[gameinfo title=”Game Info” game_name=”” developers=”4J Studios & Mojang” publishers=”Microsoft Studios” platforms=”” genres=”” release_date=”May 9, 2012″]
Did you like Lego blocks as a kid? The ability to snap together blocks into whatever your imagination desires makes Legos a popular toy even today with all the technology surrounding kids. Minecraft is a sandbox game consisting of 3D blocks that emulates the feeling that one might get from Lego blocks…the joy of having the ability to build whatever you can imagine. Minecraft started gaining popularity on PC when it was released as an alpha in 2009 and then as a beta in 2010 with the full version release happening at the end of 2011. 4JStudios has taken it upon themselves to port over a version to XBLA leaving us to wonder if the fun that can be had on PC translate well to the console experience.
Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition is equivalent to an earlier beta build of the PC version. It is missing features that were available in the official full release though there are plans that it will eventually be patched up and be equivalent to the PC version. Instead of the world being nearly infinite, the 360 version has a world that is only 1024 x 1024 x 64 blocks, so it is incredibly easy to actually run into an invisible wall. This is claimed to be improved upon with later patch releases. So for those that have experienced Minecraft on PC, expected an old version with fewer features. For those new to Minecraft, expect to see many new features added down the road.
Minecraft takes place from a first person view and allows you to wonder a world essentially doing what you like because your imagination is your limitation. You whack blocks of materials around the world to create things like tools that allow you to better mine materials that can be formed into other items or blocks with their own properties. Want to build a massive gold pyramid with an altar for sacrifice and lava fountain? It might take time but you can. Some one has even built a working computer that played Minecraft IN Minecraft!
Minecraft isn’t just an empty world. There are enemies and animals that can be killed. You can make traditional armor and weapons to defend yourself. Don’t want to play by yourself? If you have an HD TV, you can play 4 player split screen or play online with 8 people and you can work together to build the 9th Wonder of the World. Graphically, Minecraft might be an eyesore for those that don’t understand that is the intended style. It’s called Voxel and it creates a retro look that emulates pixels as 3D blocks.
Score: 9/10
Minecraft is an experience for the creative and the only ones that might have issues with this XBLA release are people who have played it on PC and notice the lacking features. If you can dream it, you can create it.
