Block Quest Maker Impressions

The pitch for “BlockQuest Maker” sells itself — it’s “Mario Maker” but for Zelda-like dungeons! Using “Minecraft” like graphics.

The top-down dungeon explorer and creator has been on mobile for a couple of years, released on Nintendo Switch in 2019, and is now available on Xbox One.

BlockQuest Maker’s mobile roots show in its console versions. From the way you choose new levels, to the way you acquire and spend the game’s currency, vote on levels and more — it just feels like a mobile game.

Graphically, it’s very much in the Minecraft mold, in some ways evoking the upcoming Minecraft Dungeons.

Tacking the gameplay side first, BlockQuest Maker is pretty simple. It’s easiest to play using the D-pad. Your little adventurer hops around the map, hitting switches, tripping traps, dodging arrows and battling with orcs. You’ve got a few weapons at your disposal, like a bomb, an arrow or a flame.

To start the game, the developers have crafted a series of levels meant to showcase the various ways players can combine the creation tools to build intricate puzzles. This is where the game works best — as a puzzler. The combat is mostly dull, consisting of mashing A until the enemy dies.

The game clicked for me when I clicked over to the player-created levels. There is a lot of creativity on-display, and it’s really amazing to see what some people create with the limited tools the game allows. The biggest issue with this system — and it’s something that any user-generated-content game runs into — is that it can be difficult to find a level or set of levels that will really appeal to you.

I hopped into levels with interesting thumbnails, or some that were marked as popular. While some of the levels are indeed fun, many were also frustrating. The best games — from Mario, to Zelda, to Shovel Knight, or massive RPGs — build on concepts throughout a player’s experience. With the most popular levels in BlockQuest Maker, it can sometimes feel like if you’ve been thrown directly into Ganon’s Castle before you’ve learned how to open a door.

On the creation side, the tools feel less-than-intuitive at first glance. But they’re easy enough to wrap your head around with just a little bit of experimentation. I haven’t created anything worth putting out there yet, but I’m experimenting with some different levels. The tools at your disposal are limited, but for a beginning designer, this is actually helpful. The closest analog to this game — Mario Maker — is filled to the brim with possibilities. Just looking at the options available in Mario Maker, I start to feel overwhelmed.

In BlockQuest Maker, the limited tools make me feel like I can easily put together something that will work. The trick is — will it be any fun?

I still want to tinker with the creation suite, and also find other users’ levels to play. BlockQuest Maker is fun enough, and is a decent diversion. I do wish it was easier to string together levels and give them a sense of cohesion.