Robot Route
Tap blocks to build a program, then Run
What is Robot Route?
Robot Route is a free coding game where you write a program before anything moves. You build a sequence of command blocks - go forward, turn left, turn right, repeat - then press Run and the robot carries out exactly what you wrote. That gap between what you meant and what you actually typed is the whole of programming, and finding the difference is debugging.
How to play Robot Route
Controls: Tap blocks to build a program, then Run
- 1Look at the grid: your robot starts at one end and the green circle is the target.
- 2Tap command blocks to add them to your program at the bottom. Tap a block in the program to remove it.
- 3Go moves one square in the direction the robot faces. Left and Right turn it on the spot without moving.
- 4The x2 block repeats the block before it, so Go then x2 means go forward twice - that is a loop.
- 5Press Run. If the robot crashes or stops short, change the program and run it again.
Robot Route tips and strategy
- Trace the route with your finger first, counting squares and turns. Writing the program is much easier once you know the answer.
- Remember that turning does not move the robot. A lot of first attempts fail because the player counted a turn as a step.
- Use x2 wherever you have the same block twice in a row. It makes long programs shorter and is the idea behind every loop you will ever write.
- When it crashes, do not clear everything. Find the first block that goes wrong and fix that - the rest of your program is usually fine.
Robot Route FAQ
What does Robot Route teach?
Sequencing, loops and debugging - the three ideas every programming course starts with. You write a complete set of instructions in advance, the computer follows them literally, and when the result is wrong you find and fix the faulty step rather than starting over.
Is this like Hour of Code?
The format is the same idea: block-based commands, a character on a grid, and a goal to reach. It is a good introduction for the same age group, and it needs no account or install.
What is a loop in programming?
A loop repeats an instruction instead of you writing it out again and again. The x2 block here is a simple loop: put it after a Go and the robot moves forward twice. Real loops work the same way, just with bigger numbers and more complex bodies.
What age is Robot Route for?
Around seven and up. The early levels need only forward and turn, and the ideas build one at a time, so a child can get through the first levels with no help at all.
