Fortnite: The Minecraft of Gen Z

Maddie Lock

When you mention Fortnite, you'll likely be met with either sighs of disappointment or eavesdropping children asking you to do the floss. Released in summer of 2017 by Epic Games Inc., Fortnite was an instant phenomenon that saw kids right through to young adults learning the skills required to get the acclaimed title of #1 Victory Royale. One of the main reasons for its widespread success is the accessibility of the game. Available as a free-to-play game, Fortnite can be played on virtually all screens and consoles - Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, PC, and even mobile phone.

The most popularly played mode in Fortnite is Battle Royale, where 100 players land in the map after launching themselves from the battle bus. You can play solo, duos, trios or squads, allowing a diverse range of dynamics from 4 to 1 players taking on other teams and gamers. Another fun mode is Party Royale, where you land in a battle-free zone full of boat races, jetpacks, obstacle courses, and even live music sets from acclaimed DJs. Recently I attended a Fortnite concert hosted by DJ Kaskade, which truly exceeded all expectations. There were bounce pads, grapple guns, jetpacks, and even dancing in-sync all to some unforgettable beats. If zombies are your thing, then launch into the world of Save the World, where you and four friends can fight to survive endless waves of zombies for as many rounds as possible.

In a similar vein to Minecraft - a favourite game of our generation's childhood days - the Creative mode on Fortnite allows you to play around on your own island, coming up with marvellous designs. You can either invite friends to your map, or publish it for other users to play, and if you're lucky enough it may be promoted on the home screen for numerous players to enjoy. This mode is perhaps what has made Fortnite and its mass-popularity so comparable to the Minecraft craze in the early 2010s.

As someone who had heard the name Fortnite a million times without ever seeing a glimpse of what the game looked like, or even understanding the key principles, I was shocked when I finally picked up the game myself this March. Already, I am obsessed, play it near daily, and have bought my first Battle Pass - a roughly 3-month investment that lets you unlock new characters, gun skins, soundtracks and more across the season by completing various quests. The latest season is 'Primal', with football player Naymar Junior having themed quests that will unlock in May. Characters this season include Lara Croft and Raven (Teen Titans), along with Epic's own creations - Cluck (a badass chicken), Raz (an illuminous monk), Spire Assassin (a sci-fi looking guardian), and more. They also added new creatures to the map, including boars, chickens, and most excitingly velociraptors, all of which you can either tame or, in the case of the chicken that you can grab, jump with to fly.

Quests, characters and the regular updates are my favourite aspects of Fortnite, and what make it so easily addictive. Without even knowing it, an hour or two can pass-by just from trying to complete a certain quest, or level up enough to get the next character unlocked. For anyone wondering just why Fortnite is such a phenomenon, give it a go and enjoy the various modes, challenging and hilarious quests, and stunning aesthetic on your console of choice.