Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition Review for Xbox 360

System: Xbox 360
Dev: Mojang, 4J Studios
Pub: Microsoft
Release: May 9, 2012
Players: 1-8
Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p	Fantasy Violence, Mild Violence

And if you prefer couch co-op to all that online business, 360 Edition has you covered. You can play splitscreen with up to four players. I can say from experience that having a partner sitting in the same room as you can be an incredible experience. And since Minecraft lends itself so well to cooperative play, having the choice between online and local is very welcome indeed.

Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition Screenshot

Now, my first concern when I heard Minecraft was coming to 360 (and that Kinect implementation was to be delayed) was that the controls might be difficult to get used to. However, I was surprised when I first picked up the controller at just how natural everything felt. If you play any type of first-person games, this control setup will be second nature. I came into Minecraft having spent the previous evening playing Skyrim, and the transition to Minecraft was incredibly smooth.

So should you buy Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition? Well, that depends on what you want from the game. If you want to play Minecraft with your LIVE friends, this is a no-brainer. If you've never played Minecraft in your life because you're simply not a PC gamer, then now you have a chance to make amends; buy the game as soon as humanly possible. The only people who will be disappointed are those who are hoping this is going to be an upgrade from the PC version. While it might feel to veterans like a dumbed down version of the game they love, it has still managed to retain that special quality that got us hooked in the beginning. And really, that's what counts here, isn't it?

By
Josh Wirtanen
Editor / News Director

@joshuajwirtanen
Date: May 8, 2012

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

4.0

Graphics
Love 'em or hate 'em, Minecraft's visuals are iconic by now.

4.5

Control
The 360 controller is a surprisingly natural way to play.

4.8

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The audio is as great here as it was on the PC version.

4.0

Play Value
The smaller world size and lack of Adventure Update features mean this is the PC version's little brother rather than an upgrade. Still, you'll lose yourself for hours.

4.4

Overall Rating - Great
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 - 1.9 = Avoid	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	3.5 - 3.9 = Good	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair	4.0 - 4.4 = Great	5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

Minecraft is a sandbox construction game, inspired by Infiniminer, Dwarf Fortress, and Dungeon Keeper, created by Markus Persson, the founder of Mojang AB.

The player takes an avatar that can destroy or create blocks, forming fantastic structures, creations, and artwork across the various multiplayer servers.

Now with splitscreen multiplayer!