By Casey Kirsch
Minecraft is one of the world’s most popular video games.
The game was introduced 11 years ago on November 11, 2009, and it is more popular than ever today. In fact, more than 130 million people played the game in 2020.
Minecraft is a sandbox construction video game that allows users to build three-dimensional worlds that can be shared publicly. The worlds can be completely fictional or duplicates of real-world places, such as Downtown Pittsburgh. There are even Minecraft boards of PNC Park and Heinz Field. If a place exists, there is a good chance someone built it on Minecraft.
Minecraft’s gameplay lets players choose how they play the game. Some players like to build worlds privately and others share their worlds for people to play. You can set a code to make your world private or let anyone join it.
Players who choose creative mode like to make random builds and those who play survival mode try to defeat the Ender Dragon. In both modes, players “mine” for diamonds, which can be turned into different objects or weapons that help you play.
There have been 17 updates to the game, and each allows players to mine different materials.
Another reason Minecraft is popular is because of the internet. There are thousands of Minecraft builders on Youtube, Twitch, and Tik Tok, and some of these people have millions of followers and views. A simple search on Youtube will bring back hundreds of results that show Minecraft gameplay and world building. The game is popular to be watched as well as played.
The final reason Minecraft is going strong at Year 11 is the fact it is incredibly fun to play. The game requires creativity and imagination. The possibilities are literally endless. Those who play it can play it a variety of ways.
Minecraft is even a part of SAMS. Eighth graders play the game in Innovations 4, which is part of the engineering design process. The eighth graders use a version called “Education Edition,” which is a modified version of the game.
THE SAMS SALMON 