From the moment you start up Creative Mode in Minecraft, a layer of Zen rests on your process. You stare out into the blank canvas of a forest world and begin your steady diet of exploring and constructing, with little pressure from objectives or time limits. Even the enemy-filled Survival Mode is a relatively relaxed option – the point of Minecraft isn't to fight, but to build. It is all about contentedly shaping the world, combining comfort food and creative ambition, and Minecraft's simple pleasures have turned it into the best-selling video game of all time.
First launched in 2009 for the PC and now available on virtually every modern console imaginable, Minecraft, like many other famous games, harnesses a real-world activity in a digital space. Like Pokémon was originally conceived as a translation of its creator's passion for bug-catching, like The Legend of Zelda was an effort to capture a love of exploring, Minecraft is the world's most unlimited collection of building blocks. Anyone that has ever looked up from Lego to discover that they've lost half a day to their intricate work can likely find at least a spiritual connection to Minecraft.
