Minecraft (for PC)
Across the spectrum of games, the enormously successful Minecraft both defines and dominates a category of its own. It has no story, no particular genre, no characters, no dramatic cutscenes, and graphics that could politely be called "retro." Instead, Minecraft lets you shape the blocky world around you with your digital hands, and has proved surprisingly compelling to a legion of fans. Because of its fun, creative play, and the creations it has inspired, it's an Editors' Choice and easily among the best PC games.
Before You Begin
Do you own an electronic device? It can probably run Minecraft. The game is currently available for $26.95 for PC, which I'll review here. Minecraft looks great on a high-end gaming PC, but the rest of us surely appreciate how well it performs on even a standard desktop computer. You can even play on a Raspberry Pi, if you're into that sort of thing. Each version of the game is slightly different, though the fundamentals are universal.
When you download the game, you're actually getting a launcher application that lets you maintain several separate installations of Minecraft on your computer. You might, for example, need to maintain an older version to play a specific world you created or to run a particular mod. Just create a new profile, select the version of Minecraft you wish to run, and you're ready to go. If you are interested in the world of Minecraft mods, be sure to read our roundup of the best Minecraft mods. Everyone else will just press Play and start off in the most up to date version of the game.
An Ever-Changing, Infinite Game
In this world, your only advantage over a hostile landscape is the ability to build, so if you don't want to die, you need shelter. If you want shelter, you need to gather materials by mining the landscape around you. Dirt, rocks, and trees break into distinct cubes that you can reassemble building-block style. If you want to gather materials faster, you need to craft tools, which requires arranging materials in special configurations in either your inventory or on a special Crafting Table. If you don't want to cower in a dark hole every time the sun goes down, then you better build a nicer house. If you don't want to starve to death—and yes, hunger is a game mechanic—you better learn how to find and prepare food.
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