Games Like Hard Chip

Learn CPU architecture with puzzles

Why similar: Programming 38.5% ★, Education 13.7%, Logic 12.4%, Hacking 10.5% ★, Automation 6.8%

Virtual Circuit Board is the sandbox drawing-based logic simulator where you can build, program, decorate, and simulate anything from simple monochrome circuits to complex and colorful computers. Play with digital logic in this sandbox-only experience.

Why similar: Programming 23.5% ★, Hacking 13.8% ★, Science 12.9%, Education 10.4%, Automation 9%

Build hardware. Solve puzzles. From the creator of Manufactoria, a new open-ended puzzle game set in Silicon Valley's first startup.

Why similar: Programming 39.7% ★, Hacking 21.2% ★, Education 11.2%, Simulation 10.3%, Difficult 9.5%

Invent a new computer! Logic World is a first-person sandbox simulation game that's all about digital logic. Play alone or with friends, design unique machines, build up layers of complexity, and experience the joy of circuits!

Why similar: Programming 21.1% ★, Hacking 15.2% ★, Science 11.7%, Education 9.7%, Automation 9.3%

MHRD is a hardware design game, in which you design various hardware circuits in a hardware description language. The hardware circuits you design get more complex as you go until you create a fully functional CPU design.

Why similar: Programming 54.9% ★, Education 17.3%, Simulation 11.7%, Difficult 7.4%, Puzzle 6.8%

BUILD CIRCUITS. WRITE CODE. RTFM.

Why similar: Programming 48.6% ★, Automation 15%, Logic 9.6%, Education 6.7%, Difficult 6.6%

Design, optimize, and reverse-engineer real quantum algorithms in an open-ended Zachlike puzzle game. Solve 500+ optimization challenges, hack player creations, and master quantum logic without coding.

Why similar: Programming 19.5% ★, Hacking 15.9% ★, Science 12.6%, Automation 9.5%, Education 9.1%

Retrace the path of the Prime Mover to uncover the story of the Byte of Burden! Prime Mover is an open-ended puzzle game about designing circuit boards.

Why similar: Programming 50.5% ★, Science 10.5%, Education 9.2%, Simulation 8.4%, Puzzle 8.4%

Retro Gadgets is a sandbox where you build, code, and customize gadgets inspired by old-school electronics.

Why similar: Programming 22.4% ★, Automation 17%, Education 16.5%, Hacking 14.8% ★, Building 11%

OCTOPTICOM is an open-ended puzzle programming game about designing and optimizing optical computing devices. Use lasers, mirrors, filters and other components to read, transform and write sequences of colored squares.

Why similar: Programming 29.6% ★, Science 16.8%, Education 11.5%, Logic 10.3%, Difficult 8.6%

Zachtronics is back with an ambitious new design-based puzzle game. Take on the role of a Reactor Engineer working for SpaceChem, the leading chemical synthesizer for frontier colonies. Construct elaborate factories to transform raw materials into valuable chemical products!

Why similar: Programming 39.4% ★, Difficult 14.2%, Puzzle 11.5%, Logic 10.6%, Automation 9.5%

Set in a post-apocalyptic future, The Signal State puts your logic skills to the test with complex puzzles inspired by modular synthesizers. Repair machines, rebuild an abandoned farm, and be part of a revolution that will change the fate of agriculture once and for all.

Why similar: Programming 32.6% ★, Automation 17.1%, Hacking 16.1% ★, Logic 14.7%, Puzzle 7%

A single bit of computer memory became sentient and decided to escape from digital into the real world. Explore RAM, modify bytes and hack machine code and CPU registers to set it free.

Why similar: Programming 32.8% ★, Hacking 25.5% ★, Education 10%, Logic 10%, Simulation 8.3%

Build the most advanced operating system ever created! Can you master the fictional simulation language of this mind-bending machine? Design circuits, automate UBITS (coloured mobile data blocks), and optimize your system. The Admin is always watching, and he’s not what he seems.

Why similar: Programming 29.8% ★, Hacking 18.3% ★, Automation 13.9%, Education 10.6%, Building 7.4%

Design, build and wire up your own unique robot to complete challenging logic puzzles. LogicBots is a puzzle game where robots are used to complete the various levels.

Why similar: Programming 52.9% ★, Simulation 12.8%, Education 12.7%, Building 12.2%, Puzzle 7.9%

Powerful Realtime 3D Electronic Circuit Simulator

Why similar: Programming 46.2% ★, Education 22.2%, Logic 14.8%, Simulation 12.4%, 3D 4%

Kaizen is an open-ended puzzle automation game from the original Zachtronics team, set in 1980s Japan. Design, build, and optimize production lines to create iconic products, like calculators, camcorders, and arcade machines.

Why similar: Programming 33.8% ★, Automation 14.3%, Education 11.6%, Logic 11%, Difficult 9%

You’re a machine learning specialist who makes neural networks but your cat seems to be better at it. Now you must solve puzzles to build a cat-to-human translation system (who knows what else this cat is capable of!). Earn a fortune, buy kickass cat outfits, learn how machine learning really works!

Why similar: Programming 47.2% ★, Education 17.8%, Science 13.2%, Building 6.5%, Simulation 5.8%

Comet 64 is a programming puzzle game. The year is 1984. All you got is a Comet 64 home computer and the operator's manual it came with.

Why similar: Programming 28.4% ★, Hacking 14.9% ★, Education 10%, Science 8.2%, Automation 8%

Step into the world of IT! Diagnose network issues, manage servers, and repair devices while handling tasks under strict SLAs. Choose your career path, from HelpDesk to IT Project Manager. Develop real IT knowledge and climb the ranks in this realistic IT simulation!

Why similar: Programming 35.5% ★, Hacking 20.9% ★, Education 17.7%, Difficult 13%, Simulation 6%

Opus Magnum is the latest open-ended puzzle game from Zachtronics, the creators of SpaceChem, Infinifactory, and SHENZHEN I/O. Design and build machines that assemble potions, poisons, and more using the alchemical engineer’s most advanced tool: the transmutation engine!

Why similar: Programming 44.9% ★, Automation 21.2%, Logic 10.8%, Puzzle 10.2%, Simulation 5.1%

A game about building emulators! Implement your own NEEES core in JavaScript, get instant feedback with unit/video tests, build the graphics unit in real time, learn 6502 assembly, debug test ROMs, and have fun with the included homebrew games!

Why similar: Programming 39.5% ★, Hacking 17.9% ★, Education 14.5%, Logic 12.8%, Simulation 5.4%

A sci-fi management game where you build and optimize your computer's system from the ground up. Connect and configure interconnected nodes to efficiently download, process, and upload files. Manage your setup, solve system challenges, and become the ultimate system architect

Why similar: Programming 33.7% ★, Automation 24.4%, Hacking 18% ★, Logic 10.3%, Simulation 8.6%

Infinifactory is a sandbox puzzle game by Zachtronics, the creators of SpaceChem and Infiniminer. Build factories that assemble products for your alien overlords, and try not to die in the process.

Why similar: Programming 35.3% ★, Automation 19%, Building 13%, Puzzle 9.3%, Difficult 7.4%

A rich and challenging physics-based puzzle /logic /construction /programming game! Master ballistics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, chemical and nuclear reactions, use automation bricks, build structures, machines, vehicles, produce power, solve puzzles, pierce the fog and defeat CHR$!

Why similar: Programming 37.5% ★, Automation 24.8%, Building 15%, Logic 12%, Puzzle 6.8%

Enter the most advanced challenge laboratory of today's games, where electronics and logic merge into challenges that will captivate your mind and awaken the engineer within you!

Why similar: Education 29.9%, Automation 19.4%, Logic 13.5%, Simulation 11%, Puzzle 10.5%

Design increasingly complex computation units powered by high pressure steam. From switches to steam based computers, all in a world of analogue pressure devices. Use previous designs to solve further challenges, unravel the mystery of the missing steam and discover a new field of science.

Why similar: Programming 31.4% ★, Science 18.1%, Automation 16.3%, Education 13.3%, Building 10.5%

Hacknet is an immersive, terminal-based hacking simulator for PC. Dive down a rabbit hoIe as you follow the instructions of a recently deceased hacker, whose death may not have been the accident the media reports.

Why similar: Hacking 72.8% ★, Programming 11.3% ★, Education 4.3%, Logic 3.6%, Difficult 3.1%

Use real Python code to automate machines, robots, drones and more: Program self-driving vehicles; crack passwords; apply machine learning; automate logistics; use image processing to guide missiles. Gain real coding skills and solve exciting bite-sized programming challenges.

Why similar: Programming 23.2% ★, Hacking 15.7% ★, Science 13.6%, Automation 12.7%, Education 11.2%

Great Permutator is a puzzle. Hard and tricky. One in which you will have to build a complex system of conveyors and various devices so that the colored boxes can travel across the factory and arrive at right places and in right order. If you are into clever engineering puzzles, this game is for you.

Why similar: Programming 33.7% ★, Automation 17.4%, Difficult 11.3%, Building 11.2%, Logic 9.8%

Alan's Automaton Workshop is an open-ended programming puzzle game. Start a new business with Alan Turing and his groundbreaking innovation: the Turing Machine. Build unique automatons, and solve all kinds of problems from clients.

Why similar: Programming 35.3% ★, Education 17.1%, Automation 16.8%, Logic 11.1%, Building 9.2%

Explore logic symbols. Discover the rules. Solve complex puzzles. Feel the power of your logical side!

Why similar: Science 27.9%, Education 20.5%, Logic 19.5%, Difficult 15.7%, Puzzle 8%

Use the MOLEK-SYNTEZ to create small molecules with various pharmacological effects from the comfort of your small Romanian apartment.

Why similar: Programming 39.8% ★, Science 20.8%, Automation 15.3%, Simulation 10%, Puzzle 8.6%

Grey Hack is a massively multiplayer hacking simulator game. You're a hacker with full freedom to act as you wish on a vast network of procedurally generated computers.

Why similar: Hacking 45.9% ★, Programming 36.7% ★, Simulation 6.4%, Education 5.7%, Logic 4.6%

Manufactoria 2022 is a constructive puzzle game about pushing robots around. (It's okay, they don't complain.) Use simple parts to engineer solutions to open-ended problems, then rebuild 'em better! Take a company from your backyard to the soaring heights of success! How hard could it be?

Why similar: Programming 38.1% ★, Automation 20.4%, Logic 15.2%, Puzzle 7.3%, Simulation 5.1%

Replicube is an open-ended programming puzzle game/toy about writing code to replicate 3D voxel-based objects. Solve puzzles, pursue leaderboard glory, or just make art to share with the in-game community.

Why similar: Programming 77.3% ★, Simulation 11.4%, Puzzle 11.3%

In a future where food is the ultimate symbol of status, you are a recipe programming technician for a ruthless aristocracy. Create, test and optimize your culinary machines in this deliciously dark zach-like!

Why similar: Programming 38.7% ★, Automation 21.8%, Logic 13.6%, Puzzle 5.9%, Simulation 5.6%

Colorgrid is a puzzle game about mixing colors in a Lab. Find the correct positions for your lasers and mirrors to get the right mix of colors in each material.

Why similar: Science 18.7%, Education 12.2%, Logic 11.6%, Difficult 11.6%, Building 9.3%

Design computational circuits which defy restrictions of our universe in this open-ended puzzle. Your completed creations become components to solve future challenges. As you design a circuit and can place your design within it, where there is a smaller you doing the same, and so on to infinity.

Why similar: Programming 35.5% ★, Science 17%, Education 14.1%, Logic 13.4%, Building 9.6%

World of Contraptions is a physics-based building game in which you build the most varied contraptions to solve the most diverse types of puzzles. Win dozens of levels with different types of obstacles. Design the best contraption for each challenge using a giant collection of blocks.

Why similar: Programming 22.9% ★, Science 17.6%, Automation 12%, Education 10.8%, Logic 10.6%

TIS-100 is an open-ended programming game by Zachtronics, the creators of SpaceChem and Infinifactory, in which you rewrite corrupted code segments to repair the TIS-100 and unlock its secrets. It’s the assembly language programming game you never asked for!

Why similar: Programming 55.3% ★, Hacking 13.8% ★, Difficult 7.2%, Logic 6%, Puzzle 5.6%

Automate swarms of office workers to solve puzzles inside your very own parallel computer made of people. A thrilling followup to the award winning Human Resource Machine. Now with more humans!

Why similar: Programming 61% ★, Education 10.5%, Logic 8.4%, Puzzle 7.8%, Automation 5.7%

Become an expert hacker by using your raw brainpower! Learn how to get ahead in your new job at a cybersecurity company. Analyze servers for weaknesses, and hack them using their own subroutines to access the data they protect.

Why similar: Hacking 42.6% ★, Logic 20.4%, Difficult 14.7%, Puzzle 10.1%, Minimalist 6.9%

Build and grow your very own computer repair enterprise as you learn to diagnose, fix and build PCs. With real-world licensed components and comprehensive hardware and software simulation, you can plan and bring your ultimate PC to life.

Why similar: Education 44.9%, Building 22%, Simulation 16.7%, Puzzle 6.8%, 3D 4.9%

⚡️Fix electronics 📈manage firm 💻challenge the hacker... ServiceIT is a simulation game where you run a full-service IT company to engage in tasks like diagnosing, repairing equipment, network infiltration, programming, server management while an Anonymous hacker keeps sabotaging it all.

Why similar: Programming 36.8% ★, Hacking 30.7% ★, Education 18%, Simulation 6.5%, 3D 3.6%

Fight against brain-rot in this story-driven educational physics puzzle game. You will need to learn and apply high school physics concepts to solve increasingly challenging problems and uncover a galaxy spanning plot. When you have finished, you will be able to take a college level physics course.

Why similar: Science 23.9%, Education 20.5%, Logic 14.6%, Difficult 14.3%, Puzzle 7.2%

The ultimate "Hollywood Hacker" simulator for when you want to look busy, dangerous, and incredibly tech-savvy.

Why similar: Hacking 33.6% ★, Programming 29.9% ★, Education 15.8%, Logic 9.4%, Simulation 4.4%

Robo Instructus is a puzzle game in which players manoeuvre a robot by issuing instructions via a simple programming language. As players progress through the game they unlock new functions to overcome new puzzles, each of which can be solved in multiple ways.

Why similar: Programming 42% ★, Logic 14.3%, Difficult 13.3%, Education 13.2%, Puzzle 6.8%

Move Code Lines is a game where you fix programs and make them print needed output. But the only way you can achieve that is to change the order of lines in those programs, and set custom input.

Why similar: Programming 29.2% ★, Hacking 22.1% ★, Automation 13.6%, Education 12.1%, Logic 7.9%

Play with lasers and solve puzzles in Laser Attraction. Use reflection, refraction, dispersion and filtration to direct the laser beams, mix and separate colours, open doors, hit targets and complete puzzles.

Why similar: Science 29.3%, Difficult 16.7%, Education 12.9%, Logic 12.5%, Puzzle 10.3%

Hardware Engineers is a simulation game where you have to manage a IT business. In a world where technology expands every day, you will need to learn how to be competitive.

Why similar: Simulation 52.7%, Building 36.5%, Indie 7.4%, Singleplayer 3.4%

Program little office workers to solve puzzles. Be a good employee! The machines are coming... for your job. From the creators of World of Goo and Little Inferno.

Why similar: Programming 57.2% ★, Education 13%, Automation 8.5%, Puzzle 7.7%, Logic 4.7%

Build, cable, and automate. Assemble racks, servers, and switches, connect enough capacity for each app, earn money from processed data, and unlock gear and bigger customers with XP and reputation. Follow colored data packets as your center comes to life.

Why similar: Programming 28.1% ★, Automation 25.1%, Logic 17.1%, Simulation 12.6%, Science 9.7%

Build, automate, & optimize production lines across sky islands with real spatial constraints. Every production line is an open-ended puzzle: which operators to use, how to route your belts and how to fit your factory into the landscape. Your solutions, like your factories, are uniquely your own.

Why similar: Automation 32.2%, Building 21.2%, Logic 15.7%, Simulation 10.1%, Futuristic 8.8%

Interact with elements and molecules in a way that you have never before! Observe them and make them react with each other in the sandbox mode. Synthesize every molecule in the quest mode. Discover countless macromolecules and the elegancy of chemistry.

Why similar: Science 32.3%, Education 21.5%, Logic 16.5%, Puzzle 7%, Simulation 6.1%

Program and optimize a drone to automate a farm and watch it do the work for you. Collect resources to unlock better technology and become the most efficient farmer in the world. Improve your problem solving and coding skills.

Why similar: Programming 44.3% ★, Automation 16.1%, Education 13.7%, Logic 10.2%, Minimalist 4.4%

Cypher is a first person puzzle game about cryptography.

Why similar: Difficult 35%, Education 24.9%, Puzzle 24.8%, Minimalist 12.7%, Indie 2.5%

In Web Host Simulator, you'll start your web hosting company in your small apartment, aiming to become the world's leading provider. But to do so, you must win clients, outperform competitors, and deal with cyber threats, disruptions, and challenges from an ISP!

Why similar: Programming 38% ★, Hacking 33% ★, Education 18.9%, Simulation 6.6%, 3D 3.6%

Become a hacker and build your online reputation to the top. Complete contracts, buy new programs, upgrade your computer, crack wifi networks and infiltrate peoples or companies online systems.

Why similar: Hacking 52.2% ★, Programming 34.5% ★, Simulation 9.2%, Atmospheric 2.4%, Singleplayer 1.1%