GAME ESSENTIALS
Minecraft
Minecraft: Play with Friends
Build, Craft, Explore & Battle
Using little more than a pile of basic building blocks, Minecraft explodes into countless rich worlds to explore and a bottomless creative toy box to play with. Part digital construction set, part epic adventure game, the (literally) groundbreaking app has captured the imagination of millions for good reason. Grab your diamond pickaxe and prepare to get stuck in!
Why it’s popular
Combining the infinite creativity of construction toys with gripping survival elements and online multiplayer, Minecraft can be shaped into the type of gaming experience you enjoy most, whether cozy or challenging. Focus purely on building astounding structures using unlimited resources in the combat-free Creative mode or venture into monster-filled dungeons and take on mighty bosses in Survival mode. Player-made maps span everything from real-life wonders such as the Taj Mahal to the entirety of Game of Thrones’ Westeros.
However you choose to play, Minecraft’s endless possibilities for making your own fun, and rich vein of custom content added by its creators and imaginative fans, have made it a modern gaming classic. Gameplay can be basic or as complex as you like, playing alone or with friends. Like the versatile blocks that make up its world, part of Minecraft’s joy is discovering new ways to make the game your own.
Getting started
In order to get mining, you’ll need a pickaxe! To make one, tap and hold the nearest tree to collect wood. Once you have enough, open your recipe book (tap the three dots next to your item bar) and turn your raw lumber into oak planks. You’ll then be able to build a Crafting Table and some sticks. Tap your finished table to find your newly expanded equipment options, which include a pickaxe, wooden sword, shovel and hoe.
These tools will help you gather resources and fend off enemy mobs, including the nasty monsters that come out at night. As you collect other materials and craft more items, you’ll be able to upgrade your gear and become more efficient. It won’t be long before you’re creating powerful machines out of valuable redstone, brewing potions and casting magical spells!
Did you know?
Created by Swedish developer Mojang Studios, Minecraft has sold hundreds of millions of copies since it was released in 2011, making it one of the bestselling videogames of all time.
Mojang, which has been owned by Microsoft since 2014, has gone on to create multiple Minecraft spin-offs – including Minecraft Education, designed for use in schools – and run an annual event celebrating the game, Minecraft Live. A Minecraft Movie, starring Jack Black, Jason Momoa and Jennifer Coolidge, is due to hit cinemas in 2025.