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One of the unwritten rules of gaming is that...if it sells, it will be copied. That’s been
the case for decades. So it’s no surprise that when Minecraft arrived and chiseled itself
into the collective gaming conscience, followers came along and...followed. One of the more
popular was a little game called CastleMiner, and this is its sequel.
It adds zombies. So at least that’s original.
It’s CastleMiner Z for the Xbox 360.
So if you’ve never played any of these games, the idea is simple. You’re in this huge
world comprised entirely of blocks. It’s like a LEGO utopia, save for the fact that
there are people trying to kill you. Other than that, utopia! Anyway, each block represents
a certain type of resource—be it stone, wood, whatever. And so the idea is to mine
for those materials, use them to make weapons and shelters, survive.
Of course, CastleMiner Z makes a few changes. For starters, the Z is evidently for zombie,
because they’re all over the f*cking place. And because zombie starts with Z, and I’ve
seen enough Sesame Street to know there’s no way that’s a coincidence. So these undead
jerk offs come up from the ground and try to *** you or whatever, which really puts
a damper on your mining work.
It’s like...no consideration, you know?
Oh, and hey...death from above, too. Because there are freaking dragons. Which spit fire
and destroy your shelter, if you’re not smart about it. And hey, don’t mine too
deep into the ground, either. Let’s just say the game turns into a Slayer song real
quick.
So although the gameplay is familiar at its core, CastleMiner Z actually does a lot to
make things interesting. And it’s insanely challenging, too...so it’s for the best
if you’re playing with a friend. Otherwise, you’ll die. Like me. Looks like we’re
best friends.
Speaking of which...yes, there’s four-player coop and online play, so that’s cool. The
game also has a few different modes, but the gameplay remains the same. Part of me wants
to say this feels more like add-on content to the original CastleMiner, but the other
part is having too much fun to care.
If you’re really into Minecraft or you want to try a clone that actually adds something
new to the experience, this is an easy recommendation. It’s far from original, but hey, CastleMiner
Z proves that a little twist can go a long way.
And f*cking dragons.