Programming/command-line games? - an IFDB Poll

What are some games that either include computer programming as a game mechanic, elements that simulate computer programming, or include some sort of command-line or terminal interface?

This could include parser games, choice-based games, or visual novels.

Add a comment

	Absence of Law, by mathbrush 6 votes "You are controlling a lab and AI remotely through command line" [+]"You are controlling a lab and AI remotely through command line" --MathBrush... "excellent game about being an ai" [+]"excellent game about being an ai" () --pieartsy... "Controlling an AI and seeing through cameras" [+]"Controlling an AI and seeing through cameras: the endings are quite cute, too, if you want to feel a bit up—especially if you're a dog person" () --egostat... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --VanishingSky... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Max Fog... (No comment) [+](No comment) --Vulturous... Vote for this game

	Digital: A Love Story, by Christine Love 3 votes "Takes place in terminal window" [+]"Takes place in terminal window" () --Denk... (No comment) [+](No comment) --Lance Cirone... (No comment) [+](No comment) --Vulturous... Vote for this game

	BYOD, by n-n 3 votes "Mimics I think a Unix environment " [+]"Mimics I think a Unix environment " ( - Full review) --Mike Russo... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --IFforL2... (No comment) [+](No comment) ( - Full review) --Denk... Vote for this game

	Lists and Lists, by Andrew Plotkin 3 votes "Educational programming game" [+]"Educational programming game" --autumnc... (No comment) [+](No comment) --VanishingSky... "Literally just an..." [+]"Literally just an interactive scheme tutorial (but very entertaining)." () --Felix Pleșoianu... Vote for this game

	Analogue: A Hate Story, by Christine Love 2 votes "Includes a command-line puzzle" [+]"Includes a command-line puzzle" () --autumnc... (No comment) [+](No comment) --Lance Cirone... Vote for this game

	Dunnet, by Ron Schnell 2 votes "You play this game through Emacs, and that's only the beginning" [+]"You play this game through Emacs, and that's only the beginning: Very old-school parser game meant for people who are decently adept at computer stuff, and/or searching up computer stuff they don't know. There's a lot of commandlinery involved. Don't know how much, because I gave up partway through..." () --Cerfeuil... "As meta as it..." [+]"As meta as it gets, with the literal command-line sequence in the middle." () --Felix Pleșoianu... Vote for this game

	Rover's Day Out, by Jack Welch and Ben Collins-Sussman 2 votes "Second half of game is all this" [+]"Second half of game is all this" ( - Full review) --MathBrush... (No comment) [+](No comment) --pieartsy... Vote for this game

	DOL-OS, by manonamora 2 votes "French game simulating old computer" [+]"French game simulating old computer" ( - Full review) --MathBrush... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Vulturous... Vote for this game

	Terminal Interface for Models RCM301-303, by Victor Gijsbers 1 vote "The game is presented as being a terminal interface, but it's not really a programming game" [+]"The game is presented as being a terminal interface, but it's not really a programming game" --Victor Gijsbers... Vote for this game

	Present Quest, by Errol Elumir 1 vote (No comment) [+](No comment) --blue/green... Vote for this game

	Flight of the Code Monkeys, by Mark C. Marino 1 vote "Involves writing python code" [+]"Involves writing python code" --autumnc... Vote for this game

	I.A.G. Alpha, by Serhii Mozhaiskyi 1 vote "I won't spoil it any further" [+]"I won't spoil it any further" () --Denk... Vote for this game

	Secret Little Haven, by Victoria Dominowski 1 vote "Includes a command-line puzzle" [+]"Includes a command-line puzzle" () --autumnc... Vote for this game

	The Endling Archive, by Kazuki Mishima 1 vote (No comment) [+](No comment) () --blue/green... Vote for this game

	Anonymous Connection, by moniker ersatz 1 vote "UI emulates a DOS computer" [+]"UI emulates a DOS computer" --Tabitha... Vote for this game

	Retour vers l'extérieur, by No Game Without Stakes 1 vote "French game operating bunker control system" [+]"French game operating bunker control system" ( - Full review) --MathBrush... Vote for this game

	whoami, by n-n 1 vote "Spanish game with command line for uploading brain" [+]"Spanish game with command line for uploading brain" ( - Full review) --MathBrush... Vote for this game

	Bureaucracy, by Douglas Adams, The Staff of Infocom 1 vote "It's very..." [+]"It's very funny when you fill out forms and hack the nerd!" () --Max Fog... Vote for this game

Is there another game that you think should be on this list? Just fill in the title of a game you'd like to vote for.

Poll created on March 5, 2023