I second Human Resources Machine. I just finished all the optimization challenges last weekend and it was extremely rewarding.
I'd say it's more about assembly language than general programming. You never (really) get enough power, with the 9 opcodes it gives you, to set up subroutines or functions. And many of the monstrosities that end up solving the problem would probably horrify Dijkstra in his grave. :)
+1 for Zachtronics. I recommend Opus Magnum! You can try their old game "The Codex of Alchemical Engineering" for free on their site to see if it might be your cup of tea.
Wow I'd never heard of it before. I've tried it for a bit and just love it. Though I wish the js version wasn't beta and it didn't require silverlight.
I got this game for my kids (6 and 7). They haven't quite got the concept yet, but I think they'll understand it soon. They can make the robot go straight no problem, but they still have problems figuring out when to put down the left and right tiles.
I also play the board game Robot Turtles with them. It's like a simpler version of Lightbot with physical tiles to move around. They do understand how Robot Turtles works, so Lightbot shouldn't be far behind.
Appears related to lightbot, but it's closer to cellular automata - where the robot has a state that determines its next step. It's played using cards, which feels more fun strangely. My 10yr old loved it.
Anyone looking for a similar type of programming game, but as a tabletop boardgame, look up RoboRally. It's a competitive MP game, but it's a great basic introduction to writing a program. A good family game, as well as one to play with adults.
My neice and nephew love this game. They're 5 & 7. My only complaint is that I think the difficulty ramps up a bit fast or their could be a bit more easier levels. Would pay for that.
It looks like they have a Jr game - maybe that doesn't ramp up as fast?
My 5 yr old tried human resource machine the other day, got a couple of levels, but that ramped up way too fast for him. I'm afraid that this might ramp up a bit fast, too, but maybe the Jr version would work.
He also plays with "hopscotch" - which is free and a little more free-form. It has some nice tutorial videos that walk you through building various simple games, or you can just do your own thing. (NB - he can read, which helps with that app.)
We're also gonna give the Lego Boost a go this Christmas (partially because I wanna play with it) - it also has a similar block-style of programming, but you get to move a physical robot. (Or any other lego creation.)
Yeah, my kids love[d] it and it was totally worth buying it.
My one complaint was that it got too hard "all of the sudden". It seems like more puzzles in the middle difficulty level would increase the value and replay-ability of the game.
