Minecraft is a first-person fighter/sandbox construction game created by Mojang AB.

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Indie of the Year 2010 Editors Choice - Most Innovative

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2010 has seen many inspiring releases that have created quirky or interesting mechanics for gamers to enjoy throughout the year. To be nominated for an award in Most Innovative, unique gameplay is key. No standard first/third person shooters. Here are the IndieDB editor's and our judges top selection of 2010.



MinecraftMinecraft
is a sandbox construction game. It involves players creating and destroying various types of blocks in a three dimensional environment. The player takes an avatar that can destroy or create blocks, forming fantastic structures, creations and artwork across the various multiplayer servers in creative mode, or fending off zombies, skeletons, spiders and creepers in survival, indev/infdev or Minecraft Alpha game-modes.


Super Meat BoySuper Meat Boy
take on the role of a small animated cube of meat named Meat Boy who must save his girlfriend, Bandage Girl, from the evil Dr. Fetus. Players must use sharp reflexes to guide Meat Boy to the end of each level, using his wall clinging ability, while avoiding buzzsaws, salt, and other various death bringing obstacles. The game will contain about 350 levels, which are split across various chapters.

NudoNudo
is a platformer on top of a rubik’s cube. It comes with 32 levels that could melt your brain. After the main game, there's a challenge mode that lets you play the game in a whole new way, or the same way if you have OCD.

VVVVVVVVVVVV
is a 2D puzzle platform video game, built using Adobe Flash for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS. Featuring a gravity flipping game mechanic, the game was developed by Terry Cavanagh and was released in 2010 alongside an online demo.

The BallThe Ball
is an Unreal Engine 3 singleplayer action/puzzle game. You play as an archaeologist working on the slopes of a dormant volcano somewhere in Mexico, and a technical malfunction gets you stuck in a cavern. It doesn't take long before you realize this is more than just a cave. You reveal ancient ruins that have been hidden from outsiders for centuries and discover a mysterious artifact, a gold and metal shelled Ball.

Post comment Comments  (0 - 50 of 53)
tschery
tschery

the ball again?

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Dragonlord
Dragonlord

My thoughts too. Hasn't this been included already in prior MOTY? Nothing against the project but it's "déja vu".

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masternerdguy
masternerdguy

i kind of agree, projects winning multiple titles is kind of boring.

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DuckSauce
DuckSauce

It's probably cause it's turned fully Indie now?

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Dragonlord
Dragonlord

Why would calling a project "indie" be more innovative than calling it a "mod"?

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Dremth
Dremth

The indie awards didn't exist before this year. Since The Ball was released as an indie title this year, it is eligible. And I understand that they added quite a bit more content into the game since they started developing it as an indie.
I honestly don't think it'll win though. I haven't played all of these titles, but Minecraft seemed like the most innovative to me... and damn fun, addictive, and awesome.

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Original_Speeder
Original_Speeder

Nudo was better.

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billyboob
billyboob

Have not heard of Nudo until today. Intrigued!

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Torabi
Torabi

Because it is very different and much more polished and finished. Do your homework.

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doomstagg
doomstagg

word. Pinche Pelota.

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blahblahblah12333
blahblahblah12333

Yeah, it would be nice if they spread out the nominees to include lesser known games. Being a nominee in one category is already an accomplishment and should suffice.

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s87
s87

Go Minecraft! :)

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PDavid85
PDavid85

Hard choice, but my favourite is Minecraft! :D

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ADTeam™
ADTeam™

Mineecraft! haha

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Uberslug
Uberslug

Another countdown. Maybe when this one ends they will announce when they will announce the winner.

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Zetsaika
Zetsaika

I am in a bridge, on a side there is Minecraft and on the other there is Nudo.

Hard choice.

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paulojlopes
paulojlopes

Minecraft - Wins since it brings a good new sandbox open-ended gameplay that drops the player in a world full of interestic content to experience.

Super Meat Boy - I really like the game but it doesnt inovate all that much since it tries to bring back that old gameplay of the classic platformers.

Nudo - Hmmm, never played it and had no idea of it existance.... sorry :(

VVV VVV - Also never played it but I knew of it existance, from what I saw it is a cool platformer but in terms of inovation, while it inovates it doesnt mind blow you. Its kind of like those really well though puzzle/platformers of Newgrounds. From what I heard its a quality game :)

The Ball - Never played it (again) but I dont know if it makes sence to be in the list, Dremth already explained the situation but it still doesnt justify for me. They already how the community feels about their game, they dont need to know it again. Sure its always nice to win an award, but trust me, you (The Ball developers) are already respected by this community so... yeah. Keep making good games.

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w0dk4
w0dk4

Why is there no "most innovative mod" award?

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Henley Author
Henley

Simply put, we could not fill the minimum required nominations for that particular award.

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Crispy
Crispy

Surely innovation should be rewarded. If there are only two feasible nominees for the award one year, the lack of contenders could be enough to see more modders look to be innovative the next.

Afterall, the point of these awards is not only to congratulate the accomplishments of those who are able to complete a mod/game, but to encourage potential in the modders of tomorrow.

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butters757
butters757

Congrats to Minecraft, as well as all the nominees.

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cW#Ravenblood

Fantastic.
I like the idea, Henley and DesuraNET, that you've included some quotes which shows your point of view very well, you can notice now really good why something got the prize.

I stay stuned for more ;)

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Otter.
Otter.

Heavy Weapons guy: "Minecraft won. Not big surprise!"

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Kizzycocoa Creator
Kizzycocoa

It is somehow chilling to see the game I help maintain to get an award on a website I've been on longer than maintaining the page. I love the quotes!

But, like everything in the world, it needs moar creepers. X3

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xXMaNiAcXx
xXMaNiAcXx

CAAAAAAAAKE!

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Awesome_ninja
Awesome_ninja

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuu, not Minecraft........... well, out of the nominies, it was the best pick

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madcybi
madcybi

Minecraft deserves it!

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Theon
Theon

Humph. I don't think VVVVVV was very innovative (gravity-puzzles have been done many times before), and Super Meat Boy didn't innovate ANYTHING, it simply tried to recreate and polish up the good ol' platformer gameplay.
The Ball won last year, so I don't feel it deserves to be here (even though it has been released as a full indie title now).
I haven't played Nudo, so I can't really say anything other than that it sure looks more innovative than VVVVVV and Super Meat Boy.

That just leaves Minecraft, which would have won against these anyway.

I am kind of dissappointed. Weren't there ANY innovative titles except Minecraft this year?
I know Silas and Miner Wars are still alpha/pre-alpha, but maybe they should've made the list? At least they're innovative...

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Link3737
Link3737

And Minecraft didn't really innovate either. It just built on the existing concepts from Infiniminer.

Really disappointing year for Indie titles if none of the top 5 "innovative" games actually innovated anything.

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Theon
Theon

Oh, wait, Minecraft is also alpha as of yet!
Wtf?

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P4TRICK
P4TRICK

Ohh Notch! May i gratulate you, and the rest of the team! Minecraft have really been in the spotlights in 2010!

Best wishes in the future, you guys deserves it!

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Schmung
Schmung

Platforming games are the height of innovation now?

1990 called - they want to know what the hell is going on. Not denying in any way how excellent these games are - Meatboy and VVVVVV are lauded for good reason, but calling them innovative just so you can award them something is a bit rich. I played stuff like that on the Amstrad 20 years ago and just because the genre is undergoing a resurgence in the form of lo-fi flash/iOS gaming does not mean it's innovative. Maybe I'm missing the point a little, but since you're only justifying your decision with a paragraph of press release it seems pointless.

MODDB is a great showcase for the lesser known stuff, but you're not doing a great job of explaining WHY these titles are innovative or what's new about them and the lack of insight into your reasoning cheapens things a bit IMO.

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Kizzycocoa Creator
Kizzycocoa

the Minecraft karma train seems to now be arriving at this feature. O.o I wonder why we even HAVE a train.

Anyway, seems Mojang are happy. they really like the video! :D

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petemyster
petemyster

Editor commentary would have been nice

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Ennui
Ennui

Very "innovative" of Notch to take the core game mechanic (block-based world/mining) and low-res art ideas from Infiniminer and the world mechanics of Dwarf Fortress and put them together.

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Link3737
Link3737

I don't think Minecraft really deserved the title of "most innovative" considering it literally started as an Infiniminer clone (In Notch's own words, by the way).

How is a clone of another indie game considered innovative?

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Kizzycocoa Creator
Kizzycocoa

you could argue every game is a clone of another.

super meat boy? mario. The ball? HL2's gravity gun, but extended. half life 2? pretty much every game that has an alien invasion.

it's -how- they differ and how they are presented that truly shows the quality of the game. if it's a generic ripoff, it will fail. if, like minecraft, like VVVVVV and super meat boy, it introduces things in a better way, it will be successful.

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Dragonlord
Dragonlord

Yet it's still a clone... and a clone is not "innovative". The idea of innovative is to go the other direction than the rest (to some degree experimenting) and see what interesting stuff jumps out of it.

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Kizzycocoa Creator
Kizzycocoa

however, to call minecraft a clone is simply unfair. it has grown to be almost impossible to compare to infiniminer. it has mobs, it had day/night, it has crafting and smelting, it has the Nether, it has farming and planting. I could go on.

The fact is, it was only a clone in the sense that it was 3D and blocky. To call it a clone in it's current state is really an insult to the game, as the only way it was a clone is how the enviroment is made up, which quite frankly is also inspired on babies building blocks.

Quite simply put, minecraft -was- a clone of infiniminer. but now, it's so innovative and different that it's shed it's clone shell, and transformed into something else that is unrecognisable to infiniminer.

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twcrash
twcrash

I am new to minecraft and I gotta say I am hooked and im a purist FPS kinda guy. Great job!!

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Tatsur0
Tatsur0

lol, can't have awards without the hate. Congrats to Minecraft and I'm seriously looking forward to some good ol Meatboy and VVVVVV and eventually The Ball.

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Mkilbride
Mkilbride

No Amnesia? Da'ww.

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KortalMombat
KortalMombat

this

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Link3737
Link3737

You've obviously never played Penumbra or Eternal Darkness if you actually think Amnesia is innovative in any way whatsoever.

It's a great horror game, but it's almost identical to its predecessors (Penumbra) with a few generic horror game twists thrown in.

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MrTambourineMan
MrTambourineMan

For everyone who disagrees, if you would take your time please and read what title says: EDITORS choice!

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Dragonlord
Dragonlord

And what difference does this make? Aren't editors choice to be more "sane" than players choice as they should not pick results based on fanboyism as players choice is by default?

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MrTambourineMan
MrTambourineMan

They "should" pick a game they see fit and they did.

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Brightgalrs
Brightgalrs

They mixed up the meaning of "most innovative" with "best". While Minecraft is possibly the "best" indie, it is by no means the "most innovative".
This award should have gone to a indie that had a really wacky/crazy initial idea which may or may not have succeeded. Innovation doesn't have to mean successful. :p

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d3monslay3r4
d3monslay3r4

minecraft FECK YEAH !!!!!!!

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d3monslay3r4
d3monslay3r4

@
xXMaNiAcXx WE WILL EARN IT

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