Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition Review

Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition

Publisher: Microsoft Developer: Mojang / 4J Studios Platform: Microsoft Xbox 360 Players: 1-4 (Local), 2-8 (Online) Release: 2012 Genre: Sandbox / Adventure Rating: 9.3 \ 10.0: Excellent



Above are several people playing together through Xbox Live

I've said it twice before, and I'll say it one last time-- for those of you I don't know, Minecraft is a popular 3D sandbox game for PC (which I reviewed and gave an incredible score of 9.7) with retro-style graphics. In it, you "mine" various types of blocks and use them to build whatever you desire. It was ported from PC to portable phones as Minecraft: Pocket Edition (which I have reviewed as well and gave a still-exceptional 8.3), and later to the Xbox 360 as Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition (which I am currently reviewing and gave an 9.3). The edition I'm explaining in this review, Xbox 360, has most of the content of the computer edition, but not all of it. It's mostly the same-- when you create a world, you can choose from three modes-- Survival, in which you must use the world's resources to build a shelter and survive waves of monsters that appear at nighttime, such as zombies, skeletons equipped with bows, and exploding green Creepers; Creative mode, in which you're given unlimited of every block and item to create whatever you desire; and Adventure Mode, a variant of Survival in which you can only break block with the proper tool. Also, they're are world settings. You can make a normal world or make the world Super Flat world, which is, as the title implies, is entirely flat aside from pre-generated structures. But now you can control options such as whether or not TNT can explode, for example. There's also a tutorial for newcomers, in which you can learn about many of the game's features and also go on a fun hunt for 14 music discs, which are stored away in hidden chests. To find them all, you'll have to explore an elaborate village, a large tower, a mossy dungeon, and more creative locales which I have yet to discover. Also, you can invite up to seven Xbox Live friends to your game, or join theirs, making it much easier to play with pals privately. Or, if you please,  if you have an HD TV, you can just invite up to three of your (present) friends to join in and play all in the same room. Additionally, the game comes with a free default skin pack, which allows you to change the appearance of your character, and you can download more. These skins include original skins as well as ones based on characters from other video games. There are also downloadable texture packs which change the look of the game. But sadly, unlike the PC / Mac version, there are no online multiplayer servers. like Pocket Edition as well. There are even some version-exclusive features, such as Host Options, which allow the creator of the world you're playing in to fly or become invisible, among other things. There's also an online leaderboard that allows you and your friends to compare stats. I have only a couple complaints. First of all, you may experience some lag issues when playing online. I could care less, but I will mention that those seeking to play on multiplayer servers will have nothing to look forward to. Also, while the game does have a good deal of the original version's content, it's still hard not to notice when you want to place a fancy spruce door at the entrance of your exquisite manor but can't. These items will hopefully be added at some point. These are small flaws, and Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition delivers a very enjoyable Minecraft experience on a console, and it may keep those that don't own this must-have sandbox hit on their computer hooked for a long time.

Ups
Multiplayer
Xbox Live multiplayer
Downloadable skin / texture packs
Most of the content of the computer version

Downs
Multiplayer lag issues
No servers
Missing content is noticeable

Also available on Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita

ESRB: E 10+ Content: Fantasy Violence Price: $19.99 (Retail / Download)