After enjoying a game, it can be inspiring to consider the possibilities and limitations of its world while acknowledging the hard work, dedication, and creativity that went into making it. Luckily, some games feature creative modes that give players back the tools to create levels, worlds, andexperiences worth sharing with others.
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In their normal gameplay, many games with creative modes encourage players to be resourceful, ensuring they understand how different items interact with each other before they begin their crafting journey. At times, they may also include tutorials that players can revisit to further develop their skills. However, whether the creative modes in these games are more intuitive or take time to learn, they make imagination the limit.
6Subnautica
In the indie underwater survival gameSubnautica,players gather resources to build bases, hunt for food and fresh water, and investigate the depths of the ocean.Filled with terrifying beastsand dangerous ecosystems, creating a comfortable home on planet 4546B in one of the game’s three survival modes takes dedication, careful planning, and a vast understanding of nearby waters.
BeginningSubnauticain Creative mode provides players with all the resources they need to construct the most complex underwater structures while granting them immunity from radioactive areas and heart-stopping Reaper Leviathans. The ocean is a dark, existential place that many fear, but allowing players to explore freely gives them a safe opportunity to appreciate its diversity and beauty in a way few other underwater games offer.
5Lego Worlds
Legos are one of the world’s most nostalgic toys for their limitless potential, allowing kids to create anything beyond their wildest imaginations. As an inspiration to many, it is only fitting thatLego Worldsincludes Sandbox mode, where players can use nearly any brick, creature, or pre-existing build to make the world from scratch.
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Whether players want to recreate the world around them by buildinga city filled with homesor test the limits of their imagination by designing a new work of art brick by brick, the Sandbox mode gives them endless time to perfect their masterpieces. While players have to unlock certain pieces inLego World’sAdventure mode, the game’s creative mode makes itself accessible to all players by letting them decide how to best approach their builds.
4Little Big Planet
Although players can access the moon at any time to make their own levels, theLittle Big Planetseries developed by Media Molecule seamlessly encourages players to enjoy its story and creative modes hand in hand by hiding materials, pre-made objects, music, and more throughout each level.
Once on the moon, players have complete creative control. They can experiment with heavy, movable, or lightweight materials while designing enemies, programming switches, and setting checkpoints to make their levels match their vision before publishing them for others to play. Each game in the series also adds its own twists and capabilities, keepingthe iconic platformer’screative mode innovative and fresh. While learning to use each tool on the moon takes time, theLittle Big Planetgames include tutorials that players can revisit whenever they’re ready to take their creations to the next level.
3Super Mario Maker 2
Unlike many other games with creative modes, theSuper Mario Makerseries makes game design its first priority. EvenSuper Mario Maker 2’sshort story mode is about testing various players' levels in exchange for the coins needed to repair Princess Peach’s castle.
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Both games in the series are great forMariofans who want to make their own games, butSuper Mario Maker 2includes more features for players who want to make their levels and worlds stand out for their ingenuity or difficulty. Once players are satisfied with their creations and prove that others can beat them, eventhe most challengingMariolevelscan be uploaded for other online players to enjoy.
2Fortnite
While creative modes have been a part ofFortnitesince the end of 2018, the online battle royale game improved its creative capabilitieswith the release ofFortnite Creative 2.0in 2023. Sparking dozens of fans and creators to maketheir own unique mapsfor others to enjoy with friends, the mode added the ability to import animations, edit the world, and otherwise change their map’s code.
While taking advantage of all thatFortnite Creative 2.0has to offer takes a more advanced understanding of coding than many other creative modes, players can also use their in-game phone to add buildings, resources, and other elements to their projects with ease. Still, no matter how players prefer to create levels,Fortniteis a valuable and accessible tool to express their creativity.
1Minecraft
When it comes to games with creative modes,Minecraftis one of the most well-known because its open world allows players to create with few limitations. They can spawn into a random seed or create a flat world to fill with their most complex and exquisite designs without the pressure or resourcefulness of Survival mode.
Creative mode not only givesMinecraftfans access to all of the blocks, food, and ore they could otherwise earn in Survival but also allows players to use command blocks. Addin texture packs,time, and determination, and even the most complex builds are possible inMinecraft.
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