Being the worldwide phenomenon and smash hit that it is, Minecraft has sold millions of copies across all platforms of the current generation, expect for Nintendo’s that is. And with Microsoft having bought the rights to the game, the chances of it coming to Wii U or 3DS have pretty much reduced to zero. In hopes of filling the sandbox shaped hole left by its absence, a multitude of clones have begun to drift to the big N’s consoles. So how well does this particular Minecraft clone do its job? Let’s find out.

Upon firing up the game, you are directed to a simple and functional menu screen which gives the choice of playing on either Survival or Creative mode. Both of which play like they do in Minecraft. Survival mode will throw you into a randomly generated world in which you must collect resources in order to survive, build and whatnot. While Creative mode grants you unlimited blocks and the power of flight, allowing the player to build with freedom and ease.


The randomly generated worlds of Cube Creator 3D are limited to a single type of biome (desert, mountains, tundra…etc.) and are also so small that one can go from one end to the other in a few minutes. With the 3DS having obviously less horsepower than PC and consoles, this is to be expected, but these limitations are the root of most of the game’s problems.

Since we’re already on the subject, let’s finish covering Cube Creator 3D’s shortcomings: for starters, Survival mode gives the player very little motivation to actually build anything, as there’s no furniture to be made and hostile mobs are few in number. Looking for precious ores, a staple activity of Minecraft, feels underwhelming. Not only are the no caverns to explore (expect for some small surface level ones), but ores are also abundant enough for diamonds to feel like a small discovery. Controls also take a little getting used to if you don’t have a New 3DS or circle pad pro, but it’s not a huge issue.


On a more positive note, the game does have some good things to set it apart from the Swedish Indie title. All the 3D models for in-game creatures feel significantly more life-like than their Minecraft counterparts (like a spruced up texture pack), making them feel very alive. Survival Mode has an interesting twist, in that you can create world portals to travel to different biomes. This gives the game a much needed sense of progression and adventure, which is sadly still limited by the previously mentioned issues.

Cube Creator 3D is a competent yet limited clone of the million selling Mojang craze. Some of the criticisms made may seem harsh, seeing as they’re based on comparison to Minecraft, but since Cube Creator 3D is essentially a clone, its worth to many revolves around how it measures up to Minecraft. If you have no access to any other platforms and the urge for blocky worlds is simply too much, it may be worth a go.


Review Copy provided by: Big John Games