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Now you can learn code while playing Minecraft

C+ for effort.

Minecraft maker Mojang has launched an online tutorial to help teach kids how to code.

It's like a next-gen version of Logo, if you remember that.

The project, a collaboration between Mojang and Code.org, sees the player combining code snippets to accomplish tasks in a cut-down version of Minecraft.

It's a smart idea and well laid out, so that after a series of exercises you are quickly incorporating code loops and other trickery.

By snapping together code you can command Minecraft protagonists Steve or Alex to move, harvest, plant crops, and eventually build houses or navigate a maze of explosive Creepers.

After you're done you can then see the code version of the system you have created, showing how your work in the game's colourful interface translates in programming language.

The project is meant to last an hour - making it perfect for classrooms.

I tried it myself and, as a barely-functioning adult with no experience of code, even I found it easy to use.

You can try it now for yourself at code.org/mc.

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