Terraria is a deceptively hard sandbox game, and a few general rules can keep players from dying too often in their generated world. Terraria is the kind of game that can keep a player invested for hours while they explore deeper and deeper below the surface. However, the game still has an overarching plot, or at the very least a goal for the player to work towards. Despite its colorful sprites, the road through the game is an impressive challenge to undertake. Terraria players need every advantage they can get, so they need to play strategically.

When it comes to games about building an island, Terraria gives players a lot of creative freedom. They can build massive tunnel systems and create homes for NPCs, changing the world to their liking. However, beneath the fun creative options lies a serious challenge. The world of Terraria is full of bizarre boss fights, as well as corrupted lands that spawn more strange monsters as their territory gradually grows. Even before these elements come into play, some of the game's base monsters can give players a run for their money in a fight. This is doubly true with how weak the player's starting equipment likely is.

RELATED: Games to Play If You Like Stardew Valley

Take Shelter During Terraria's Dangerous Nights

Even before players encounter any of the main bosses in Terraria, they will quickly learn that nighttime is the most dangerous time of day, despite the relaxing music. Not only is there little light aside from torches, but zombies and flying eyeballs will be roaming in great numbers. Until the player has amassed plenty of late-game equipment, their best move is to seek shelter around sundown. Zombies can't open doors, so any home the player has built should be safe. However, zombies can open doors during blood moons, so players should also consider hiding out in cleared-out underground areas that can function as bunkers in a pinch.

Never Enter Terraria's Caves Unprepared

Players will spend a lot of time in underground areas like the dangerous Dungeon of Terraria, and they must always be sure to go into every expedition fully-equipped. The best armor and weapons available are obvious, but a few items are also necessary. Coils of rope are a must, since they allow players to form makeshift ladders to climb back up after descending. Torches are also necessary, since players need to bring their own light sources underground in order to see. Finally, recall potions can warp the player straight back to town if they need to. No cave in Terraria should be too much for a prepared explorer.

Make Boss Arenas to Challenge the Bosses of Terraria

Players will eventually need to get around to fighting the bosses, and Terraria's Eye of Cthulhu is likely to be the first on the list. To aid in this, players can build boss arenas to hold their fights in order to make them more manageable. Arenas often include several layers of thin wooden platforms, allowing improved mobility and chances to dodge. Regularly placed campfires, star statues, and similar items will also help regenerate health and mana respectively. Although an arena won't necessarily make a boss fight easy, they can keep the player alive long enough to win, making them worth the effort to build.

Terraria is a game full of danger, and players will have to survive many trials in order to reach Terraria's final boss, the Moon Lord. The time between starting the game and the final boss is highly malleable, and the player could spend it purely adventuring, or terraforming the island to their will. That's part of the beauty of Terraria, as it gives the playera tremendous amount of freedom. However, no matter what pace the player makes their way through the story, there are a few tricks and pieces of common sense that will rarely let them down in Terraria.

Terraria is available now on Android, iOS, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: Best Games With Infinite Replayability