What’s so great about Minecraft anyway?

Cubes? What’s so exciting about cubes? It’s hard to watch. The movements are too quick. It’s not even pretty. I don’t understand the game mechanics. What’s the point anyway? How do you win? Is there even a goal?  And skeletons, zombies and those green things that explode? No, thank you. Not a fan.

This is what I thought of Minecraft for the first couple of years my son played. Over time (lots of time) I came to appreciate Minecraft. Over more time, I’ve come to really enjoy Minecraft.

Here’s why.

First…

Do you remember playing in the sand? Having the ability, with sand and water, to make nearly anything you could imagine? Then, knocking it down and starting all over again? How there’s not a right or a wrong way to do things? Complete freedom.

This is the core appeal of Minecraft.

It is a virtual sandbox.

Minecraft is a place to build anything you can imagine. Where you can try things out, knock them down, and build them back better.  You are only limited by your imagination.

Second…

Do you remember riding your bike around the neighborhood? Exploring the woods behind your house? Playing in the creek? Having snowball fights with the neighbor kids? Building a fort in the back yard? Only needing to come in for dinner… We had freedom to explore the world with our friends. We made up our own rules. Only we knew what we were really up to.

Minecraft is a world to explore.

It is a place to build forts, play with your friends, make up your own rules, argue over them with your friends, fight the bad guys, and explore the wilderness. Without supervision. The play in Minecraft is just like the play we had as a kid - less physical, yes - but no less fun, potent or real. Kids now don’t have as many of the freedoms as we did. So, for many, Minecraft is where they can exercise their wings.

So, why is Minecraft so great? 

It’s a game where kids can explore their creativity, solve problems, explore, face dangers, learn to negotiate, and take risks in a world that doesn’t give them a lot of freedoms. They get to play, and play teaches the most valuable lessons. Just because it’s a video game, doesn’t make the lessons (or the fun) any less real.