The 9 Best Coding Games to Build Your Programming Skills

Coding games help you learn faster with hands-on practice and experience. Plus, they’re a fun way to test your programming skills!

Programming is fun once you know what you’re doing, but getting to that point can be a grueling journey.

This is why you should set aside time to play these coding games and challenges. Not only do they serve as fun breaks, but you’ll learn faster and retain more info, thanks to the hands-on practice and experience of game development.

Ready to get started? Let’s go.

1. Robocode

Robocode is complex, but it’s one of the best programming games. It has you coding robot tanks and pitting them against each other. Your job is to write the artificial intelligence that drives your robots to success—using real languages like Java, Scala, C#, and more. To get started, check out the Robocode Basics and Tutorials on Robowiki.

The Robocode installer includes a development environment, built-in robot editor, and Java compiler. Despite launching back in 2000, Robocode is still regularly updated, helped by the fact that it’s open-source and addictive.

Visit: robocode.sourceforge.net

2. CodinGame

CodinGame is a game-like web app where you solve puzzles and challenges by writing real code. It supports more than 25 programming languages, including Java, C#, Python, JavaScript, Lua, Go, and Rust. Each puzzle or challenge has a theme (e.g. program the turret to shoot down airships that come too close), which kicks up the fun factor.

Learn more about game development programming languages, especially for Unity.

Visit: www.codingame.com

3. CodeCombat

CodeCombat is another web app for game-like puzzles and challenges that you can only solve by writing code. But while CodinGame is more entertaining, CodeCombat has a significant educational angle with a Classroom Edition. Teachers can use it to help their students learn how to code by designing programming games.

Three course paths are available to pursue: Computer Science, Web Development, and Game Development.

Visit: codecombat.com

4. Codewars

Codewars isn’t so much a programming game as it is a gamified way to practice coding and solve algorithmic challenges. You get points for completing puzzles, and the efficiency of your solutions determines the point values. Codewars lets you view solutions submitted by others, which you can study and learn from. It’s one of the best ways to learn a new programming language and its related idioms.

Visit: www.codewars.com

5. Vim Adventures

Vim Adventures is a fun game-like tutorial for learning how to use Vim, an unusual but very powerful text editor that many programmers love to use.

It has a huge learning curve though, which is why tutorials like this exist. So while Vim isn’t a programming language per se, mastering Vim can help you become a more efficient coder.

Visit: vim-adventures.com

6. TIS-100

“It’s the assembly language programming game you never asked for!”—it says so right there on the tin.

TIS-100 is a video game like no other, forcing you to learn and use a mock version of low-level assembly code to solve its puzzles. This programming game is not a joke—it’s difficult, open-ended, and it has incredible replay value as long as you don’t become so frustrated and confused that you uninstall it in a fit of rage.

Download: TIS-100 ($6.99)

7. Shenzhen I/O

From the same studio behind TIS-100 comes Shenzhen I/O, a puzzle based programming game where you’re tasked with creating basic circuits and writing simplified assembly code that runs on them.

Between the two games, Shenzhen I/O is easier to get into and more enjoyable, with the same air of satisfying complexity.

Download: Shenzhen I/O ($14.99)

8. Human Resource Machine

In Human Resource Machine, you play as an office worker who completes tasks by combining various instructions. In a sense, this game is all about puzzle-solving through visual programming, even going as far as to touch on concepts like logical flow and memory management—but presented in an easy-to-digest, office-themed way.

It’s a great game for exercising your programmer’s brain, and can even make a good coding game for kids, too.

Download: Human Resource Machine ($14.99)

9. Screeps

Screeps (which stands for scripted creeps) is an MMO strategy game where you use JavaScript to code the behaviors of in-game entities and build an empire for yourself.

The base game comes with a private server for you to play on your own, plus 30 days of full access to the official server. After that, you can keep playing on the official server in a limited capacity, or get full access with a monthly subscription.

It’s an ideal game for learning, especially if you want to understand the nuances of game programming.

Download: Screeps ($14.99, optional subscription for $9/mo)

Other Ways to Sharpen Your Coding Skills

Looking for even more ways to hone your programming ability? You may benefit from listening to some podcasts for coders and developers.

You can also start making your own programming games with free game development tools. If you’re looking for a suitable way for your children to get into coding, you may want to consider some great coding classes and programming games for kids.

However, if after everything you’re still struggling and can’t seem to grasp the basics of coding video games, you may want to step back and consider whether programming is the right choice for you.