Even a decade after its release, Minecraft remains a cultural icon. But what's the secret to its enduring popularity?
You'll get many answers to this, but player freedom is the most common. Unlike other sandbox games, Minecraft has tons of systems to discover. And as if that's not enough, Mojang is always adding new mechanics.
The downside of all this freedom is that Minecraft can be a bit overwhelming for new players. Do you belong to this group? If so, here are nine Minecraft tips to help you get the most out of this awesome game!
As the name implies, mining is a huge component of Minecraft. You'll need to mine for anything valuable, including diamonds. That said, grabbing your axe and carving random holes isn't the best way to go about it.
First things first: never mine straight down. Yes, you're more likely to find rare materials on deeper levels, but you never know when you could fall into the lava. Always dig in a spiral or diagonally if you want to go deeper.
Once you reach the preferred depth, use a branching system to organize yourself. For example, mine in a straight line from the center, then go back and start again from another point two blocks away.
When it comes to breathing underwater, Minecraft has clear rules. After you spend 15 seconds underwater, you start taking damage every second. Still, there are ways around it, as long as you have the right blocks.
See, any block that has "air" around it can be a temporary air source. That includes fences, torches, ladders—anything that doesn't take an entire cube. If you have one of these objects, simply place it on a flat surface.
Minecraft wouldn't be one of the most popular video games without a robust crafting system. Interestingly, this wasn't always the case. Back in the day, any crafting relied on experimentation and word of mouth.
These days, all you need is your trusty recipe book. It contains information on how to craft any item with the ingredients you've seen so far. Use it often to get an idea of what you should be crafting at your stage of the game.
When you arrive in a new world, your priority should be to build a home. Odds are, you won't do that at the exact spot you appeared in. On most Minecraft servers, that position will be your default spawn point.
How do you get around this issue? Simple: once you decide where your base is, use three planks and three wool to build a bed. Ensure that the bed is in a safe place, then select it as your new spawn point.
Are you having trouble with zombies breaking down your door at night? If so, one piece of Minecraft technology that'll help is to build the door one block higher. That way, zombies won't be able to reach it—but you will!
Another trick you can use is to put down a fence instead of a door. Zombies in Minecraft aren't programmed to break down fences, so they'll leave your home alone. Plus, the space above the fence will help you fight them.
Don't want zombies coming that close to your property? Build a cobblestone wall around the house and place some torches on it. Make sure it's at least three blocks high with another block overhang.
Lava is usually bad news in Minecraft, but it can also be a blessing. The next time you see a pool of lava, use a bucket to scoop some up. Now you have one of the most potent fuel sources in the game in your pocket!
Not convinced that a few buckets of lava are worth the risk of dying? Let's put it this way: one blaze rod will fuel a furnace for two minutes. A single bucket of lava will last you about eight times longer.
While playing Minecraft, few things will seem as scary as Endermen. These gangly creatures are peaceful—until you make eye contact. At that point, they turn into a shrieky mob that will chase you until the ends of the Earth.
One solution is to keep your eyes on the ground as you walk past them. Unfortunately, this leaves you open to other dangers. Instead, equip a pumpkin head, and the game won't register eye contact!
What if you've already caught an Enderman's gaze? In this situation, your best bet is to find a water source and jump in. Endermen can't swim, but they have a two-block grabbing range, so don't get too close.
Even on Hard difficulty, mobs won't spawn in Mushroom Fields. That makes this biome perfect for players who are struggling to gather stuff. Mushroom Fields are also great for players who want to focus on crafting for a bit.
Beyond guaranteed safety, a mob-free biome can be useful in other ways. Let's say you want to build a self-sustaining farm. If you do it in Mushroom Fields, there's no risk of zombies or creepers undoing your hard work.
Speaking of farms, don't you think plants and trees take too long to grow? Well, one way to make this process faster is to use bone meal as a fertilizer. You can get said bone meal from harvesting a skeleton's bones.
When you apply bone meal to a plant, you'll instantly speed up its growth period. In some cases, the plant will reach full maturity within seconds! Bone meal works on almost every plant or tree block in the game.
Needless to say, Minecraft contains many more tricks for you to discover. That said, the above list is a great start. Other than upping your game, these Minecraft tips will help you find a fun, stress-free experience.
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