# Elevator Saga

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/elevator-saga/

14 people recommended Elevator Saga in Hacker News comments and none criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 12 months, in 3 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

8 of the 14 people who recommend it commented in one thread, “Elevators”.

**Verdict:** A simple premise with satisfyingly difficult levels, recommended as a fun programming challenge and a humbling test of solutions.

Summary written by Claude from 9 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Hard to stop playing (3 comments in the sample): "I always come back to this game whenever I'm at a hotel for a conference waiting for the elevator." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49124958)) "Which, once you start playing, can be very difficult to detox from." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49927679)) "Enjoy this rabbit hole :D" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49124638))
- Simple premise, satisfyingly difficult levels (3 comments in the sample): "It’s such a simple premise but so satisfyingly difficult after each level." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49125178)) "I thought it was fun to search for a solution that can beat every level" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47247483)) "Quite a humbling experience." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47259112))
- Good for programming practice (2 comments in the sample): "Elevator Saga is great for the programming side" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49125038)) "This is a really great test for vibe coding." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47247231))

## Other programming games people recommend

- [EmuDevz](https://hackerapproved.com/p/emudevz/): 18 recommend, 0 mixed, 1 criticize
- [TIS-100](https://hackerapproved.com/p/tis-100/): 11 recommend, 4 mixed, 1 criticize
- [Exapunks by Zachtronics](https://hackerapproved.com/p/exapunks/): 10 recommend, 2 mixed, 3 criticize
- [Bitburner](https://hackerapproved.com/p/bitburner/): 7 recommend, 2 mixed, 2 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Elevator Saga", https://hackerapproved.com/p/elevator-saga/ (14 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.