I'd say python with pygame hits the sweet spot of being simple and rewarding (for 2D stuff anyway), while still exposing enough of the underlying mechanics to b

I'd say python with pygame hits the sweet spot of being simple and rewarding (for 2D stuff anyway), while still exposing enough of the underlying mechanics to be a good learning experience. You need to implement the main loop yourself, call collision detection functions, update and redraw sprites, etc. Considering that, the interval between sitting down and having something that actually runs in front of you is still reasonably short.