CastleMiner Z
| CastleMiner Z | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | DigitalDNA Games |
| Publisher(s) | DigitalDNA Games |
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| Producer(s) | Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Designer(s) | Thomas Steinke |
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| Series | CastleMiner |
| Engine | Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Platform(s) | Xbox 360 Windows |
| Release | Xbox 360
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| Genre(s) | Survival sandbox |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
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Search CastleMiner Z on Amazon.
CastleMiner Z is a 2011 survival sandbox game developed and published by DigitalDNA Games. The game is a sequel to 2011's CastleMiner and takes place in a block-based environment where the player has to gather resources to make weapons to kill enemies.[1] The game was released for the Xbox 360 in 2011 and was later ported to Steam in February 2014.[2]
CastleMiner Z has often been called a clone of Mojang's Minecraft. Designer Thomas Steinke stated in a Gamasutra blog that doesn't see CaslteMiner Z as a clone, rather, a "creative expansion on a genre".[3]
Critics called CastleMiner Z a cash grab and criticized its lack of care. Critics noted how the game's cheap price of 69 pennies on Xbox 360 made the game appealing to buy for consumers; however, the Steam price of $9 was criticized for being too expensive.[1] CastleMiner Z was the best-selling game on Xbox Live Indie Games,[4] reaching 1 million downloads in September 2012.[5][6]
Gameplay[edit]
CastleMiner Z is divided into three modes: survival, endurance,[7] and create.[1] In survival mode, players need to gather resources themselves by mining and felling. In endurance mode, players starts with some resources and are tasked with unlocking achievements.[7] In create mode, players are given infinite materials to build with.[1]
In the game, players fight enemies using guns and knives. The most common enemies are zombies and skeletons, who spawn during nights. After a certain amount of time has passed, a dragon will spawn. The dragon fires "flame bullets", which can destroy terrain and buildings built by players.[7] Around 3600 "blocks" away from spawn, an undead dragon has a chance to spawn, which acts as the final boss of the game.[7]
CastleMiner Z's multiplayer supports up to 8 players. In multiplayer, players take control of their Xbox avatar[7] and an online chat is also added allow players to communicate with each other in-game.[1]
Development and release[edit]
CastleMiner Z was released on November 9, 2011, to the Xbox Live Indie Games section of the Xbox Live Marketplace on the Xbox 360 by DigitalDNA Games.[5] The game quickly became popular,[8] and was, according to the Director of Programming for Xbox Live, Larry Hryb, the most-played Xbox Live Indie Game by the end of 2012.[9]
In 2012, DigitalDNA games started plans to port the game to Steam via the platform's green-lighting program.[10] The game was ported to Steam in February 2014, which Thomas Steinke, the designer of the game, described as "an important milestone for DigitalDNA Games".[2]
Reception[edit]
Lua error in Module:Video_game_wikidata at line 361: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). In 2014, Matt Purslow reviewed the game for PCGamesN. Purslow gave the game a 2/10, saying that it was a "depressing [and] cynical cash-grab" made to capitalize on the success of Minecraft. Purslow also noted how CastleMiner Z didn't plagiarize Minecraft, but rather was "strongly inspired" by it.[1] Purslow criticized the game's environment, calling it a "soulless place" that "lack[s] any interesting geography or life beyond the scuttling undead." Purslow also criticized the lack of "care" that was put into the Steam port, citing that the game's user interface still uses the Xbox 360 button prompts.[1]
In a review for Get the Chance Wales, Kieran Field stated that CastleMiner Z "can be fun for most people if they set themselves goals", noting that he was "happy with himself" after completing his self-set goals. Field also praised the game's sounds for being "real enough". Field was, however, more mixed towards the game's multiplayer mode, expressing that he wished for it to support split-screen.[11]
Critics noted how the game's price on Xbox 360 of 69 pennies is its "sore point". Purslow credited the game's price as the reason for why the game sold over a million copies. Purslow criticized the game's PC price for being an "act of inexcusable greed".[1]
Critics, similarly to consumers, compared CastleMiner Z with Minecraft.[1] Yumezaki of Famitsu also compared the game to the horror video game series Resident Evil due to both games using zombies as a common enemy.[7]
Sales[edit]
Since its release, CastleMiner Z was consistently in Larry Hryb's best-selling Xbox Live Indie Games list.[12] In September 2012, CastleMiner Z had sold over a million units,[5] and was the first to reach the milestone on Xbox Live Indie Games.[13][14] CastleMiner Z was the first game on Xbox Live Indie Games to maintain the spot as the best-selling game on the platform for over 10 months.[5]
In 2018, CastleMiner Z had an estimate of 451 thousand players on Steam.[15]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Purslow, Matt (May 29, 2014). "CastleMiner Z review". PCGamesN. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Morace, Bret (February 3, 2014). "CastleMiner Z, 'Xbox's Best Selling Indie Title,' Now on Steam". Hardcore Gamer. DoubleJump Publishing. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
- ↑ Steinke, Thomas (April 15, 2013). "Response to "8 keys to indie success"". Gamasutra. Informa. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
- ↑ Cook, Dave (August 20, 2012). "CastleMiner Z: Fastest selling Xbox Live Indie game – 900,000 served". VG247. videogaming247 Ltd. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Matulef, Jeffrey (September 18, 2012). "CastleMiner Z sells over one million units". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
- ↑ "[海外ゲームニュース]マインクラフト×ゾンビなインディーゲーム『CastleMiner Z』が100万本突破". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. September 19, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2020.CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Yumezaki (November 14, 2012). "【帰ってきた『マインクラフト』珍物件探訪】番外編：驚愕のインディーズゲーム『Castle Miner Z』前編". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Retrieved November 24, 2020.CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
- ↑ Hinkle, David (August 18, 2012). "CastleMiner Z crests 900,000 sales, becomes fastest-selling XBLIG". Engadget. AOL. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
- ↑ Purchese, Robert (January 23, 2013). "The most popular games on Xbox Live in 2012 were..." Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
- ↑ Yoon, Andrew (September 18, 2012). "CastleMiner Z is an Xbox Live Indie million seller". Shacknews. Gamerhub. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
- ↑ O'Donnell, Guy; Field, Kieran (July 17, 2013). "'In this game there is an extra enemy..Dragons!' Review of CastleMiner Z by young critic Kieran Field". Get the Chance Wales. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- ↑ emilygera (August 20, 2012). "'CastleMiner Z' reaches over 900 thousand downloads, poised to become fastest selling Xbox Live indie game". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
- ↑ Hinkle, David (September 17, 2012). "CastleMiner Z cracks one million, still fastest-selling XBLIG". Engadget. AOL. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
- ↑ Sinclair, Brendan (September 18, 2012). "CastleMiner Z first Xbox Live Indie Game to sell 1m". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
- ↑ Orland, Kyle (June 7, 2018). "Valve leaks Steam game player counts; we have the numbers". Ars Technica. Condé Nast. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
External links[edit]
- "Official website". Archived from the original on March 20, 2020. Unknown parameter
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