How many of you have heard of a computer game called Minecraft? Probably most of you, since it's a game that has recently gone viral. If you haven't heard of it, go to the Minecraft website and get it now. It is honestly one of the best games I have ever played.

Minecraft consists of spawning in a randomly generated world, building a shelter for night, and then whatever happens next is for you to decide. You can mine ores, build upon your shelter, fire cannons, make n00b traps… whatever suits your fancy. And that's the appealing part of this game. In the eight months I have owned it, I have personally constructed a giant base of operations, mined to the center of the earth multiple times, and engineered my very own subway system. But enough of the overview, let's take a closer look at what makes this game awesome.

Controls: In my opinion, the controls make the game, and the controls for Minecraft are simple and easy to get the hang of. You can even customize the controls to suit your needs, which is a big plus. However, the scheme makes it easy for a zombie to get behind you. 9/10

Gameplay: As I said in the first paragraph, there are endless possibilities. And Notch-the creator of Minecraft- keeps updating it. Minecraft hasn't even been fully released yet! 10/10

Sound/Music: Minecraft contains many tracks of background and ambient music, all by composer C418. Hearing a creepy noise while spelunking inside of a cave really sends a tingle up your back. 10/10

Graphics: Minecraft wasn't designed to show off the latest in graphics technology. The world is made of blocks, and the character design is blocky, but that's part of the appeal of the game. It's designed to be simple fun. And it doesn't hurt that you can design your own texture packs and characters. Still, doing that is a bit difficult, as you have to get the files first and edit them with MS Paint or something. 8/10

Replay Value: Every world in Minecraft is randomly generated. No two people will get the same level. And the world stretches on virtually forever. 10/10

Overall: Minecraft is one of the best games out there, and it rightfully deserves to be called so. Notch, you are a genius! 10/10!