Replicube: A Cozy Programming Game about Voxels

I think tonight I'm going to talk about a game that just came out today known as Replicube. It's a programming game about using Lua in order to create various shapes and objects out of voxels. Basically, you use code in order to program solutions for problems. It's a game which deals with puzzles and programming in a very unique and novel way.

I've always been a fan of games such as Picross and such. Replicube feels like a more free-form version of that game where instead of using numbers in order to logically deduce the outcome, you use a set of three graphs in order to arrange pixels in 3d-space in order to create the solution. You can't just place these cubes exactly where you want, you're going to have to use programming (Lua) in order to create a solution which fits the problem at hand.

Usually, levels take the form of something tangible, like a nice slice of cake.

The game also makes looking at the solutions easy to understand, you are able to temporarily cut into the solution on each of the three axises, allowing you to pry into any of the hidden details that it may have. This mechanic feels similar to Picross 3d and serves a functionally similar purpose, to look into the details of the solution where glancing at the bigger picture may leave one guessing.

This strawberry requires a 3x3 cube of pink voxels in the center, a detail that would be impossible to replicated if we weren't able to look inside.

Something that stands out to me about this game is that there is a competitive element to it. You are judged by how complex the program is, and how big your program is in lines. There are multiple solutions to an issue but some solutions are better than other. It's an interesting and practical way to compete that not only reminds me of how Zachatronics scores their programming games, but also reminds me of how many code-trainer websites do similarly, where you are graded on the efficiency of your work just as much as the work itself.

One thing that surprised me is how easy it feels to be onboarded onto the game. The documentation is right there in the game, available for you to cross-reference. Early levels are dedicated exclusively to teaching you fundemental functions, such as if statements, nesting, and variables.

Replicube is a vibe to play. The UI fits an old-pc style, the music is calming and charming to listen to, when typing into the console, the game plays the sounds of an old keyboard typing straight into your ears which makes the action of programing feel more tactile and 'real' for lack of a better term.

Selecting your level takes the form of a file explorer interface.

Ultimately, I'm enjoying my time with Replicube so far, it's a great demonstration of being able to gamify programming, with very little abstraction. I expect to put in some more hours in the near future as I'm always looking for novel ways to sharpen my skills as a programmer.

Replicube is available on Steam here.