Games where code is the gameplay

About

Syntax Arcade is a hand-curated collection of games in which writing code is the main thing you do. Not games that happen to have a scripting layer, and not mods for games with an unrelated story: games where the program you write is the game.

If you enjoy TIS-100, Screeps, Bitburner or The Farmer Was Replaced, this is the place to find your next one. Free browser games sit next to Steam titles, and every entry is tagged with its platform and whether it is free or paid.

What counts as a coding game?

Writing code (text or visual logic) must be the primary verb of the game, and it must be part of the game's own premise. Games that nearly meet that rule are listed in a separate borderline tier, so you can see why something was kept at arm's length instead of silently dropped.

Categories

• Code puzzlers Solve tasks in a given language, with ever harder puzzles.
• Automation and optimization sims Code replaces manual work inside a game built for it.
• Competitive bot programming Write the AI, then let the bots fight.
• Hacker fiction with real scripting The fantasy is hacking, and you actually write scripts.
• World-hackers Change the game world by rewriting its rules.
• Learn-to-code games Teach a real language as you play.
• Build-a-computer Start from logic gates and work your way up.
• Action and hybrid Code mixed with another genre, such as action.

Good to know

Many games fit more than one category. Each game page lists its platforms, whether it is free or paid, the language you code in, and when the entry was last checked. Availability changes, so check the game's own page before you buy. Read more about how games are chosen on the about page.