You only need one microprocessor, you could do all you write about with a 15$ Arduino clone + a few switches and LED's and resistors.
In your program you can create different sections called functions, for instance one function for each of your different LED patterns (you can imagine a function as a " small program" inside the big program").
In the main part of the program you check the status of the switches, and call (jump to) the apropriate function.
My guess is that you are new to programming microprocessors, so i would recommend that you read Lady Ada's very fine Arduino tutorials here: Arduino Tutorial - Learn electronics and microcontrollers using Arduino! she does a very fine job explaining the basic stuff.