Minecraft: so much more than just Lego for nerds

Yesterday one of my friends asked me – what’s the deal with Minecraft? I tried to explain it to them, but to no avail. So here’s try two – in print form. Maybe I’ll enlighten this time around…

It’s easy to say what Minecraft (by developers Mojang) is – an open-world sandbox game with no goal in mind other than what you set yourself. You’re dumped into the middle of the cube-based world most people are familiar with and bam, that’s it, do what you want.

What’s the fun in that I hear you ask? The problem is, most people don’t realise just how complicated the world presented to you is. Yes, the graphics are what you’d call retro, but in keeping with what Omar said, retro isn’t always a bad thing. A world of true complexity lies hidden beneath the simplicity of the blocky textures presented to you.

The thrill (seriously) is in creation and development. You start from the bare basics, a small wooden hut or a hollowed-out rock face in order to survive the first night, when all manner of zombies and skeletons come out to attack. From there you can gather more and more exotic materials – coal, iron, gold and diamonds to name a few – by delving into the virtual earth, all the while avoiding the perils of lava flows and dungeon-dwelling beasties.

As your building grows in grandeur you can start to utilize the more complicated and subtle aspects behind the game, including power switches, pistons and automatic minecart tracks. This is the wealth of complexity concealed beneath the simple design, and it’s discovering that immense untapped potential that keeps me, at least, playing on to find them.

You only have to look on YouTube to find a wealth of inventive creations – pinball machines, elaborate traps, timed explosives, waterfall lifts, music devices that play Bohemian Rhapsody... the list is effectively endless. With regular updates come more tools to create and more inventive ways to muck about in your own private universe.

So what are you waiting for? Get playing, and watch out for my most probably ill-fated Minecraft how-to in future issues.

Or, you know, just go back to Lego.