Robot Unlock – an open-ended programming game/zachlike
Hello, In 2010 I made an open-ended programming game based on Befunge and Brainf*k. I was young and didn't know what I was doing - coding it in AutoIT of all things and using borderless windows for sprites. Nevertheless, it was a full game and some people actually played it, sharing solutions with each other. I took it as a sign that the game had some potential - I appreciated this very much at the time. It was zachlike at its core, except that it came out earlier than SpaceChem and the term hadn't been coined yet. Years passed, I worked in the game industry, had some fun, learned a few…
In plain words
Robot Unlock is an open-ended programming game where players write code to solve puzzles, built on esoteric languages like Befunge and Brainf*k. Originally created in 2010, this sequel arrives after the developer worked in the game industry and watched the genre grow through titles like SpaceChem. It's designed for programmers and puzzle enthusiasts who enjoy logic-based challenges and discovering multiple solutions to the same problem.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
In the maker’s words, at launch
Hello, In 2010 I made an open-ended programming game based on Befunge and Brainf*k. I was young and didn't know what I was doing - coding it in AutoIT of all things and using borderless windows for sprites. Nevertheless, it was a full game and some people actually played it, sharing solutions with each other. I took it as a sign that the game had some potential - I appreciated this very much at the time. It was zachlike at its core, except that it came out earlier than SpaceChem and the term hadn't been coined yet. Years passed, I worked in the game industry, had some fun, learned a few things and eventually burned out. Meanwhile, Zachtronics kept making games and managed to define a genre, proving that there indeed was a market for such games. I'm very happy about that. Now I want to have a shot at going indie and almost 15 years later I'm launching the sequel to my 2010 game. One of my playtesters has been at it for 26 hours so I know it can be a real nerd sniper. It's a game for the type of person who loves quirky languages and optimizing their programs under extreme constraints. I have been hanging out on HN for a long time and thought some in this community might like the game. I want to keep doing this and I will as long as I can afford it. Looking forward to your questions and feedback. https://store.steampowered.com/app/3318050/Robot_Unlock
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