How to escape from a Minecraft hole

There’s more to Minecraft than building massive structures and fighting Creepers. Digging holes is a huge part of the appeal of this legendary sandbox game.

The downside? Getting trapped in a player-sized pit – or a deep, dangerous crevasse.

Don’t panic! It happens to the best of us. Here are two ways to rescue yourself.

Minecraft plays fast and loose with the laws of physics. (How else could you carry tons of stone and wood in your pockets?) A technique called “pillaring” – where you jump and quickly place a block under your feet to gain height – takes advantage of this.

Simply equip a block (dirt or cobblestone will do), look straight down, then tap the jump button and the centre of the screen in quick succession. Repeat until you’ve raised yourself to the top of the pit. Ah, fresh air!

Bonus tip: to avoid falling off your tower-in-progress, double-tap the sneak button in the centre of the directional pad before you start pillaring. Crouching will prevent you from taking a tumble.

If you’re playing Minecraft’s freewheeling Creative mode, you’ve got a built-in superpower: the ability to fly! Just double-tap the jump button. It’s great for escaping the game’s deepest chasms.

The arrows above and below the jump button let you ascend and descend. To let gravity take hold again, double-tap the jump button a second time.

Minecraft

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