Minecraft has been one of the most widely downloaded and played apps of the last couple of years, with the franchise itself spawning various toys, books and there’s even a movie in the works. With Microsoft including the latest version of Minecraft for free on Windows 10, the mobile app, Minecraft PE (Pocket Edition) received a huge number of improvements in the 0.12.1 (currently on 0.12.2 which is mostly just bug fixes) update to allow the game to be played cross-platform – meaning you can quit the game on your PC at home and carry on playing on your mobile or tablet without missing a beat.
There are various new updates which improve the pocket edition experience for players, bringing the game more in line with the desktop and console version. These include:
New Inventory – The app edition will feature the same inventory users have gotten used to in the desktop version, which will make crafting a little more challenging than it has been in the past!
Customise Your Interface – You’ll be able to change the layout of your Minecraft interface to help suit your style of play better, moving around the main onscreen items like buttons and the experience bar.
The Nether – This new dimension has now been added to the pocket edition of the game, allowing you to do battle with new enemies and obtain some cool new materials.
Weather – The addition of changing weather will bring the game more in line with the console and PC experience, with rain falling during play and snow piling up on the landscape
Hunger Bar – In this new edition you’ll need to eat to survive, with the hunger bar monitoring your food intake and draining your health if you don’t eat something quickly!
Potions – Another feature from the desktop edition that’s coming to mobile, you’ll be able to mix up various potions to give you temporary abilities and regenerate your health
Music – at last, music has been added to the pocket edition of Minecraft! The music in the desktop edition helps set the mood perfectly, so it’s a more than welcome addition to the game
New Mobs – Alongside the new enemies being added to the Nether dimension, a number of new mobs will be included in the update. These include Ocelots which will spawn in jungle biomes, and Iron Golems who will help protect the villagers. Another cool addition is that villagers can now turn into zombies – as if we needed something else to give us a scare in the game!
New Blocks and Items – A number of new blocks will be added to the game, including anvils, brewing stands and enchantment tables. There’s also a whole range of new items being added to help add a little more depth to the game (as if it needed it!)
Overall it’s an exciting update, and the option of continuing with your game when you’re commuting to work or over at a friend’s house means there’s even more reason to get lost in your own world.
You can get the latest Minecraft versions on the official Minecraft website.