For me, Minecraft was amazing. I started on real logic with its redstone logic system. I started getting familiar with server management & Linux while trying to create a multiplayer server. I wrote my first code by writing plugins in have and interfacing with existing plugins. I learned how to solve problems by combining different components that other people made. It was truly amazing.

I don't know if it is still that great. I think the technical community is definitely smaller now, and the game itself is more of a game than it was back then. However, I still think it is really cool, and definitely different from all of the shooter games.