There’s a TADS game where you play a rat…
…and Countdown to Doom, with a whole maze in relative movement…
…but hey, I unearthed some reading material for you. 
https://intfiction.org/t/the-compass-is-everyone-just-lazy/6049/1
https://intfiction.org/t/alternatives-to-nsew/4234/1
https://intfiction.org/t/how-about-left-right-up-down-as-compass-directions/2089/1
(Huh, I didn’t even remember my posts in that one)
https://intfiction.org/t/the-compass-location-descriptions-and-mimesis/8434/1
https://intfiction.org/t/i6-navigating-with-left-and-right/2040/1
EDIT - Maybe this should be stickied or something. 
I mean, having a new thread for it every year or so isn’t a problem, but if keeps coming up, there’s some interest in the issue.