Draw the layers of a silicon chip to build working circuits. Solve 100 puzzles, from wires and transistors to logic, memory, and small clocked machines. Inspect simulated signals, compare your layouts, and experiment freely in Sandbox.

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Download Circuits: VLSI Demo

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Includes 3 items: SYSCALL: RING ZERO, Algorithms, Circuits: VLSI

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About This Game

Note: This game requires a lot of thinking and knowledge about electronics, physics and computers. It is recommended to try the Demo before getting the full version.

Circuits: VLSI is a chip layout puzzle game. Draw the layers of a silicon chip, form connections and transistors, and test the circuit that your drawing creates. Each puzzle asks you to produce a particular set of output signals while meeting the design rules.

Draw the circuit

Paint metal, polysilicon, contacts, active silicon, and wells onto the grid. A transistor forms where polysilicon crosses active silicon. Its dimensions come from the shapes you draw. Later puzzles introduce a second metal layer and vias for connections between layers.

Learn through 100 puzzles

Start with a single metal connection. Work through resistance, transistor switching, logic gates, timing, memory, arithmetic, and small clocked machines across 10 chapters. Guides, concept explanations, hints, and reference drawings help you understand each new idea.

Inspect the result

Watch the simulated input and output signals beside the drawing. Compare each output with its target band, inspect a mismatch, and see how resistance and capacitance affect the result. Design-rule checks point to the affected locations. Top View, Isometric View, Perspective View, and a cross section show how the layers fit together.

Compare and experiment

Keep two named drawings with their measured results and compare their area, transistor count, and output traces. In Sandbox, create an independent circuit, set input signals, add probes and output tests, save projects, and export waveforms.

Features

  • 100 puzzles in 10 chapters, from simple connections to memory and small clocked machines.

  • Draw metal, polysilicon, active silicon, wells, contacts, and vias to form the circuit.

  • Inspect simulated waveforms, target bands, timing measurements, and design-rule errors.

  • View the same layout from above, in isometric and perspective views, or through a cross section.

  • Use puzzle guides, concept explanations, hints, and reference drawings as you learn.

  • Save and compare two named drawings with their measured results.

  • Build independent circuits in Sandbox, edit input signals, add probes and output tests, and export waveforms.

  • Undo and redo edits, save your progress, and choose Dark or Light themes.

AI Generated Content Disclosure

The developers describe how their game uses AI Generated Content like this:

AI assistance was used to draft the English store descriptions and to create procedural Steam artwork and trailer motion graphics.

System Requirements

Windows
macOS
SteamOS + Linux
    Minimum:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
    • OS: Windows 10 or newer, 64-bit
    • Processor: 64-bit x86-based CPU
    • Graphics: Direct3D 11 compatible GPU with feature level 11_0
    • DirectX: Version 11
    • Storage: 100 MB available space
    • Sound Card: Standard Sound Card
    Recommended:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
    • OS: Windows 11 or newer
    • Processor: 64-bit x86-based CPU
    • Memory: 16 GB RAM
    • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
    • DirectX: Version 11
    • Storage: 600 MB available space
    • Sound Card: Standard Sound Card
    Minimum:
    • Requires an Apple processor
    • OS: macOS 13 Ventura or newer
    • Processor: Apple Silicon or 64-bit Intel processor
    • Memory: 8 MB RAM
    • Graphics: Metal-compatible GPU
    • Storage: 500 MB available space
    Recommended:
    • Requires an Apple processor
    • OS: macOS Sequoia 15.2
    • Processor: Apple M3 or better
    • Memory: 16 GB RAM
    • Graphics: Metal-compatible GPU
    • Storage: 500 MB available space
    Minimum:
    • OS: Wayland session, 64-bit Linux with Steam Linux Runtime 3.0 (sniper)
    • Processor: 64-bit Intel or AMD processor
    • Memory: 8 GB RAM
    • Graphics: Vulkan-compatible GPU with current drivers
    • Storage: 500 MB available space
    • Additional Notes: Requires Wayland
    Recommended:
    • OS: Latest SteamOS or Omarchy
    • Processor: Any modern 64-bit x86_64 CPU
    • Memory: 16 GB RAM
    • Graphics: Vulkan-compatible GPU with current drivers
    • Storage: 500 MB available space
    • Additional Notes: Requires Wayland