Jukka Tapanimäki (11 August 1961 – 1 May 2000) was a Finnish game programmer.

Save for perhaps Stavros Fasoulas, Tapanimäki was probably the most famous Finnish game programmer in the late 1980s. Tapanimäki wrote his games for the Commodore 64, but they have also been ported to other computers. Many people remember Tapanimäki as a reviewer in the MikroBitti and C computer magazines and a writer of advanced-level computer programming articles. He also published a book called C-64 Pelintekijän Opas ("C-64 Game Maker's Guide") in 1990.

Tapanimäki was originally interested in a career as a graphic designer for advertisements, but after failing the entrance exams to the University of Art and Design Helsinki twice he started studying literature. After his first year, in summer 1985, he bought himself a Commodore 64, and although he had no previous experience about computers, he decided to become a game programmer only after a few months. He quit his studies and went on welfare to be able to concentrate on programming.