Minecraft
Platform: PC
Publisher: Mojang
Developer: Mojang
Ah, the fantastical land of blocks? Is there none more magical?
Minecraft is a phenomenon, at least as a game that turns every conventional gameplay tenent on its head. Does it have a story? No, not necessary. Do the developers create the content? At first, but it's mainly user-generated content. Does it have rules and a clear objective? Rarely, apart from finding food, maintaining health, and reaching "The End". Are there bosses or creatures to kill at every turn? Mainly no, but you can kill some enemies for materials. Does it have levels? Not really, it's open-world. Did it sell 4 million units by November 7th? Yes. What IS this trickery?
It's surprising how successful a game about glorified Legos can be. Similar to LittleBigPlanet, players who have the skill and the nerve can create wondrous sculptures, lengthy dungeons, and even working arithmetic logic units. The game's capacity to have players learn and create for the sake of learning and creation has already attracted teachers (the more awesome ones) who have incorporated Minecraft into their curriculum to amazing results. Minecraft is also an indie title. Critics love that.
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