25 essential video games every gamer should know

7. Minecraft

This indie sandbox game based around pixelated square blocks has become a cultural phenomenon and has been released on every modern platform, including mobile. The player is placed in a procedurally generated world, complete with various enemies and different biodomes. The music is very atmospheric and soothing, and with the repetitiveness of gameplay, particularly when mining for resources, it creates an almost zen-like experience.

The main game is a survival based game, encouraging the player to collect resources, fortify a base of operations, and eventually travel to a realm called the End to defeat what’s known as the Ender Dragon. Players will start out with absolutely nothing and will need to punch tree blocks to get enough wood to make simple tools. Once players find more resources, they can create longer lasting tools made of stone, iron, or diamond. Additionally, players can craft armor and weapons, befriend wild cats and wolves, set up farms complete with livestock, create portals to travel into a hell-like dimension, and more.

However, Minecraft‘s main appeal is the ability to build almost anything either alone, or on a server with friends. Using switches and in-game mechanics, players have even made a playable emulator for the Atari 2600 and GameBoy Advance.