Play NetHack in your browser ▶ Play now — the real NetHack 3.6.7
Guide updated October 2026 · Runs via WebAssembly (native port)
NetHack is the dungeon crawl that has been in development since 1987: descend through randomly generated levels, find the Amulet of Yendor at the bottom, and bring it back up — if you survive. This is the official NetHack 3.6.7 source compiled to WebAssembly, not a remake, so every interaction the game is famous for is here. Choose a name and a role, press Start, and click the game to give it the keyboard.
Controls — what does what
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse / touch |
|---|---|---|
| Move / attack | hjklyubn, arrows or numpad | Click a map square to travel |
| Extended command | #, or Alt+letter | # button, then pick |
| Save and quit | S, then y | — |
FREE This is the complete game, free. Free software under the NetHack General Public License — the complete game, every role and every level.
NetHack 3.6.7 © the NetHack DevTeam, under the NetHack General Public License; source at github.com/NetHack/NetHack. WebAssembly build: @neth4ck/wasm-367, vendored by scripts/build-nethack.mjs. Browser window port written for ExeBrowser — see NOTICE.md.
Controls
Move with h j k l and y u b n for diagonals, or with the arrow keys and the numeric keypad. A capital letter (or Shift+arrow) runs. Some essentials: , pick up, i inventory, e eat, q quaff, r read, w wield, W wear, s search, < and > stairs, # extended commands such as #pray, ? help. Alt+letter sends NetHack's Meta commands. Click a spot on the map to travel there. On a phone, a keypad appears under the map with directions and the common keys, and ⌨ opens the system keyboard.
Saving
Press S and answer y to save and stop. The save is kept in this browser's storage; next time you open this page with the same name, the start button says Continue saved game and you pick up where you left off. As in NetHack itself there is no autosave — but if you close the tab without saving, the last save you made is still there, so you lose only the time since then.
First game tips
Valkyrie is the most forgiving role for a first game: strong, cold-resistant, with a good sword. Let your pet go first into unknown rooms, don't eat corpses you can't identify, and when you're in trouble, #pray — your god will usually help if you haven't prayed recently. Read the messages at the top; NetHack tells you almost everything, but only once.
About this build
The game is the NetHack DevTeam's own source, compiled to WebAssembly by the neth4ck project and released under the NetHack General Public License. The window port that draws the map and menus and reads your keys is written for this site. NetHack's built-in help files live in the game's data archive, which this build doesn't expose to the help viewer, so a few help pages show a short notice instead.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the real NetHack or a clone?
The real one: NetHack 3.6.7, the last 3.6 release, built from the official source to WebAssembly. The rules, monsters, items and every special level are the originals.
Where is my save kept?
In your browser's IndexedDB storage for this site, under the name you chose. Clearing site data deletes it, and it doesn't move between browsers or devices.
Can I play with tiles instead of letters?
Not yet — this version draws the classic coloured characters.
Is NetHack free?
Yes. NetHack has always been free software under the NetHack General Public License, which allows it to be shared and hosted as long as the licence and source stay available.
More you can play in your browser
Related guides
- Chess vs computerPlay the Stockfish engine at eight levels, from beginner to maximum.
- BackgammonThe full race-and-hit game with gammons, against the computer.
- Mahjong SolitaireMatch free tiles in pairs on four layouts; every deal can be cleared.
- CheckersAmerican checkers against the computer, with forced captures and kings.
Want a game like this on your own site?
NetHack isn't ours to give away — we host it, we didn't write it. But eleven of the games here we did write from scratch, and those are free for anyone to put on their own page: one line of HTML, no account, no permission, no attribution beyond a credit line.