Text-based game

A text-based game is an electronic game whose user interface uses encodable characters, such as ASCII, rather than bitmap or vector graphics. Text-based games have been documented since at least the 1960s, first on teleprinters connected to mainframe computers. They became especially popular in the 1970s and 1980s, continued as early online games into the mid-1990s, and are still made by independent developers. They helped establish adventure and role-playing video game genres.

Interface

Text-based user interface using encodable characters

Documented since

At least the 1960s

Related genres

Adventure and role-playing video games