Even though it was released all the way back in 2011, Minecraft is still one of the most popular, best-selling video games of all time. In fact, as of 2020 it has 126 million monthly active users! But for those who haven’t heard the buzz, we’re here to give you a quick lowdown.
How Minecraft works
Minecraft isn’t about crazy graphics or hectic gameplay. It’s about letting your imagination and creativity run wild – which is why Minecraft is so popular. In its blocky world, you discover, gather and craft resources which you then use to build… well, whatever you like really! And there are different modes too – you can focus on staying alive in survival mode – keeping your character fed, watered and sheltered. Or you could fight ‘mobs’, adventure or even hang out with your friends on a multiplayer server.
But for now, we’re focusing on creative mode. There are virtually limitless building options in Minecraft, making it every creator’s dream. If you’ve got the ideas, the patience, the knowhow and maybe some Minecraft mods you can build it! And thanks to Minecraft’s friendly and committed community there’s no shortage of advice and tutorials on how to get started.
How can Minecraft help you learn?
Using Minecraft to help kids brush up on their schoolwork’s nothing new. Back in 2016 Microsoft actually released Minecraft: Education Edition to give teachers a new way to make their subjects come to life. Exploring places, the natural world and historic buildings in 3D can be way more interesting than just reading about them. And working together on creative Minecraft projects gets kids collaborating and teambuilding.
But adults and kids alike can get those benefits from the base game too. Plenty of creators have built maps and servers that can inspire, teach and are a lot of fun to play!
4 incredible, educational Minecraft creations
There are so many absolutely mind-boggling builds out there it was almost impossible to pick just four! But here are some of our favourite massive Minecraft constructions.
The Imperial Summer Palace and Gardens
This incredible palace created by xv12commander is stunning. Fountains, manicured lawns, hundreds of carefully designed rooms and halls, all of it furnished. It’s based on some of Europe’s most famous royal homes, like France’s Versailles, Russia’s Hermitage and Austria’s Schönbrunn Palace. And if you want to download the map to properly explore it yourself, you can! It’s a great way to give kids (and adults) a little peek into history.
The Titanic
What’s better than watching the film? Walking through (almost) the real thing. This group effort from Minecraft World France took 7 months to create with a total of about 120,000 hand-laid blocks. And you can believe it by looking at it. It’s massive and incredibly detailed. Plus, it gets bonus points for being informative too – commemorating and teaching about the 1912 disaster.
Minas Tirith
Fan of Lord of the Rings? Then this replica of Minas Tirith from the books and films is right up your street. But if you think that’s impressive then get this – this creation is actually just one part of a massive project to build the entirety of Middle Earth on one of the Minecraft servers. Minecraft Middle Earth have been working on it for over ten years now and the results are awe-inspiring.
And it’s another example of why Minecraft is educational too. If you or a little one is reading Lord of the Rings for the first time, checking out a map like this is a great way to experience Tolkien’s world… and make reading more engaging!
Earth
Yes, you read that right. The actual Earth. The whole entire planet. Made of over 500 million blocks, this map lets you explore all the countries on this planet… minus the buildings of course. Brilliant if you want realistic (well, as realistic as Minecraft can get) gameplay roaming the map in survival mode. Or if you want to brush up on your geography and explore everything our incredible planet has to offer!
Feeling inspired? There are so many ways to be creative in Minecraft, whether you're on a desktop PC or a portable console. With Nintendo Switch, you can play Minecraft anywhere, anytime.
