Happy birthday to Minecraft's Creepers!

Minecraft first introduced Creepers five years ago today, which means they're now old enough to off to school.

Minecraft's Creepers began as a failed attempt to make a pig, with the higher and length values mixed up - that's why they've got all those little legs.

Creator Markus "Notch" Persson liked the resulting model so much he worked it up into the now famous exploding mob. Creepers have become one of the most recognisable aspects of Minecraft. The little hiss they make as they approach is one of the most feared sound effects in gaming.

Creepers were first released into Minecraft on September 1, 2009, according to Notch's Tumblr. The world has never been the same.

Here's the very first video of Creepers in action. You can see they've changed a little over the years; killing them now means you avoid the explosion that results if you let them get too close. Doing so is quite lucrative, as they'll drop gunpowder - or even music discs, if you can manipulate a skeleton into killing one.

Here are some more fascinating Creeper facts:

• Creepers are scared of cats and ocelots.
• Creepers can become charged by lightning, which makes their explode more dramatically.
• Notch has said Creepers are crunchy, like dry leaves, rather than slimy. Think ivy, or other creeping plants.
• Creepers spawn when ambient light is dimmer than level seven.
• Creepers chase players within a 16 block radius of themselves, so build your defences accordingly.
• You can make an unwary Creeper explode with a flint and steel. Put all your precious things in a chest first.