A competition game to write bots for the most efficient algo
I had an idea on a competition in a highly constrained environment: 32x32 matrix, with bots running code you write! The live site is https://kingofthegrid.com/. Each bot emulates Z80 CPU and they all get equal execution time, so the most efficient algorithm wins. Bots can move, eat, clone themselves, and most importantly, survive the competition. Each submission, leaderboard is re-calculated, such that each participant has a match against each other, and the bot that makes the most wins gets to the top. It includes includes an online in-browser IDE:…
A competition game to write bots for the most efficient algo launched on February 22, 2025 with 11 votes, #1,584 of 5,999 launches that month and more than 75% of that year's launches.
In plain words
King of the Grid is a competitive programming game where users write Z80 assembly code for bots that compete in a 32x32 grid environment. Bots can move, eat food, and clone themselves while receiving equal CPU execution time, making algorithmic efficiency the key to winning. The platform features an in-browser IDE for writing and testing code without downloads, and automatically recalculates leaderboards as new submissions compete against each other in round-robin matches. It is designed for programmers interested in low-level optimization challenges and algorithmic competition.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
In the maker’s words, at launch
I had an idea on a competition in a highly constrained environment: 32x32 matrix, with bots running code you write! The live site is https://kingofthegrid.com/. Each bot emulates Z80 CPU and they all get equal execution time, so the most efficient algorithm wins. Bots can move, eat, clone themselves…
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