Notes

Minecraft Vs. Roblox: how these Games Stack up for Kids

Minecraft and Roblox are incredibly popular sandbox-style games. Both allow you to make games, play with other players, and play for hours. Each has its own online community that is always willing to assist. However, Roblox and Minecraft are quite different when it comes to the specifics. Here's how they compare on five key factors.



THE CONTENDERS



Minecraft. Recommended for players aged 8+. Open-ended, exploratory and creation-oriented environment that allows players to build and create things from scratch using materials they find from the world.



Roblox. It is recommended for users who are 13 or older. This game-creation site allows users to create and upload their own games as well as playing other games with a group of players.



Price



Minecraft has a more expensive initial cost ($26.95 for PC and Mac), while Roblox utilizes the "freemium/premium" model.



Roblox allows you to play games and design a small number for free, but you have to subscribe to do the most enjoyable things, such as customize your avatar, purchase and trade weapons, and create new games. Roblox's game currency Robux at a cost however it's recommended to sign to the entry-level membership ($5.95 per month for Builders Club) which removes advertisements, lets you manage more games, and allows you to purchase daily Robux.



Ease of Use



Both are quite challenging, but that's part of each game's unique fun. Minecraft has three difficulty levels, however there are no instructions. You can learn to play through exploration, experimentation as well as watching YouTube videos, and reading other fan-created content (there's a lot of it online).



Roblox has two modes available: playing and creating. Although it offers lots of options however, it can be frustrating as the games are designed by users. Roblox provides a lot of information, a wiki and an incredibly supportive community for kids who want to create their own games.



Social Aspects



This is the biggest wildcard. Both games support multiplayer play, but Minecraft is better suited for solo play. Roblox, on the other hand, is social from the moment you sign up. Friendship and chatting are huge parts of the game. Read our guidelines for social media for elementary school-aged kids. Roblox and Minecraft both have lots of user-generated content. Players of all ages, including teens, participate and compete in the game. With any content that is created by users, your kid can get exposed to a variety of images, explicit language as well as violence. You can control some of these through the game's built in controls. Roblox allows you to shut off chat and block individuals. Minecraft lets you "ignoreother players, but does not limit what you are able to say.



Safety



There are instances of inappropriate predatory behavior in chat and multiplayer modes. Roblox has expanded its child safety program to include parental controls, human moderators, and other features to catch offenders. You can play Minecraft on your own or with a restricted number of friends. Contact with strangers is restricted. If your child would like to play on a server that's public, ensure that it's safe for children.



Kid-Friendliness



Both Minecraft and Roblox have huge online followings and, therefore, kids can access lots of other content -- wikis, YouTube videos, even Reddit forums -- that can expose them to mature subjects when searching for information on the games. Additionally, Roblox lets users embed ads into their games, meaning that kids can encounter in-game advertisements. Violence can be an issue in both games, but while Roblox's user-uploaded games tend to be more of the shooter/explosion/disaster variety, Minecraft's leans more toward hand-to-hand combat, even though it's depicted in a cartoonish way.



Creativity and learning



Yes and no! Both games can teach the basic computer coding skills (Minecraft uses an adaptation of Minecraft Java and Roblox uses the Lua programming language), though Minecraft has the edge in the sense of being educationally friendly. Both games promote math skills and reasoning, problem-solving , and collaboration. Both games are popping up in after-school classes, computer camps, and even teachers' lesson plans because the skills you gain by creating digital content and engaging with others online are essential skills for the 21st century.



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