Minicraft
| Company type | Indie game |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | December 19, 2011 |
| Founder | Markus Persson |
| Products | Minicraft (video game) |
Minicraft is a two-dimensional top-down view action game created and coded by Markus Persson, the developer behind Minecraft. It was developed for the 22nd edition of Ludum Dare, a rapid 48-hour game creation contest, and launched on December 19, 2011.
Gameplay
Players navigate a world to collect materials, fight adversaries, and construct a shelter, much like in Minecraft. The primary aim is to defeat the Air Wizard, who serves as the game's final boss. According to the official summary, the objective is to eliminate the only other intelligent entity to secure solitude. The game's top-down viewpoint and mechanics have drawn parallels to The Legend of Zelda series.
Development
For the 22nd Ludum Dare event, which challenges developers to produce games within 48 hours based on a theme—in this instance, "Alone"—Markus Persson developed Minicraft. He broadcasted his programming live and tracked progress through updates on the Ludum Dare platform. Out of 891 submissions, the game was evaluated in nine categories including innovation, enjoyment, visuals, sound, humor, and atmosphere. Community voting ended on January 9, 2012.
Sequel
On December 26, 2011, Persson announced via Twitter that he was working on a follow-up titled Minicraft 2, though he intended to change its name. When queried about its style, he described it as an "action roguelike featuring crafting and modifiable terrain." By January 1, 2012, Persson revealed the new title would be MiniTale and acquired the corresponding .com and .net domains to host the project.
Minicraft+
In accordance with Ludum Dare rules, Persson made the source code available but did not assign a license, requesting that any modifications adopt distinct names. As Persson shifted focus to other endeavors, a modded variant called Minicraft+ surfaced, expanding the original with numerous added elements.
Reception
Critics frequently likened the game to early The Legend of Zelda installments. Rock, Paper, Shotgun described it as an enjoyable and addictive experience that was impressive given its 48-hour development window. Boing Boing recognized it as a remarkable accomplishment despite some repetitive gameplay and limited complexity. VentureBeat praised its straightforward yet captivating resource collection along with a quirky charm reminiscent of Persson’s prior work. GamesRadar pointed out that although simple due to its rapid creation process, it demonstrated Persson’s talent and had potential for release as an affordable app on iOS or PS Minis.
External links
- Minicraft – Original Ludum Dare submission by Markus Persson
- Minicraft Plus – Official website for the Minicraft+ modding community