Best free "ASCII games" games

A few decades ago, ASCII games—also known as text-based games—were quite popular. Why? Simply because early home computers weren’t capable of much in terms of graphics. But even as technology advanced, the appeal of ASCII games never completely disappeared. By stripping away most of the visuals, developers could focus on gameplay, depth, and complexity. Dwarf Fortress and ASCII Sector are perfect examples of how intricate text-based games can be.
And then there are MUDs (Multi-User Dungeons): text-based, old-school multiplayer RPGs with even fewer visuals than ASCII roguelikes, yet full of community-driven storytelling and interaction.
ASCII gaming isn’t for everyone, but some of these titles may surprise you—so don’t dismiss them until you’ve given them a try.