Summary
In the minds of gamers the world over,Minecraftis one of the most influential and enduring games ever seen. Despite its age, it continues to hold fans in awe of its open-ended sandbox approach. From before its official release, fans watched as the game grew like magic. Since then, the magic has continued in the form of regular updates.
RELATED:Live-Service Games That Improved The Most Post-Launch
What’s astounding about Mojang annually (and sometimes bi-annually) adding to the game is that these releases would normally come in the form of paid DLC (or micro-transactions by today’s standards). However, the fact that the game gets renewed regularly continues to draw new players, draw older players back into the fold, and sell the base game (and, of course, merchandise) on its own.
10Trails & Tales
Released June 2023
Trails & Tales isn’t one of the more fundamental updates toMinecraft, but it certainly beautified the game. Cherry blossom biomes, bamboo-woven blocks, and fascinating fossils add an extra glistening layer of charm toMinecraft’s iconic aesthetic.
Players now get the chance topartake in a spot of archeology to unearth ancient artifacts and pretty relics. Not only that, but bookworm players had a way to store their precious books on a bookshelf thanks to the chiseled bookshelf.
9The World Of Color Update
Released June 2017
Although this update is often overlooked, it added a fresh coat of paint (or building blocks) to everyMinecraftplayer’s easel, making the prospect of starting a new build ever more tantalizing. Previous to this update, players were forced to use wool blocks to get the exact hue they were looking for.
Just adding new colors would have been great, but funky terracotta designs were bundled in as well. Fitting with the theme of colors, the pretty parrot mob was added, which can sit on a player’s shoulder after being befriended.
8The Combat Update
Released February 2016
It’s hard to believe that it took Mojang so long to overhaul to “click ‘em till they die” combat ofMinecraft, but it happened in the Combat Update. This update marked the sad departure of the “sword block salute,” but it did add offhand items, shields, the elytra, and of course those expansive alien islands in the End which can be reached after defeating the Ender Dragon.
RELATED:Open-World Games With Realistic Combat
Items, tools, and armor got a much-needed rebalance. Weapons came with recharges and enemy AI was improved, adding a tactical aspect to combat. Some ofthe best enchantments for swordsand other tools were added, including the still-overpowered “mending” enchantment.
7The Unnamed “Trading And Adventure” Update (1.3.1)
Released August 2012
Before this unnamed update, villagers weren’t up to much, besides having a “TESTIFICATE” nameplate hovering above their heads. With the ability to trade items for emeralds, Steve now had a reason to visit those odd, grumbling village folk. Additionally, temples (and treasure!) were added with this patch.
Aspiring writers now had books with quills to write in, which meant that messages, secret or otherwise, didn’t have to be writ large on signposts and cover walls like hieroglyphs. Adventure mode was fleshed out and super-helpful ender chests were added.
6The Redstone Update
Released March 2013
It’s hard to understate how important redstone is toMinecraftand its longevity in gaming culture. If an infinite world with infinite static building potential wasn’t enough, redstone added a primitive form of circuitry (or coding) to the game. As well as combat, exploratory, and artistic-minded players,Minecraftmade a space for logic-minded gamers as well.
The Redstone Update greatly expanded redstone’s capabilities, adding daylight sensors, hoppers, droppers, weighted pressure plates, trapped chests, and comparators. Thanks to this update, there are now thousands ofincredibly creative designs using redstone, pistons, and otherMinecraftcontraptionsto impress onlookers or automate away some of the most tedious barriers to building greatness.
5Caves & Cliffs: Part 2
Released November 2021
Copper, Axolotl, and glow squids from Part 1 were great and all, but Caves & Cliffs Part 2 shookMinecraft’s world generation up like never before. Mountains got snowtopped tips, looked grander and bolder, and caves became deeper, darker, and generally far more expansive.
Rivers and lakes were also reworked, and new bodies of water now spawn underground with the new C&C sprawling tunnels, large and small. Fans agree that Caves and Cliffs puts the “wow factor” back into scouting the overworld and the thrill of discovery back into deep delving.
4The Update That Changed The World
Released October 2013
Easily forgotten, this early update’s namesake does what it says on the can. Before, worlds would simply be an ever-sprawling mass of land with patches of ocean. After the update, islands and continents proper emerged, clearing the way forsome ofMinecraft’s most interesting environments, especially for survival players.
New trees and sand were added along with 11 biomes, as well as an overhaul to fishing. Besides some highly important terrain generation improvements, this update didn’t bring a big shiny feature, but it did change the world in a massively important way.
3Update Aquatic
Released July 2018
With this update,Minecraft’s oceans were reinvigorated: Dolphins, turtles, shipwrecks, kelp, and coral reefs beautified the deep. The update came afterMicrosoft’s eyebrow-raising purchase of Mojang, the studio behind the game, and made quite a splash. Although many fans worried that the multi-billion-dollar purchase would turn the game into cynical, micro-transaction sludge.
RELATED:Best Open-World Games For Underwater Exploration
However, the Aquatic Update proved that wrong and set the precedent for great updates in the future. The bigger budget allowed the team to massively expand on the seas, which were badly in need of an update, given how lifeless all pre-Aquatic Update worlds look.
2The Nether Update
Released June 2020
While the Nether had its uses before, many fans felt that it got stale after the first few visits. There was little reason to go there besides collecting quartz or netherrack or perhaps wandering the fortresses there. After the update, players had a few very compelling reasons to go there: more powerful tools, weapons, and armor.
Netherite added a much-needed prestigious resource that gave players a new goal. The beautiful new biomes added a dash of color tothe otherwise smoky red hellscapeand bartering with gold with zombie pigs and traversing lava pools was a nice touch. The ability to reset the spawn point without using a bed and to create custom compasses was a game changer.
1Village & Pillage
Released April 2019
Villagers might not be everyone’s favorite mob, but it’s pretty undeniable how important this update was. A huge list of all-new functional furniture items turned villagers into highly useful allies in their professions. The overworld was improved with the addition of new stones, slabs, and stairs.
As well as immersive and useful new items (including the campfire and scaffolding), Pillagers burst into the scene, bringing with them one ofMinecraft’s best ranged weapons, and giving players a reason to feel protective about the simple but kind emerald-loving folk.
