What I really enjoy about video games comes from the freedom developers give players. The sandbox genre of games, like Skyrim, Far Cry 3 and Terraria, always seem to draw me back, as I can do whatever I please in them. With a defined storyline I don’t get the chance to let my imagination take over the game (although well written plots can be fun and interesting to play through).
One game in particular stands out among the rest of the sandbox genre: Minecraft. This seemingly simple game, originally developed by Markus “Notch” Persson, continually brings new surprises and challenges to conquer. Even now, under the control of lead developer Jens “Jeb” Bergensten, Minecraft frequently releases updates with additional items and materials to mess around with.
As players can virtually do anything they want in Minecraft, many are left wondering exactly what they’ll make their goal. Below I’ll list my top goals for the game.
Surviving the Start of a New Game
When starting the game, survival seems pretty simple. Just punch a tree for some wood and then hit cows for meat. After about five minutes, the gameplay changes. The sun sets and the dangerous entities of the night begin to creep out from the shadows, with skeletons firing an endless stream of arrows and zombies gradually getting closer. Build an enclosed (and lit) shelter to avoid these deadly creatures, even if it consists of random blocks of dirt and tree logs. After this tough, first night ends, and the game gets a little easier. With a place to wait out future nights, players can venture out into the depths of the Minecraft world, finding and crafting more powerful items and minerals to take down any opponent.
Making Awesome Builds
From a decked-out, hillside home to a realistic model of New York City, artistic designs greatly enhance Minecraft’s gameplay. Although playing in survival mode means getting the right materials for perfecting builds will take time, the addition of a creative mode to Minecraft gives access to every block and let’s players design, build and recreate anything from their imagination quickly.
Having Fun
Without any entertainment, games just wouldn’t be worth their time. When I lose interest in the survival aspect of the game or building cool, massive architectural designs in creative mode, I try connecting with others on a multiplayer server. Playing the survival games- a Minecraft version of the Hunger Games- or messing around on role-playing servers, which are filled with game modifications like NPCs and magic, are two engaging alternatives to the regular gameplay.
By leaving the game in the hands of their players, the developers of Minecraft have truly made it into a sandbox where anyone can create or destroy while enjoying this virtual world filled with limitless imagination.
