By Chase Stevens ’12
THE ROUNDUP

As I pull out my diamond sword to defeat the zombie–skeleton army in front of me, I hear a familiar hissing noise, then an explosion flashes before my eyes.

I am dead.

Such is life in Minecraft, the critically acclaimed, independently developed computer game that has caught the Internet by storm.

The game looks like the pixel art of the 80’s but in three dimensions. Players use tools to chop, mine and dig through their surroundings to harvest them and gain resources like wood, stone or even gold.

Players combine different items to make more complex items. For example, by using two sticks and three iron pieces in the correct fashion, you can make an iron pickaxe, which you can use to mine.

The game also has a day/night time mode built in. Once the sun goes down, the moon comes up.

Unfortunately, along with the moon comes a horde of monsters.

Monsters, such as zombies, skeletons and spiders, appear on spaces that are dark, meaning that they are spawned only at night or inside caves.

If you die, you return to your original starting place. You have to go back to get all of your things, which are waiting right where you left them.

Once you are capable of fighting monsters and have an extensive mine, the real fun begins. The great thing about Minecraft is that players can place down blocks to create their own items.

For example, players can create a brick house by setting down brick blocks. Players can even add windows to their house using glass blocks.

Another thing players can create is roller coasters. By mining iron, you can make mine carts and tracks, or even  a makeshift roller coaster.

The game is made by Notch, an independent web developer. The game is so successful that it made more than $350,000 in a day, according to texyt.com.

I recommend Minecraft to anyone who wants to have some nice, clean, creative fun.

You can download the Alpha mode of Minecraft at minecraft.net for $10, or play the free, classic version there too.