICO-8 platform:
- Arrow Keys â Move your character in four directions and attack adjacent enemies
- Z Key â Open or close the menu system; cancel menu selections
- X Key â Confirm menu selections and use items
- Enter Key â Open the PICO-8 system menu for game options
Core Gameplay Mechanics
- Movement and Combat â Use arrow keys to move through dungeons; walk into enemies to attack them
- Explore Floors â Navigate fog of war to reveal the map and find the exit portal
- Destroy Walls â Break through destructible walls to discover shortcuts and hidden items
- Collect Items â Gather 35 different items and spells to enhance your abilities
- Avoid Hazards â Navigate around fires, webs, water, and pits that damage or hinder you
- Defeat Enemies â Battle 34 unique enemy types with different attack patterns
- Close Portals â Destroy enemy spawn portals to prevent endless reinforcements
- Reach Exit â Find and enter the portal to advance to the next floor
- Survive 15 Floors â Complete all floors to escape the nightmare realm
Enemy Types and Threats
Pumpkin Rogue features a diverse bestiary of 34 enemy types, each with unique behaviors:
- Aggressive Melee â Enemies that chase and attack you directly
- Ranged Attackers â Foes that launch projectiles from a distance
- Spawners â Enemy portals that continuously generate new threats
- Elite Monsters â Tougher enemies with more health and special abilities
- Environmental Enemies â Creatures that interact with hazards for tactical advantages
Character Classes and Customization
Unlock 5 different character classes, each offering distinct playstyles:
- Warrior â High health and melee damage for aggressive combat
- Mage â Powerful spells but lower durability
- Rogue â Fast movement and critical strike potential
- Tank â Maximum defense to withstand enemy assaults
- Specialist â Unique abilities that change core mechanics Each class also has 8 color palette options for visual customization.
đ¸ Pumpkin Rogue Gameplay Walkthrough
đēī¸ Floor Exploration
Each floor in Pumpkin Rogue begins shrouded in fog of war. As you move, the darkness recedes to reveal corridors, rooms, enemies, and hazards. Your first priority is always reconnaissance â carefully exploring to find the exit portal while identifying threats and resources. Notice the destructible walls marked with cracks; breaking through these can reveal shortcuts or hidden treasures. The procedural generation ensures every run presents new layouts, forcing you to adapt your exploration strategy rather than memorizing patterns.
âī¸ Combat Encounters
Combat in Pumpkin Rogue is deceptively simple but strategically deep. Walking into an enemy triggers an attack, so positioning is everything. Should you attack the goblin blocking the corridor, or retreat and force it into a narrow chokepoint? Some enemies shoot projectiles, requiring you to dodge while closing distance. Others swarm in groups, punishing reckless aggression. Learning each of the 34 enemy types â their movement patterns, attack ranges, and behaviors â is essential to surviving deeper floors where multiple enemy types coordinate against you.
đĨ Environmental Hazards
Pumpkin Rogue transforms the environment into a tactical element. Fire tiles deal damage if you walk through them, but they also hurt enemies â lure foes into flames to damage them without risking your health. Spider webs slow movement, leaving you vulnerable to enemy attacks. Water tiles might impede progress or offer defensive positions. Pits are instant death for both you and enemies, creating opportunities for environmental kills. Advanced players manipulate these hazards, using the nightmare realm's own dangers against its inhabitants.
đ¯ Portal Destruction and Item Collection
Enemy spawn portals are Pumpkin Rogue's most dangerous mechanic. Left unchecked, these portals continuously generate new enemies, quickly overwhelming you. Prioritizing portal destruction is often more important than fighting individual enemies. Once you clear the portals, you can methodically eliminate remaining foes and safely search for items. The 35 collectible items and spells dramatically alter your capabilities â healing potions extend survival, damage boosts let you kill enemies faster, and mobility spells help you escape dangerous situations. Building the right item collection is key to reaching floor 15.
Pumpkin Rogue â Escape the Nightmare Realm One Floor at a Time
Pumpkin Rogue throws you into a procedurally generated nightmare realm where every floor brings new dangers, enemies, and challenges. Built with PICO-8's distinctive retro aesthetic, this roguelike demands quick thinking and strategic planning as you battle through 15 increasingly difficult floors. With 34 unique enemy types, 35 collectible items and spells, and 5 unlockable character classes, every run in Pumpkin Rogue offers fresh tactical possibilities and deadly surprises.
đŽ What is Pumpkin Rogue?
Pumpkin Rogue is a fast-paced roguelike dungeon crawler where survival depends on mastering both combat and environmental awareness. Your goal is to navigate through 10 nightmare areas across 15 floors, reaching portals that transport you deeper into the realm. Each floor is procedurally generated, meaning you'll never face the same layout twice.
The game combines classic roguelike permadeath stakes with accessible PICO-8 controls. Die on any floor, and you start over from the beginning â but with new knowledge about enemy patterns, item synergies, and environmental tactics. As you explore, you'll encounter destructible walls hiding secrets, enemy portals spawning endless reinforcements, and environmental hazards like fires, spider webs, water pools, and deadly pits.
Pumpkin Rogue features a fog of war system that obscures unexplored areas, forcing you to venture into the unknown with every step. Combined with increasingly aggressive enemies and hazardous terrain, each floor becomes a tense battle for survival where one wrong move can end your run.
đšī¸ How to Play Pumpkin Rogue
Basic Controls
Pumpkin Rogue uses simple keyboard controls optimized for the PICO-8 platform:
- Arrow Keys â Move your character in four directions and attack adjacent enemies
- Z Key â Open or close the menu system; cancel menu selections
- X Key â Confirm menu selections and use items
- Enter Key â Open the PICO-8 system menu for game options
Core Gameplay Mechanics
- Movement and Combat â Use arrow keys to move through dungeons; walk into enemies to attack them
- Explore Floors â Navigate fog of war to reveal the map and find the exit portal
- Destroy Walls â Break through destructible walls to discover shortcuts and hidden items
- Collect Items â Gather 35 different items and spells to enhance your abilities
- Avoid Hazards â Navigate around fires, webs, water, and pits that damage or hinder you
- Defeat Enemies â Battle 34 unique enemy types with different attack patterns
- Close Portals â Destroy enemy spawn portals to prevent endless reinforcements
- Reach Exit â Find and enter the portal to advance to the next floor
- Survive 15 Floors â Complete all floors to escape the nightmare realm
Enemy Types and Threats
Pumpkin Rogue features a diverse bestiary of 34 enemy types, each with unique behaviors:
- Aggressive Melee â Enemies that chase and attack you directly
- Ranged Attackers â Foes that launch projectiles from a distance
- Spawners â Enemy portals that continuously generate new threats
- Elite Monsters â Tougher enemies with more health and special abilities
- Environmental Enemies â Creatures that interact with hazards for tactical advantages
Character Classes and Customization
Unlock 5 different character classes, each offering distinct playstyles:
- Warrior â High health and melee damage for aggressive combat
- Mage â Powerful spells but lower durability
- Rogue â Fast movement and critical strike potential
- Tank â Maximum defense to withstand enemy assaults
- Specialist â Unique abilities that change core mechanics Each class also has 8 color palette options for visual customization.
đ¸ Pumpkin Rogue Gameplay Walkthrough
đēī¸ Floor Exploration
Each floor in Pumpkin Rogue begins shrouded in fog of war. As you move, the darkness recedes to reveal corridors, rooms, enemies, and hazards. Your first priority is always reconnaissance â carefully exploring to find the exit portal while identifying threats and resources. Notice the destructible walls marked with cracks; breaking through these can reveal shortcuts or hidden treasures. The procedural generation ensures every run presents new layouts, forcing you to adapt your exploration strategy rather than memorizing patterns.
âī¸ Combat Encounters
Combat in Pumpkin Rogue is deceptively simple but strategically deep. Walking into an enemy triggers an attack, so positioning is everything. Should you attack the goblin blocking the corridor, or retreat and force it into a narrow chokepoint? Some enemies shoot projectiles, requiring you to dodge while closing distance. Others swarm in groups, punishing reckless aggression. Learning each of the 34 enemy types â their movement patterns, attack ranges, and behaviors â is essential to surviving deeper floors where multiple enemy types coordinate against you.
đĨ Environmental Hazards
Pumpkin Rogue transforms the environment into a tactical element. Fire tiles deal damage if you walk through them, but they also hurt enemies â lure foes into flames to damage them without risking your health. Spider webs slow movement, leaving you vulnerable to enemy attacks. Water tiles might impede progress or offer defensive positions. Pits are instant death for both you and enemies, creating opportunities for environmental kills. Advanced players manipulate these hazards, using the nightmare realm's own dangers against its inhabitants.
đ¯ Portal Destruction and Item Collection
Enemy spawn portals are Pumpkin Rogue's most dangerous mechanic. Left unchecked, these portals continuously generate new enemies, quickly overwhelming you. Prioritizing portal destruction is often more important than fighting individual enemies. Once you clear the portals, you can methodically eliminate remaining foes and safely search for items. The 35 collectible items and spells dramatically alter your capabilities â healing potions extend survival, damage boosts let you kill enemies faster, and mobility spells help you escape dangerous situations. Building the right item collection is key to reaching floor 15.
Release date
Developer
Platform
