Now Computing's Gameband might be the first must-own Minecraft-centric gadget to hit the market. Provided, of course, that you're one of those folks who just can't get enough of Mojang's smash hit sandbox game.
At first glance, it would be easy to dismiss a wearable Minecraft software suite as nothing more than a gimmick; a one-off gadget designed with the sole purpose of cashing in on the Minecraft craze before the cottage industry surrounding the game collapses. But such an assumption couldn't be farther from the truth, especially if you regularly want/need to play Minecraft on different computers.
Though it may not be obvious at first glance, Now Computing has created a product that should appeal to a shocking number of demographics: from Minecraft modders to parents looking to regulate their kids time in-game. That's because Gameband isn't just a mobile Minecraft installation. The wearable USB drive also features an automatic backup tool, that backs up your progress after every game session, and pushes a copy of your Minecraft worlds to Gameband's cloud servers, too.
The Gameband will even import the worlds you've already created, going as far as offering to complete the process during initial device configuration. As someone who bounces back and forth between multiple profiles, on a single computer, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the Gameband found all of the Minecraft worlds I'd created, regardless of which Windows profile they'd been created with.
Those who play heavily-modified versions of Minecraft will need to complete a few extra steps, outlined on the device's website, but it's still nice to see that Gameband doesn't expect players to begin from scratch in order to make use of Gameband's backup services.
Once the game's launcher is open, you are getting the entire Minecraft experience. You can play offline, online, via Minecraft Realms and even using your favorite Minecraft mods. Now Computing has also pre-loaded the Gameband with worlds designed by popular Minecraft personalities like SethBling. I'm also pleased to report that running the game off of a USB stick doesn't seem to have any significant impact on Minecraft's performance. And I'm playing the game on a roughly $400 PC that I built back in 2012.
As I mentioned before, Minecraft mods are as popular as ever and I'm pleased to report the Gameband does support a wide variety of existing add-ons. There doesn't appear to be a central list anywhere, not even in the Gameband Knowledge Base. But it seems as though any Minecraft mod that can run without accessing files outside of the Minecraft folder structure should be compatible with the Gameband. You can also pre-load the game with custom maps, like WesterosCraft or Assassin's Creep.
All game-related functionality aside, younger Minecraft fans will also enjoy the programmable LED display embedded into the Gameband. By default, the current time, a redstone animation and the current date cycle through the display. But fans can also program their own loops and/or download animated creations from other Gameband users. The Minecraft-related software is obviously the real draw, but the screen provides some extra functionality to help justify the Gameband's $79.99 price tag.
Of course, there's pretty much always room for improvement when discussing gadgets. The Gameband is no exception to this rule. For starters, it would've been nice to see Now Computing include a Minecraft license with the purchase of a Gameband. Even if the company couldn't reach a deal with Mojang, to include a key in the box, I find it hard to imagine Now Computing couldn't secure enough keys on the open market to offer one with purchase.
Needing to make special preparations for modified Minecraft worlds, which are effectively the norm in 2015, is also disappointing for an eighty dollar, single-title companion device. That said, the Gameband team does deserve some credit for publishing detailed installation guides for world-famous Minecraft mods like Feed The Beast and Technic.
All things considered, the Gameband will only appeal to one specific audience, those who play Minecraft exclusively , and even then its particular collection of features won't appeal to everyone. Fortunately, for Now Computing, that community includes millions of people. Many of whom still play Minecraft on more than one desktop and/or laptop computer. So,
Like many modern gadgets, which target increasingly specific demographics, the level of value you'll see in the Gameband is going to depend on your lifestyle.
If plug-and-play Minecraft management software sounds appealing, or you can immediately think of another major benefit of having a mobile Minecraft installation, there's a good chance you'll find plenty of value in Gameband. The same goes for any Minecraft user, unwilling to pay for other software, who could benefit from automated backups. But if you're a single-machine gamer, whose isn't regularly forced to move between more than one computer, a Gameband isn't likely to be a worthwhile purchase.
Full Disclosure: The Gameband we tested was provided by a Now Computing representative; however, the company did not receive any editorial priveleges.
Be sure to check back with iDigitalTimes.com and follow Scott on Twitter for additional Minecraft coverage throughout the rest of 2015 and for however long Mojang and its third-party partners continue to produce new Minecraft content (and gadgetry) in the years ahead.
Do you (or someone you know) already own a Gameband? Wish more companies would release these sorts of gaming tie-ins? Want to share a custom animation that you created for the Gameband?
Let us know in the comments section!
