A gurklike is a game inspired by the Gurk series of mobile RPGs, or related games that share similar gameplay and presentation.
Fans of the series coined the term the same way "roguelike" was named after Rogue.
Common traits#
Open World#
Gurklikes are usually open world RPGs, where the player is free to explore a large world, interact with NPCs, and complete quests in a non-linear fashion. There are few or no restrictions on where the player can go.
Party Based#
The player controls a party of characters, each with their own abilities, stats, and equipment.
Role Playing Game#
As a subset of the RPG genre, gurklikes feature role-playing elements such as character progression, levelling up, and gear acquisition through loot, quest rewards or shops (which may have a randomly generated selection).
Grid Based#
All actions in game take place on a grid, both in the overworld and in combat. All in game sprites and tiles align cleanly to the grid, frequently with 1 tile representing one object (without transition tiles or multi-tile objects, aside from walls).
Turn-based Tactical Combat#
Combat in gurklikes is typically turn based, and takes place on a grid. Players and enemies take turns moving attacking with their characters, and positioning is important for strategy. Characters are restricted to a tile grid, and only move 1 or 2 tiles per turn.
Battles take place in their own map separate from the overworld, and the battle area fits on one screen.
Vertical Physical UI Design#
Gurklikes are often designed for mobile devices and optimised for vertical screens, allowing for easy one-handed play. The UI uses on screen buttons for controls (typically in a grid of 3x3), while the game world is displayed in a smaller area at the top. This mimics a Game Boy or other classic handheld consoles.
Retro Pixel Art Style#
As the genre is an intentional throwback to RPG games from the 1980s, the graphics are usually reminiscent of games from this era, specifically 8-bit gaming consoles such as the Nintendo Entertainment System, the Sega Master System and the Commodore 64.