Minecraft (PC, PS4, Xbox, iOS, Android & Switch)
At first glance it’s simplistic graphics and premise can put some players off, but once you understand it’s easy to master controls and building mechanics it’s hard to put down. Minecraft is also the only game on the list that allows cross platform play between Xbox, PC, iOS and Nintendo Switch players.
Minecraft’s real draw for players of all ages is its ability to realise nearly anything from their imagination either through its ever expanding creative mode or through your own exploration in its survival mode.
Creative allows players access to an infinite amount of whatever type of resource they wish instantly. It’s great for players learning the ropes or wish to immediately start work on their own masterpiece without the concerns of dealing with enemies or needing lots of time consuming mining or searching for the rarer materials needed to create some of the higher tier items.
Survival starts players with absolutely nothing in a randomly generated world that’s different every time. Players will need to collect even the most basic resources in order to survive and as the day turns to night or as players investigate caves or mines they will start to encounter enemies which they will need to defeat.
Minecraft allows players to move between the modes at any time, this means you can create your fantasy land and then move to Survival to play out your own story whilst cutting out some of the monotony of having to create everything from scratch. This works well with younger players who don’t have the patience to craft every piece of equipment needed to survive the wilds but enjoy adventuring.
Local multiplayer allows siblings to play together and the world options available allow parents to control and restrict online interactions to players from your friends list only or even disable them completely depending on your children’s age or experience with online gaming.
Minecraft is available on PC/Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Apple iOS & Android.
