5 Games That Teach You How to Code

These Web games teach you how to code will give you a fun and engaging introduction to the world of programming.

CodeCombat

CodeCombat is an HTML5 role-playing game (RPG) that teaches you fundamental programming concepts. In CodeCombat, you play a hero adventuring through the game’s levels. The first level is Kithard Dungeon, which covers basic programming concepts.

You’re faced with coding challenges throughout your journey, and if you overcome them, you’ll unlock the next level and earn experience points (XP) that you can use to improve your hero. CodeCombat is appealing to young, aspiring programmers and is one of the most fun games that teaches coding.  According to an in-game survey, 62% of CodeCombat’s users are under 18 years old. CodeCombat supports five programming languages: JavaScript, CoffeeScript, Lua, and Python.

The game covers a wide range of programming topics — strings, variables, method invocation, vector drawing, and much more.

Code Hunt

Code Hunt is a Sci-Fi-themed HTML5 game that teaches coding and was developed by Microsoft Research. In this game, you play as a code hunter tasked with repairing code so that it returns the expected result. There are 14 levels, called Sectors in the Code Hunt nomenclature, for you to complete.

Code Hunt supports either Java or C#. Programming concepts you’ll learn include arithmetic, loops, and conditional expressions. Teachers who would like to extend the game with additional Sectors can do so by first reading the Code Hunt Designer Manual.

CodinGame

CodinGame is a huge suite of challenging games for those who want to learn programming.

If you want to improve your coding skills, playing CodinGame is a fun way to do so. Over 20 programming languages including PHP, C, and JavaScript are supported by CodinGame. The user interface is feature-packed and can be customized.

For example, you can choose your code editor’s style: “Emacs”, “Vim”, or “Classic” (the default theme). The game can be played on single player mode or multiplayer mode. In multiplayer mode, you can solve CodinGame challenges with other users.

Screeps

Screeps is a massively multiplayer online game (MMO) for JavaScript programmers.

The game is an open-world strategy game where you control units, called creeps, that will help you mine resources, establish your territory, and so forth. Being a multiplayer online game means your creeps will be alongside the creeps of other players. Controlling your creeps involves writing JavaScript.

(Screeps = scripting your creeps.) To learn how to play the game, hit up the docs.

FightCode

In FightCode, the objective is simple: Create a robot that will defeat the robots of other players. How do you create a robot? By writing some JavaScript.

For example, you can use the .rotateCannon() method to rotate your robot’s cannon by a certain number of degrees when a certain event happens. Before building your indestructible, world-dominating robot, the first step you’ll need to take is to read the docs to learn how to code a robot.

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Jacob Gube is the founder of Six Revisions. He’s a front-end developer.

Connect with him on Twitter.