# WarGames (1983)

10 Hacker News commenters recommended WarGames (1983) and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** HN readers call it an excellent film that got some of them into computers, and they often mention it alongside Sneakers.

## Why people recommend it

- Inspired interest in computers and careers (2 comments): "For me that was War Games that got me into this world and career." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46917927)) "Probably the movie that made me want to get into computers." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45836187))
- Seen as an excellent film (2 comments): "It is a good movie to watch if you are too young to see it when it came out." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45831631)) "War games was an excellent film." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46922876))
- Compared favorably with Sneakers (3 comments): "I love them both but they are entirely different." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46924805)) "along with Sneakers and War Games" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46927231)) "I like Wargames much more" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46915316))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Blade Runner](https://hackerapproved.com/p/blade-runner.md): 54 recommend
- [Colossus: The Forbin Project](https://hackerapproved.com/p/colossus-the-forbin-project.md): 35 recommend
- [Jurassic Park (1993 film)](https://hackerapproved.com/p/jurassic-park.md): 32 recommend
- [The Fifth Element](https://hackerapproved.com/p/fifth-element.md): 24 recommend
- [Terminator 2: Judgment Day](https://hackerapproved.com/p/terminator-2-judgment-day.md): 21 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "WarGames (1983)", https://hackerapproved.com/p/wargames/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).