Minecraft and Roblox tend to be compared to one another regularly, and for good reason. They’re both voxel-based games known for their affinity for blocks, and they’re both renowned for not only their longevity and relevance, but for their near-infinite replayability as well.
And, just to be clear, while Roblox’s target audience is certainly on the younger side, it’s managed to both garner and retain an older audience as well. So, which one should you play? As always, it depends on a few factors.
Single Player vs. Multiplayer
It’s sort of difficult to compare the gameplay of these two games to each other, just because of the sheer amount of stuff that you can do within each game. As a result, it’s more helpful to discuss the differences, rather than try and give the point to one or the other.
While both games are, by definition, sandbox games, they differ greatly in the way they provide players with that sandbox.
And while both games have a flourishing multiplayer scene, Roblox lives and dies by it. It does technically have single player modes, but those tend to be server-based, and the systems within each gamemode can vary wildly. It’s to the point that Roblox has been referred to as more of a social community, rather than an actual game.
On the other hand, Minecraft has a fleshed-out single player mode, complete with a variety of upgrade systems, as well as a few bosses and objectives to complete.
Consider what you’re looking for in a game if you’re trying to decide between the two. As similar as the two games may be, this is arguably the biggest difference between the two. If you want a more social experience, play Roblox. If you want a good single player experience with the option for a solid multiplayer experience as well, play Minecraft. Neither one will disappoint.
Mod-ability
Both games have a flourishing modding community. This is where the sheer amount of stuff that you can do in both titles comes into play.
And, like before, the key difference is the medium in which they’re presented. Roblox probably has more to offer when it comes to the sheer flexibility of its modding capabilities. People have gone as far as recreating games like Escape From Tarkov in Roblox, which is an impressive feat.
On the other hand, Minecraft’s modding scene tends to focus on expanding upon the systems already in the game. It’s true that many of the best mods out there add entirely new materials, blocks, and so on, but at the same time, the systems they use are familiar enough that you can probably get a feel for it without needing a guide.
It’s worth noting that Roblox is commonly referred to as a game engine, rather than a game—and it’s not hard to see why.
Revenue Model
That header might raise some eyebrows—after all, Roblox is a free game, and Minecraft is a one time purchase title—but it is something that’s worth mentioning.
Despite its status as a free-to-play game, Roblox is very much a freemium title. Especially for devs looking to make a profit off of modding the game or hosting their own servers. The base game remains free-to-play, but in order to access items and sometimes gamemodes, players and developers alike are required to purchase the game’s premium currency, Robux. These purchases add up over time, and of course, there’s always those instances where a kid gets his hands on a parent’s credit card and ends up spending thousands of dollars on the game.
To be fair, Minecraft has its own issues with microtransactions. Some servers are notoriously pay-to-win, and there’s some outright scams out there as well. Mojang realized this, and started cracking down on servers like this a while ago. As a result, server owners generally aren’t allowed to discriminate against paying and non paying players. This means that they’re not allowed to lock gamemodes, items, and so on behind a paywall.
Minecraft might not offer the same sheer versatility that Roblox does, but it also won’t cost you an arm and a leg to access everything.
Conclusion
It’s really difficult to say that one of these games is flat out better than the other. My rule of thumb is that if someone wants a social-based experience, Roblox is the way to go. It’s hard to match the versatility offered by the game, and the plethora of gamemodes and servers available are a testament to that.
On the other hand, while Minecraft still offers a solid multiplayer experience, its biggest advantage is the more defined systems in the game, as well as having a “true” single player experience.
It is also worth noting, though, that Roblox has been subject to scrutiny over its combination of revenue model and target audience. If you happen to be a parent concerned over your child’s privacy, or exposure to the internet, Minecraft is probably the better choice between the two. It offers a complete single player experience, and Mojang (and by extension Microsoft) has a vested interest in keeping the game appropriate for all ages.
