Review: Beat Hazard Ultra (iPhone)

Every so often I come across a game that seems so perfectly fitted to my tastes, that I'm surprised I'd never heard of it before. I'm a sucker for music and rhythm based ideas, especially if they're tied with interesting visuals. Luckily there are a number of great ones available on iOS devices. I've spoken in the past about my love for Groove Coaster, and recently I was completely charmed by Beat Sneak Bandit, but I think Beat Hazard Ultra might be my new favourite.

A frenetic twin-stick shooter, Beat Hazard has you blasting away at swarms of enemy ships in a dazzling flashy neon light show. Scores are racked up as multiplier bonuses tumble down the screen, and warnings flash as bosses approach. In keeping with the best arcade shooters, the relentless nature of the game can leave you breathless, and a lack of concentration will see you die in a matter of seconds. But the interesting concept behind Beat Hazard is that the pace of each game is driven by your own music library.

At the start of a game, you can select which tune to play to from a list of what you have on the device (Don't worry if you've got nothing, there are included tracks and radio streams to choose from). As the song evolves and beats get heavier, the action gets more and more frantic. Visuals pulse and flash as the screen is flooded by enemies and bullets. Weapons evolve into screen filling lasers, smart bombs send shock waves across the screen to give you a moment's respite. And towards the climax, boss characters approach to challenge you further. Levels are only as long as the track you've chosen, and once it's finished the game ends with a suitably large bang.

High scores are earned by making use of multipliers and perks, as well as how much you manage to progress through a track. Finishing a level means you've 100%-ed the song, and you can increase your high score by further increasing the difficulty. Through high scores you unlock more perks, which add an extra element to the game suited to your needs. One might give you some extra lives, while another offers you a reflector shield, or an increased number of items to pick up. Only a couple can be active at any time, so it encourages experimentation to see what works best for you.

Control is relatively tight overall. You're offered the choice of either the standard twin stick approach, or a single stick for movement with auto-fire enabled. The latter is a useful addition if you're having a hard time keeping up with the action, but you'll most likely find yourself yearning for the balanced control of the twin sticks. However, the two "sticks" have a tendency to float around the screen as you're playing, dragged by your frantic movements. It's a problem I've noticed on other iOS games (Speedball Deluxe comes to mind), and it leaves me wondering why the sticks can't just be fixed in place. It's doubly problematic when you activate weapons and powerups by tapping above or below the relevant stick; and on such a small screen it's all too easy to lose your ship under a thumb.

From a distance, it's easy to dismiss Beat Hazard as a souped-up interactive visualiser. It even contains a "Chillout" mode, where you can enjoy infinite lives and a stream of easy enemies to blast. But the interactive connection with the music is what's so brilliant about it. A heavy drop feels all the more intense when it signals the approach of a neon-spewing space starfish. Lulls in the beat give a well-needed break from the action, and a pulsing bassline means a constant visual flare in the background. By the end of a particularly intense track, your senses will be a bit overwhelmed.

Some genres of music will work better than others. I can't imagine the pace of the action being particularly well dictated by, say, a chilled bit of Satie. But for the most part it works, and works very well. It adds a great twist on what would otherwise be a fairly standard arcade shooter; and in terms of replayability, your music library is the limit. Just make sure you're wearing headphones.

Revived, Revamped, Re-released

Recently I've been thinking a lot about the trend for re-releasing older games onto newer consoles. With the exciting news that Dreamcast classic Jet Set Radio is set for a revival on PSN and XBLA later this year, and after a slew of HD remakes have made their way back onto home consoles, it seems that industry investment into nostalgia has never been higher. Nintendo's 3DS has boasted revamped versions of the N64 classics Ocarina of Time and Lylat Wars, while the 360 celebrated the tenth anniversary of the seminal Halo with a graphically improved re-release. The PS3 now plays host to HD versions of Resident Evil 4, God of War, Shadow of the Colossus, Ico, and Metal Gear Solid, and through services like PSN, XBLA, and Virtual Console you can enjoy hundreds of retro classics from years gone by. But where do you draw the line?

A few weeks ago a big chunk of my student loan came through. Being the level headed gent that I am, I immediately blew most of it on games. Picked up some recent releases I've been meaning to get: Skyward Sword, Rayman Origins, Dark Souls... But what I was most pleased with was getting replacements for my dead N64, Dreamcast, and Gamecube. All of them were pretty cheap, and came with a load of games, so I've had a fun couple of weeks revisiting some classics and wallowing in nostalgic pity. What grabbed me though is the fact that both the N64 and the Gamecube came with versions of Ocarina of Time.

Now, like all good little N64 owners, I owned and played the fuck out of OoT when it first came out. I'd estimate that my parents probably picked it up for about £50. Then it was brought out on the Gamecube a mere five years later, unchanged (it now goes for around £30 on Ebay). Sure, the Gamecube release came with Master Quest, the stunningly unimpressive harder version of the original, but they're essentially the same game. Couple that with the fact that it came out on the Wii's virtual console in 2007 (Which my brother bought), and has now had its big 3D makeover on 3DS (retailing at about £20), and you're looking at a game that's been re-released four times in fifteen years, with only the latest of those making any substantial changes to the graphics.

STOP TAKING MY MONEY

Crazy Taxi is another one that grabbed my interest. The arcade and Dreamcast classic was a favourite of mine, often considered one of the best on the console. I've been replaying it on my new machine, and the gameplay is as refreshing and fast-paced as it ever was. It enjoyed a re-release on PSN and XBLA in 2010, complete with barely updated graphics and the same game modes. But here's the kick in the teeth: Sega couldn't license the tunes from the original, so they were all replaced for the reissue. So, in effect, I'm being asked to pay again for a game that is actually worse than the original release from ten years ago. And now there's talk that Jet Set Radio could suffer from a similar problem. And while I understand the point of a re-release is, in part, so that people who missed it first time around can enjoy it, the majority of people excited by the news of JSR's update are probably those that still own the original anyway. So why pay again for a less complete version of a game you already own?

I feel much the same about these HD remakes that we've been seeing so much of recently. And while at least those offer up the hook of improved graphics, you're essentially paying money for a game you're likely to already have. Resident Evil 4 suffers from the same problem as OoT, having enjoyed three or four major re-releases in the seven years since it came out. As good as both games are, there's no need for that, not unless major changes are made to the graphics or gameplay, or it was a particularly unheralded game on its original release.

Want to know the best modern example of a re-released game? Well I've got two: Resident Evil and Metal Gear Solid, both on the Gamecube. The former is especially brilliant, as not only does it still look fantastic, but at the time it was completely relevant. The original Resident Evil, while rightly considered a classic, was completely held back by God-awful visuals and its infamously bad voice acting. REmake brought everything into line, making it the game Resident Evil was always meant to be. Dark, atmospheric, and genuinely terrifying at times, the graphics were (and are) breathtaking in parts. As well as that, parts of the gameplay were brought up to date as well, with defensive weapons to be used when cornered, and more aggressive "Crimson Head" zombies that would reawaken if you didn't properly dispatch the bodies of fallen zombies. Capcom did such a good job with the game, that I still think of it as the best example of a remake done right. It makes their lazy as fuck ports of Resi 2, 3, and Code Veronica on the same console all the more baffling.

A world of difference

Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes is great for pretty much the same reason. The original release on the Playstation was an incredibly inventive and enjoyable game, but was really due a graphical overhaul in between the release of 2 and 3. The visuals were brought in line with Sons of Liberty, with all the cutscenes redone to match that level of quality. Besides that, as a Playstation exclusive it had passed by a lot of envious N64 owners, so a re-release on the Gamecube was an important bridge to the series for a lot of gamers. Weirdly, it's never seen release again, despite arguably being the definitive version of the game. I was actually surprised that it never showed up on the recent Metal Gear HD Collection, which seems kind of empty without it.

My long-winded point is that a re-release should really have a reason to exist, other than to just milk our nostalgia glands for lots of money. Nintendo have always been terrible for this, but their 25th anniversary release of Mario All Stars (for example) was a total joke. £30+ for a SNES game that hadn't been changed in any way, ported to the Wii. What's the point? This is why I'm really happy that services like PSN, et al, exist; it gives us a chance to play games that we may have missed, been recommended, or simply remember from years ago, while still giving some money back to the developer/publisher. In lieu of an actual archive for game releases, it's an important thing to have. But if we're paying for the games, they should at least be the full versions, if not augmented in some way. Otherwise, it's just transparent money grabbing, and in the case of games like Ocarina of Time and Resi 4, it dilutes the importance of their original releases.

Number 1: Skyward Sword

History should have taught us to never bet against Nintendo. In the face of any doubts, they defy them. In the face of stiff competition, they better them. Whenever the whispers that Mario and Zelda might finally have been stretched too thinly start, they go and release games like Galaxy and Skyward Sword, proving once again that they remain so far ahead of the competition that it's kind of depressing. I've never been fully convinced about the Wii. Oh sure there have been some quality games; Galaxy, Metroid Prime, even Twilight Princess come to mind. Yet none of them have convinced me of the potential for motion control that Nintendo have been so desperate to sell me. Skyward Sword changes all that.

Finally a true beginning to the chronology of the series, Skyward Sword explains the origins of Link, Zelda, Ganon, and the Master Sword. Starting in a realm above the clouds called Skyloft, Link is about to go through the traditional ceremony that marks him as a man. It's a standard opening for a Zelda game, one that's been used many times before in the series. His friend Zelda is sucked down into the land of Hyrule below them, so Link sets out to save her, and defeat a growing evil that threatens the world. He'll do this as only Link knows how: by exploring temples, acquiring a legendary sword, and defeating screen-filling bosses.

For something that seems on paper to stick so closely to the established Zelda formula, it's quite surprising to find that a lot has changed. Link is now an altogether more agile protagonist, a stamina bar allowing him dashes and sprints, with nervous free-running now key to exploring the levels. Gone are many of the dungeon puzzle staples; Link's now less about torch lighting and box pushing, and more about aerial exploration with his remote-controlled bug, or pitch perfect archery. The nuanced motion control has given Nintendo the chance to experiment and refresh what was a somewhat stale formula, and nowhere is that more clear than in the swordplay.

 

I remember clearly the anticipation in the lead up to the Wii's launch. Twilight Princess was on its way to the Gamecube, but then we found out it was to be a Wii launch title as well. In our eyes we saw all of Nintendo's ridiculous marketing footage, showing players swinging their remotes like swords, made to feel every bit the hero they were playing as. We couldn't buy it quickly enough. How disappointing to discover that motion control meant you swung your sword with a mere flick of the wrist, that your shield wouldn't raise as you raised the nunchuck controller. Arrows weren't truly aimed and fired, instead we pointed at the sensor bar and got a jittery crosshair. It was then that my doubts about the Wii and Nintendo began to set in, and they just got worse as time went on. Skyward Sword has made up for those years of disappointment.

With the advent of the motion-plus attachment, true motion control was finally in our hands. Swordplay in Skyward Sword is everything we were promised by the Twilight Princess propaganda, and then some. Raising the remote above your head in triumph after a battle leads Link to mirror the gesture. Vicious directional swipes will dice enemies, gesturing with the sword at waiting monsters fills you with the same sense of cool that Link can now exude. Enemy design has evolved with the control. Many require specific cuts to defeat them, leaving satisfying wounds and stumps in the wake of your swipes. Sword fights with Stalfos Knights now live up to their promise, with parries and defensive lapses key to victory. Boss fights are ingenious puzzles in themselves, requiring careful timing and swordplay if you want to taste victory.

It would be nothing without a visual style that has endured more criticism and scepticism than it deserves since the very first reveal. Taking the best of Wind Waker's toon-flavoured stylishness, and Twilight Princess's Lord of the Rings influenced realism, Skyward Sword is an amazingly beautiful game. Vibrant colours leap out at every turn, animation on both friends and foes is sublime, and every character drips with... well, character. Without a doubt Skyward Sword is the best looking game on the Wii, and makes a mockery of any long-standing doubts about the power of the hardware. Skyrim is beautiful for its realism and intricate level of detail, but Skyward Sword floors it with the kind of design flair that only Nintendo is capable of.

There's so much more to be said to really do justice to why Skyward Sword is so incredible, but in a way I do it better justice by simply recommending that you go and play it for yourself. It manages to make a mockery of any doubts I had about Nintendo's ability to not only deliver, but to exceed as well. Not only that, but it's convinced me that the last five years of the Wii have been worthwhile, and that Nintendo was right when they said that motion control was the right way forward. I've yet to play a home console Zelda game that was anything less than exemplary, but this is different.  

Skyward Sword fills me with nostalgia, for long winter months playing its predecessors; The swashbuckling adventure of Twilight Princess, Wind Waker's seafaring journey and remarkable style, for Majora's Mask and its gripping storyline, filled with tragic characters and dark secrets. Ocarina of Time is clearest, because it was the one that changed everything. Still perhaps the greatest game of all time, even after all these years. Skyward Sword deserves to stand tall next to it, as it really is the most worthy successor. It brings flooding back all the memories of why I love Nintendo, and why, even after all these years, they're still the greatest. Game of the year? Without a shadow of a doubt.

Number 2: Skyrim

The reaction to Skyrim's release this year has been unlike anything I've ever seen. Everywhere I go people seem to be talking about it, and its been drawing as much boundless praise as it has scathing criticism. It's also being talked about by the most unlikely people: girlfriends, parents, children... At a family dinner this week the discussion turned to Skyrim. Everyone had been watching the young son play through it, and talked excitedly of how amazing it looked, how fun. They spoke about slaying draugr, about the best way to sneak past a frost troll, about the sardonic personality of a follower. It was completely surreal, and I couldn't say a word. It's easy to see why they're so taken with it though.

The latest in Bethesda's Elder Scrolls series, Skyrim is just as ambitious as its predecessors. Set in the homeland of the Nords, in the north of Tamriel, Skyrim casts the player as the Dragonborn, one with the soul of a dragon and the power to learn their shouts. The land is gripped by a civil war, between the ruling Imperials and the rebel Stormcloaks, and you'll have to pick a side to end the conflict. Besides that, dragons themselves have returned to Skyrim, and it's up to the player to learn why. Well, that is if you fancy doing it. You're as free to settle down to a quiet married life as you are to play any part in the story.

The Elder Scrolls games are well-known for their large open worlds, and freedom of choice given to the player. Skyrim is thankfully no different, and after the introductory escape from a dragon attack, you're plonked in the wilderness and left to your own devices. A vast world is laid out before you, no part of it locked to you, and it begs to be explored. Even stumbling around on the first mountainside you'll discover bandit hideouts, secret caves, ancient ruins and friendly faces. In a way it's intimidating, but you'll quickly realise there's no pressure on you to do anything but go at your own pace. Quests can be dipped in and out of at will, and the main storyline can be jettisoned in favour of following your own story.

There's a jaw-dropping amount of stuff to do in Skyrim. As soon as you start talking to people quest offers come thick and fast, so you'll have to keep track of what you're meant to be doing. Even without quest offers, by simply wandering around you'll come across all sorts of foreboding caves and crumbling castles. The promise of fights to be had and treasure to be looted drives you to explore them, a sense of curiosity growing as you sneak around ancient lairs and encounter terrifying enemies. Environments are dripping with atmosphere and character, and the variance between them is stunning. Leafy forests in the south make way for long plains and jagged icy peaks further north. Dwemer ruins still whir with ancient industrial technology, while long-forgotten tombs are dusty, silent, and menacing.

A lot has been made of Skyrim's graphics and the detail in the world, but it's entirely justified. Rarely has a game looked quite this good. I often found myself wandering the land just for the pleasure of its sights, happy to languidly explore mountains and forests while watching the wildlife. Midday sunlight breaks on the leaves above, a river gurgles along at your side, and deer warily keep their distance from you, bounding away if you get too close. You feel... relaxed. That is until a bear shows up out of nowhere and tries to claw your face off, or a dragon roars overhead. To get an idea of what a technical achievement Skyrim is, remember that it's running on the same hardware as Oblivion did five years ago.

 

It's sad, then, that you're often wrenched out of your immersion in the world by the various bugs and glitches you're guaranteed to encounter. Bethesda's games are notorious enough in this respect; it comes as a proviso of the ambitious game worlds they develop. But it feels especially jarring in a game like this, one where detail and the beauty of the world are paramount. Dragons fly backwards at impossible speeds, characters get stuck on walls and scenery, giants will throw you into orbit with a single hit... Perhaps most criminal of all, the PS3 version is inherently broken, suffering from game-ruining slowdown once the save file gets too big. As of yet, many of these issues are still unresolved, throwing a significant shadow over what could otherwise have been a near-perfect game.

In the end though, it is near-perfect, and that's how it should be thought of. Skyrim is a game that's been filled with firsts for me. Never before have I been so taken in by the beauty of a game world, driven to explore it so thoroughly. Never before have I started a game three times, and each time had a completely different experience, playing through different quests and exploring different areas. Never before has my girlfriend been more addicted to a game than I have, taking any chance she can to have another go. Until Skyrim, I can't remember a game taking over my mind so much that I actually dream about playing it. To focus on the flaws is to ignore the fact that Skyrim is one of the most intensely brilliant gaming experiences of this generation. Not quite perfect, but close enough.

Number 3: Deus Ex- Human Revolution

My excitement for Human Revolution was one of the main reasons I picked up a PS3 this year. The first Deus Ex is easily up there as one of my favourite games of all time; with its daft cyberpunk conspiracy plot, huge explorable levels, and open-ended approach to combat, it still feels ahead of its time. Now felt about right for a sequel to come around, with more advanced hardware meaning more could be squeezed into the game. Better graphics could finally do justice to the large levels, improved AI would mean that guards didn't just run around in circles when you shot them. Human Revolution doesn't disappoint.

A prequel to the first game, Human Revolution puts you in the shoes of Adam Jenson, the world's surliest man, and head of security for a corporation working on advancements in human augmentation. Terrorists show up, tragedy strikes, and Jenson is fitted with augmentations himself to save his life. He then embarks on a mission to track down those responsible. The plot's a lot less daft than in the previous games, but still thoroughly engaging. Its tale of corporate conspiracy and social unrest in the face of technological change feels relevant, and somehow more important than the previous game's mix of aliens and rogue AIs.

After an introductory jaunt around Sarif Industries, and a nicely done hostage rescue mission, you're finally allowed onto the seedy streets of Detroit, and the game world opens up. The city hub is superbly realised, with shining towers built over grimy backstreets and crumbling apartments, and heavy police presence hinting at the criminal underworld operating in the shadows. I can guarantee you'll be wandering around and exploring long before the thought of continuing your mission crosses your mind. Further locations include the squalid and mazy Heng-Sha island, Montreal, and an Antarctic research base. Eidos Montreal really nailed the gritty sci-fi look of the game, with nods to various inspirations such as Blade Runner and William Gibson. References to the first game are littered throughout, from musical cues to familiar characters. It reminded me a lot of Perfect Dark as well, with Rare's game covering similar themes of near-future corporate espionage and conspiracy.

Part of the beauty of the first Deus Ex was its inventive approach to gameplay. Players were free to approach situations as they wished, running in and gunning everyone down, sneaking around without detection, or hacking and talking their way into places. Human Revolution caries this over brilliantly, presenting you with various ways to accomplish a goal. An early example is the Detroit police station: you can talk your way in, sneak through the sewers or the roof, or simply tear the place apart Terminator-style. The different available approaches add a lot of replay value to the game, as you find yourself wondering how things would have turned out if you'd done it differently. There's nothing quite like unlocking the "ghost" achievement after a mission, safe in the knowledge that you weren't once detected by enemies.

Thankfully, your tasks are made much easier by the augmentations you can fit Jenson with. Another feature carried over from the first, you can tailor the augmentations you choose to fit in with the play style you favour. Dermal armour is useful for heavy-hitters, cloaking devices and x-ray vision will help the stealthy. Hacking and social enhancers also feature, meaning that you're never short of tools to get the job done. The augmentations never feel that they're unbalancing the game too much: it's impossible to collect them all in one playthrough, and limited battery life means you often have to ration their usage. The social enhancer in particular can lead to interesting interrogation scenes which can feel genuinely intuitive, and piss over LA Noire's from a great height.

There are flaws, yes; boss fights are jarring and overly-difficult, and the plot takes a nosedive in its final act; but the strength of the rest of the game is such that you won't find yourself minding too much. Human Revolution is a superbly crafted adventure, well paced and completely gripping. The freedom afforded to the player, and the subsequent replay-value of the game, can make it difficult to stop playing at all, and there have been few better-looking games this generation. Deus Ex is considered by many to be one of the greatest games of all time; And while it's not as ground-breaking as its predecessor, I'd say that Human Revolution can stand tall alongside it.

Number 4: Groove Coaster

iPhone gaming has really taken off this year. Developers are starting to squeeze a considerable amount of power out of the devices, to the point where I can now play Grand Theft Auto 3 on my phone, anywhere I want. The possibilities of the touchscreen input are also being better utilised, and we're seeing much more interesting games as a result. This year we've had Tiny Wings, Dead Space, Superbrothers... but, for me, nothing could touch Groove Coaster.

 

A superb beat-matching game, Groove Coaster is Infinity Gene director Reisuke Ishida's latest project. Levels are songs, and as they play your avatar progresses along a twisting line. Tap the screen when it passes over the beats, and enjoy the progression of the track. Timing is rewarded with a "cool" or "great!" rating, and chaining together beats without misses is the route to higher scores. Beats take different forms: some require directional swipes rather than taps, others holding down for a certain time. The variety means you're always kept on your toes, and it can make harder difficulties a genuine challenge.

The levels themselves are often a visual spectacle. Matched beats are accompanied by an eye-catching splash of colour, and as the tune progresses the level twists and turns at speed, fully fitting its 'coaster title. A wireframe style gives the game a wonderful retro feel, especially evident when playing through some of the Space Invaders and Araknoid remixes. It all feels incredibly dynamic, and as faster levels bounce you round corners and twist up through crescendos you'll be engrossed with the concentration required to keep up.

The wide variety of tracks included in Groove Coaster are the icing on the cake. At the moment there are 27 available, some through unlocking and others to be bought as downloadable content. It's proof of the addictive quality of the game that you'll find yourself eager to buy more tracks, just so you can see how good they are. The tunes are decidedly electronic-influenced, but there's enough variety to keep most people happy. You can guarantee that at least some will be stuck in your head for days afterwards.

Groove Coaster's high placing on this list is based on the fact that I just can't stop playing it. Probably a bad characteristic for an iPhone game to be honest; I find myself trying to squeeze in a level or two almost everywhere. It reminds me a little of Rez. Not only in the fact that I won't shut up about how brilliant it is, but because of the superb soundtrack, stylish wireframe visuals, rhythmic gameplay, and maddeningly addictive qualities. If you're an iPhone owner, it's an absolute must.

Number 5: Minecraft

Finally given a full release this November, after nearly a year in beta, Minecraft had already become something of a phenomenon even before it was finished. Not many games can boast sales figures in the millions before a complete version is even available. Players have been drip-fed updates  over the last few months, as each new version brought new ideas and features to the game. It now incorporates both a Survival and a Creative mode, as well as support for online servers where players can alter the world together. It offers something for everyone.

In Survival, you're immediately plonked in a randomly generated world with nothing but your two hands and all the natural resources around you. No need for a story, or exposition bogging you down; just start exploring, experimenting, and building. It's wholly refreshing that Minecraft can be whatever you want it to be. Enemies show up when the sun goes down, and thrive in underground caves, but if you don't fancy that tension then simply turn down the difficulty. If you want a scary and rock solid survivalist adventure then ramp it up, and enjoy hiding from creatures and having to find food to ward off starvation.

Thanks to the on-the-fly generation of the biomes, it always feels worth exploring just a little further into the world. Despite its blocky style, Minecraft is capable of producing some lovely sights, as well as jaw-dropping natural structures. A thick forest can make way for massive snow covered mountains, huge cacti-spotted deserts find their end at a glittering sea stretching into the horizon. You just know you'll need fell that nearby tree, build a boat, and set sail to see what's beyond the ocean. Few games allow the player this much freedom to explore such an endlessly compelling and tempting world.

That's without even mentioning the underground. As you'd guess from the game's title, mining plays an integral part in your adventure. Many natural resources and precious stones have to be dug up, and for that you have to venture into the vast and often claustrophobic cave systems. Dig almost anywhere and you'll soon uncover a natural tunnel. Your lust for coal and iron compels you to enter, and soon you're following the network of tunnels and caves deeper and deeper into the earth. Hours can pass by, and if you were foolish enough to not leave a trail of torches guiding you back, you'll quickly get lost in the endless underground. All alone in a strange cave, your last pickaxe has broken, you only have a handful of torches, and all around you can hear the groans and rattles of the nearby enemies: few experiences in gaming are more terrifying.

The other side of the coin is, of course, the creativity that Minecraft has inspired in people. All over the internet are stunning examples of not just impressive structures, but whole cities and worlds created within it. The Enterprise, The Titanic, and even Middle Earth are all some of the creations that the Minecraft community have put together, and there are so many more to see. In its Creative and online modes, Minecraft is an advanced virtual Lego set, and the only limit is your imagination and patience. If creation isn't what you're into, friends can all adventure and explore together as well. So while it functions perfectly as a tense solitary experience, as a social one it's even better.

Minecraft's success has surprised almost everyone. Few could have predicted that it would take off in such a huge way so quickly. Thanks to word-of-mouth praise from early adopters, and videos showing some impressive creations, people flocked to try it out for themselves. It's made Minecraft one of the biggest indie hits in gaming history, and it's fantastic that so many people have been able to play and enjoy it. If you haven't already then try it out for yourself. Get involved with the community, find a server to play on, and enjoy yourself. Or generate your own world, and simply start exploring. You won't regret it.