Terraria
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''Terraria'' is an
action-adventure The action-adventure genre is a video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres. Typically, pure adventure games have situational problems for the player to solve to complete a storyli ...
sandbox game A sandbox game is a video game with a gameplay element that provides players a great degree of creativity to interact with, usually without any predetermined goal, or alternatively with a goal that the players set for themselves. Such games may ...
developed by
Re-Logic Re-Logic is an American independent game developer and publisher based in Indiana. It was founded by Andrew Spinks in 2011. The company is best known for developing and publishing ''Terraria'', a 2D action-adventure sandbox video game. Re-Logic ...
. The game was first released for
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on May 16, 2011, and has since been
ported In software engineering, porting is the process of adapting software for the purpose of achieving some form of execution in a computing environment that is different from the one that a given program (meant for such execution) was originally desi ...
to several other platforms. The game features exploration, crafting, building, painting, and combat with a variety of creatures in a
procedurally generated In computing, procedural generation is a method of creating data algorithmically as opposed to manually, typically through a combination of human-generated assets and algorithms coupled with computer-generated randomness and processing power. In ...
2D world. ''Terraria'' received generally positive reviews and sold over 44 million copies by 2022, making it one of the best-selling video games.


Gameplay

''Terraria'' is a 2D
sandbox game A sandbox game is a video game with a gameplay element that provides players a great degree of creativity to interact with, usually without any predetermined goal, or alternatively with a goal that the players set for themselves. Such games may ...
with gameplay that revolves around exploration, building, crafting, combat, survival, and mining, playable in both
single-player A single-player video game is a video game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. A single-player game is usually a game that can only be played by one person, while "single-player mode" is usuall ...
and
multiplayer A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system (couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...
modes. The game has a 2D sprite tile-based graphical style reminiscent of the 16-bit sprites found on the
Super NES The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in E ...
. The game is noted for its classic exploration-adventure style of gameplay, similar to games such as the '' Metroid'' series and ''
Minecraft ''Minecraft'' is a sandbox game developed by Mojang Studios. The game was created by Markus "Notch" Persson in the Java programming language. Following several early private testing versions, it was first made public in May 2009 before being ...
''. The game starts in a
procedurally generated In computing, procedural generation is a method of creating data algorithmically as opposed to manually, typically through a combination of human-generated assets and algorithms coupled with computer-generated randomness and processing power. In ...
world, with players starting out with basic tools and a
non-player character A non-player character (NPC), or non-playable character, is any character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster o ...
(NPC) guide to get them started and bring their attention to aspects of the game and progression. The game's world is made up of several layers of tiles that players can interact with and modify. Many resources, such as metal ores, can be found while exploring caves. Players begin with low
health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...
and
mana According to Melanesian and Polynesian mythology, ''mana'' is a supernatural force that permeates the universe. Anyone or anything can have ''mana''. They believed it to be a cultivation or possession of energy and power, rather than being a ...
, which can be increased by finding and crafting specific items. Some resources may only be found in specific areas of the map, stored in common and rare containers, or dropped by certain enemies. Players use resources to craft new items and equipment. Different recipes require different resources and crafting stations. Several items in ''Terraria'' create complex crafting trees involving a large amount of items to create a single powerful piece of equipment. Players have the option to customize their character's appearance when creating a new character, and in-game by visiting the Stylist NPC or the Clothier NPC. Along with that, players can obtain vanity items, which are special armor pieces and accessories with only a cosmetic effect, and dyes to change the color of equipped armor or accessories. Characters have three inventory slots for armor to be equipped, and several inventory slots for various accessories to provide a boost to a player’s statistics, such as wings or water walking boots, as well as vanity slots for all of them, allowing them to be hidden behind cosmetics while retaining their effects. Much like most Terraria items, armor and accessories can be crafted, found around the world, and obtained from defeating bosses. Players can encounter many different types of enemies in ''Terraria'', the occurrence of which depends on several factors including time, location, and random events. The game features an open-ended
class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...
system, primarily divided into melee, ranged, magic and summoner classes. Players may also battle bosses that utilize a number of different combat mechanics and can drop rare and valuable items. Bosses are summoned by using certain items or when certain criteria are met. The defeat of some bosses is directly tied to in-game progression, while others remain optional. Defeating the Wall of Flesh boss advances the game into "hardmode", which adds many new enemies throughout the world, as well as new
NPCs A non-player character (NPC), or non-playable character, is any character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster ...
and items. Like bosses, players can battle special enemies and mini bosses during invasions, in which enemies appear constantly and they either must be defeated or a certain amount of time must pass before the event ends. ''Terraria'' also features seasonal events which activate during certain periods of the real world calendar year, adding new enemies and content. By completing specific goals, such as defeating a boss or obtaining a certain item, players can attract NPCs to occupy structures or rooms they have built, such as a merchant, nurse, or wizard. Some NPCs can be acquired by finding them throughout the world and will then reside in player-created houses after being rescued. Players may then buy or sell items and certain services from NPCs with coins obtained from defeating enemies and bosses. The game features many different biomes and areas, which are each home to a unique set of enemies and challenges. The Corruption, Crimson, and the hardmode-exclusive Hallow, will expand by slowly overtaking and converting nearby blocks. NPCs prefer to be around certain biomes and with certain other NPCs, and will raise and lower their prices and sell special items depending on if they are sufficiently happy. "Expert" and "Master mode" are difficulty modes that increase the challenge of the game in exchange for some exclusive items. "Journey" mode allows players to duplicate items, adjust the world's difficulty, and control weather and time at will while playing. ''Terraria'' has support for mods, which is facilitated by the third-party tModLoader. It later received official support when it was released as free
downloadable content Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enablin ...
alongside the "Journey's End" update on
Steam Steam is a substance containing water in the gas phase, and sometimes also an aerosol of liquid water droplets, or air. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization ...
in 2020.


Development and release

Development of ''Terraria'' began in January 2011 by Re-Logic, built on the
Microsoft XNA Microsoft XNA (a recursive acronym for XNA's not acronymed) is a freeware set of tools with a managed runtime environment that Microsoft developed to facilitate video game development. XNA is based on .NET Framework, with versions that run on Win ...
framework and written in C Sharp. Re-Logic was composed of Andrew Spinks, who designed and programmed the game; Finn Brice, who, along with Spinks, did the graphic design for the game. The music was composed by Scott Lloyd Shelly. The game was released for
Windows Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
on May 16, 2011. In December 2011, the game was updated to version 1.1, adding new monsters, bosses, NPCs, and items. The update also included improvements to the game's world generation technology and lighting system. In February 2012, the developers announced that they would not continue development but would release a final bug-fix patch. However, development resumed in 2013 with Spinks asking the community for ideas to include in future content updates. In September 2012, Spinks announced that
Engine Software Engine Software (formerly MSX-Engine) is a Dutch Indie video game developer, located in Doetinchem, Netherlands, which specialized in handheld video games and digital platforms until 2011. In the period after (2011-present) they have become more ...
and
505 Games 505 Games S.p.A. is an Italian video game publisher based in Milan. It was founded in 2006 as a subsidiary of Milan-based Digital Bros. History 505 Games was founded in 2006 in Milan as a subsidiary of Digital Bros. The company found its earl ...
would be porting ''Terraria'' to
Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation ...
and
PlayStation 3 The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
. The game was released for Xbox 360 via
Xbox Live Arcade Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) is a digital video game download service available through the Xbox Games Store, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360. It focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent ...
on March 27, 2013. The PlayStation 3 version was released via the
PlayStation Network PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...
in North America on March 26, 2013 and in Europe and Australia on May 15, 2013. Shortly after the initial console release, 505 Games announced ''Terraria'' for
PlayStation Vita The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita, or Vita) is a handheld video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, and in North America, Europe, and other international territo ...
; it was released in Europe on December 11, 2013, and in North America on December 17, 2013.
Spike Chunsoft is a Japanese video game development and localization company specializing in role-playing video games, visual novels and adventure games. The company was founded in 1984 as Chunsoft Co., Ltd. and merged with Spike in 2012. It is owned by Dwango ...
localized the PlayStation 3 and Vita versions for release in Japan, including exclusive items such as a costume based on
Monokuma is a fictional identity adopted by several characters in the Danganronpa, ''Danganronpa'' series, serving as the mascot and main antagonist of the series. Monokuma first appears in ''Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc'' as a disguise used by "Depr ...
from their ''
Danganronpa is a Japanese video game franchise created by Kazutaka Kodaka and developed and owned by Spike Chunsoft (formerly Spike). The series primarily surrounds various groups of apparent high school students who are forced into murdering each other ...
'' series. In May 2013, 505 Games announced a mobile version of ''Terraria'' ported by Dutch studio Codeglue for Android,
iOS iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...
, and
Windows Phone Windows Phone (WP) is a discontinued family of mobile operating systems developed by Microsoft for smartphones as the replacement successor to Windows Mobile and Zune. Windows Phone featured a new user interface derived from the Metro design la ...
. It was released for iOS on August 29, 2013, and for Android on September 13, 2013. The Windows Phone version was released on September 12, 2014. In October 2013, Re-Logic released version 1.2 for ''Terraria'' on Windows. The update added a host of new mechanics, gameplay changes, and graphics adjustments. After the 1.2 update was released the game returned to receiving continuous updates. The console and mobile versions received the update in 2014. ''Terraria'' released on
GOG.com GOG.com (formerly Good Old Games) is a digital distribution platform for video games and films. It is operated by GOG sp. z o.o., a wholly owned subsidiary of CD Projekt based in Warsaw, Poland. GOG.com delivers DRM-free video games through it ...
on October 2, 2014. A downloadable version of ''Terraria'' was released for
PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
on November 11, 2014, and
Xbox One The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
on November 14, 2014, with a retail release on December 2, 2014. In September 2014, Re-Logic announced that ''Terraria'' would be coming to
macOS macOS (; previously OS X and originally Mac OS X) is a Unix operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc. since 2001. It is the primary operating system for Apple's Mac computers. Within the market of desktop and lapt ...
and
Linux Linux ( or ) is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution, which ...
. They were both released on August 12, 2015. The Nintendo 3DS version was first released on the
Nintendo eShop The Nintendo eShop is a digital distribution service powered by the Nintendo Network for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, and by a dedicated online infrastructure for the Nintendo Switch. Launched in June 2011 on the Nintendo 3DS, the eShop was en ...
on December 10, 2015. A
Wii U The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4. The W ...
version was released on the eShop in June 2016. Version 1.3 was released on June 30, 2015, adding even more items, events, enemies, bosses, and gameplay features. The update was released for consoles on December 12, 2017, and was released for mobile on August 27, 2019. In July 2016,
505 Games 505 Games S.p.A. is an Italian video game publisher based in Milan. It was founded in 2006 as a subsidiary of Milan-based Digital Bros. History 505 Games was founded in 2006 in Milan as a subsidiary of Digital Bros. The company found its earl ...
announced that Engine Software and Codeglue would no longer be working on the console and mobile versions respectively and that a new studio, Pipeworks, would take over the development of those versions. A version for the
Nintendo Switch The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
, ported by 505 Games, was released on June 27, 2019. In December 2018, 505 Games announced that development of the 1.3 update for mobile would be taken over by
DR Studios DR Studios (formerly known as Deep Red Games) is a British video game developer based in Milton Keynes in the United Kingdom. DRS primarily develops strategy games, such as ''Monopoly Tycoon''. The company was formed in 1998 in video gaming, 19 ...
to help Pipeworks focus on the Switch port of the game. In August 2020, Re-Logic announced that development of the Console and Switch would be taken over by
DR Studios DR Studios (formerly known as Deep Red Games) is a British video game developer based in Milton Keynes in the United Kingdom. DRS primarily develops strategy games, such as ''Monopoly Tycoon''. The company was formed in 1998 in video gaming, 19 ...
. The fourth and final major update for the game, ''Journey's End'', was released on May 16, 2020, the ninth anniversary of the game's initial release. As with previous updates, it added new items, enemies, difficulty modes, and gameplay features. In February 2021, Spinks announced the cancellation of the
Stadia Stadia may refer to: * One of the plurals of stadium, along with "stadiums" * The plural of stadion, an ancient Greek unit of distance, which equals to 600 Greek feet (''podes''). * Stadia (Caria), a town of ancient Caria, now in Turkey * Stadi ...
port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
of ''Terraria'' due to the suspension of the Re-Logic/Spinks's
Google Google LLC () is an American multinational technology company focusing on search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and consumer electronics. ...
account without a given reason for over three weeks. He also announced that Re-Logic would not be working with Google again in the future stating, "I will not be involved with a corporation that values their customers and partners so little. Doing business with Google is a liability." He later clarified that existing Android and
Google Play Google Play, also known as the Google Play Store and formerly the Android Market, is a digital distribution service operated and developed by Google. It serves as the official app store for certified devices running on the Android (operating sys ...
versions of the game will not be affected. Later that February, Google reached out to Re-Logic about the account shutdown and provided transparency around the situation and restored their accounts, and subsequently, Re-Logic reaffirmed that they still planned to release the game for Stadia, which it did on March 18, 2021. A March 2021 update for the Steam version of the game added direct support for resource packs, worlds, and character sharing through the
Steam Workshop Steam is a video game digital distribution service and storefront by Valve. It was launched as a software client in September 2003 as a way for Valve to provide automatic updates for their games, and expanded to distributing and offering third ...
. tModLoader is still used to help provide and install user-created mods for the game. In November 2021, a crossover update added content from the survival game '' Don't Starve Together'', which received its own ''Terraria''-themed content in return. An update known as "Labor of Love" was released on September 28, 2022.


Cancelled sequels

In October 2013, Spinks announced that he was planning ''Terraria 2'', stating that it would be significantly different from the original game. ''Terraria: Otherworld'', announced in February 2015, was another game that was set be released later that year. ''Otherworld'' tasked the player with trying to purify the world of the Corruption, which was to be achieved mainly by finding and activating "purifying towers" that push back the spread of the Corruption. ''Otherworld'' would have included more strategy and role-playing elements, such as a
tower defense Tower defense (TD) is a subgenre of strategy games where the goal is to defend a player's territories or possessions by obstructing the enemy attackers or by stopping enemies from reaching the exits, usually achieved by placing defensive struc ...
gameplay element, skill trees, and a plot. In April 2017, Re-Logic announced that the previous partner on the project, Engine Software, would be dropped in favor of a new studio, Pipeworks, due to the game being behind schedule. A year later, Re-Logic announced that ''Otherworld'' had been cancelled due to them not being satisfied with its development.


Reception

''Terraria'' received generally favorable reviews from critics, according to
review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
. A review for ''
Destructoid ''Destructoid'' is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017, and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022. History ' ...
'' included praise for ''Terraria'' as "full of depth". Another reviewer praised ''Terraria'' integration of some of ''Minecraft'' concepts into two dimensions. ''
GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' praised ''Terraria'' exploration and feeling of accomplishment but criticized its lack of tutorial or explicit directions.
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
praised the game, claiming that ''Terraria'': "expands on the familiar sandbox gameplay with a greater emphasis on combat and adventure." ''Terraria'' received the #1 of 2011 Indie of the Year Player Choice on
IndieDB Mod DB is a website that focuses on general video game modding. It was founded in 2002 by Scott "INtense!" Reismanis. As of September 2015, the Mod DB site has received over 604 million views, has more than 12,500 modifications registered, and ...
. ''Terraria'' has been described as a ''
Minecraft ''Minecraft'' is a sandbox game developed by Mojang Studios. The game was created by Markus "Notch" Persson in the Java programming language. Following several early private testing versions, it was first made public in May 2009 before being ...
'' clone by various video gaming media outlets. ''Terraria'' sold 200,000 copies in just over a week after its release, and over 432,000 within a month. By May 2022, over 44.5 million copies of ''Terraria'' had been sold, making it one of the
best-selling video games of all time This is a list of video games that have sold the highest number of software units worldwide. The best-selling video game to date is ''Minecraft'', a sandbox game released by Mojang in May 2009 for a wide range of PC, mobile and console platfo ...
. The total is split between 23 million on PC, 12.4 million on mobile, and 9.1 million on console.


Notes


References


External links

*
Official wiki
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