What you need to know

• Minecraft is an incredibly popular building game.
• It keeps on getting new features to allow for easier building.
• Today, the game’s beta got foxes and a “Structure Block” to clone buildings.
• Minecraft is part of Xbox Game Pass.

Minecraft has been getting few features for many years now, and that’s one of the main reasons why it’s played by over 90 million players each month. While a lot of gamers prefer to experience “Survival Mode,” many others like the freedom “Creative Mode” offers. Unfortunately, copying massive structures isn’t easy and you have to use third-party file editing tools to quickly clone buildings. Luckily, that’s about to change.

Today, the developer Mojang, now under the banner of Xbox Game Studios, announced the availability of the “Structure Block” in the Minecraft: Bedrock Beta. According to a post on the game’s website, “Structure blocks are a really handy editing tool… they’re an incredibly helpful way of copying and pasting builds all over your Minecraft world. To use them in this beta, make sure you toggle the Use Experimental Gameplay option in the settings.”

You can customize how many blocks you want your Structure Block to cover, and depending on those dimensions, everything will be saved. You can then easily copy and paste the building anywhere. You can even clone any number of times. For example, let’s say that you want to create a row of houses in a city you’re building. Now, you can just make one and then copy and paste the rest! This is incredibly useful and has been a much-requested feature for years now.

Aside from the Structure Block, you should also see a new creature roaming the world. It appears to be a fox and looks absolutely adorable from what we’ve played so far. Minecraft is part of Xbox Game Pass so you can play it right now.

Researchers at Iowa State University have unlocked the secret to creativity, and that secret is Minecraft. Kind of. The researchers got two groups to play Minecraft, another to play “a NASCAR racing game”, and another to watch TV. Then they all drew aliens and had their creativity judged based on how far their drawings strayed from boring human anatomy.

The group that played Minecraft without further instruction were judged to be the most creative – but the group that played Minecraft while being told to “be as creative as possible” were the least. What’s going on there, then? ‘Not sure’, say the researchers.

Here’s co-researcher and psychology professor Douglas Gentile, telling you about the thing he understands more than me.

The most interesting part has to be how urging people to be creative wound up restraining them. Rather than give one explanation, Gentile suggests a couple:

“Maybe creativity’s like a muscle, and they tried really hard in the game and then it was worn out by the time they got to the alien drawing task. Maybe they didn’t like being told how to play, and so were kind of subtly rejecting our instruction. We don’t really know, and followup studies will have to look at this. But it does look very similar to much of the other game research, that what you practice you can get better at, but in fact how you do it might matter just as much.”

So, no firm conclusions – but a promising avenue for further research. His ‘exhaustion’ theory does remind me of those case studies that suggest willpower functions like a resource, with judges being more likely to reject parole applications the closer they get to lunch. Then again, the idea that being told to be creative winds up restricting your thinking has an appeal of its own.

I’m also interested in exactly how they assessed creativity. That alien drawing task is a smart way of going about measuring a process that seems absurdly hard to assess scientifically, but it has its limits. You could draw a single straight line and presumably score maximum points for creativity, which (delightfully) seems both wrong and very accurate.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 makes me feel like a creative genius. It accomplishes this bold feat through use of brilliant game design. In summary, no, it is not a “Minecraft Clone.” I use plenty of fancy words to elaborate on that in this video.

Somehow I arrived at adulthood without ever learning to enjoy creativity. Every time my life requires me to be creative, I make a face like Judge Dreddand complain throughout the exercise.

Well, 2016’s Dragon Quest Builders made creativity fun. By meticulously laying out learning tasks as goals along the winding road of an adorably paced epic adventure set in a deep cut of the Dragon Quest universe, the game lent me the joy of being effortlessly creative.

As I note in my video, an ungodly percentage of comments on Dragon Quest Builders 2‘s trailer accuse the game of being a “Minecraft Clone.” This is like calling Breath of the Wild an “Adventure Clone.”

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a full-length Dragon Quest game, which just so happens to supplement its cutscenes, exploration, and combat elements with cutely robust city planning mechanics. And, yes, perfectly fleshed-out, endlessly rich Minecraft building.

I see Minecraft as pretty much productivity software for nurturing children’s creativity. I wish we’d had it when I was in elementary school. All we’d had in my house was a bucket of off-brand Legos. We only had one of the flat green pieces, and it was frustratingly small. The biggest structure I could ever build was a port-a-potty.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is bigger, longer, deeper, and magnitudes more narratively exciting than the first. It has online co-op building. Its controls are spectacularly riddled with gargantuan quality of life improvements. For example: your townspeople can build for you, if you lay out the blueprints and dump the materials in a nearby chest. It’s hilariously satisfying to watch them build.

If you played the first Dragon Quest Builders and loved it, yet the previous paragraph enthralls you, I personally cannot conceive of the possibility of this game disappointing you.

Dragon Quest Builders 2‘s in-game social aspects allow me to view thousands of other players’ creations—and effortlessly travel to and tour their islands, if I want. It fascinates me to see how creative other players can get. I realize I’ll probably never build a shockingly complex cathedral in Dragon Quest Builders 2. Though given that what initially hooked me about playing a “Minecraft Reskin” was its Dragon Quest wallpaper, I find it fittingly satisfying that my village, viewed from the top down, looks perfectly like part of an 8-bit Dragon Questmap.

The Dragon Quest Builders series has taught me that all I really need from a game is Dragon Quest towns. Dragon Quest Builders lets me make my own towns. It’s unlimited Dragon Quest towns. This is enough to convince me that I probably don’t need another video game for at least a couple of weeks.

I go into specific detail about a few of the game’s systems in my video, so if that sort of thing excites you, you could slam your Builder’s Hammer down on the thumbs-up icon on our YouTube channel.

By the way! You could subscribe to our YouTube channel, if you like videos like this.

There’s even a playlist of all my other videos. Wow!

Here’s how the first half hour or so of my experience with Harry Potter: Wizards Unite went. I opened the game, went through some basic tutorial stuff and walked around for the course of four levels or so.

“Well,” I thought to myself. “Maybe Minecraft Earth will make this work.”

Minecraft Earth is Microsoft and Mojang’s upcoming walking game, and itwill be the second ultra high-profile game to try and recapture the magic that made Pokemon GO one of the most profitable mobile games in history. Sure, there have been plenty of other titles in the meantime with varying degrees of success from franchises like Ghostbusters, Jurassic Park and The Walking Dead. But there’s big and then there’s big, and these games are big. Harry Potter was big based on the scope of the franchise and the fact that it was coming from the same developer as Pokemon GO. Minecraft Earth is big because, you know, Minecraft.

Minecraft Earth CREDIT: MICROSOFT

We recently got to see some gameplay from this thing, and it looks cool. It looks similar to those other games on some level, but it also looks like it’s on a much better track to translate this property than what Wizards Unite did with what it had to work with: it helps that Mojang understands what makes this thing tick down at its bones.

Things kick off with a closed beta coming up “in the next two weeks”, according to a recent announcement. It will start on iOs and move to Android “soon” afterwards. From the website:

• The closed beta will launch for iOS in the next two weeks, with the Android version following soon thereafter.
• As with most closed betas, the number of participants will be limited in numbers and locations. This is to make sure our servers are able to keep up with all the exploration, creation and, hopefully, surviving that is going on around the world. To learn about the current availability of the beta, ​follow Minecraft Earth on Twitter​!
• As is also common with beta versions, your progress will occasionally be reset as we test and develop various features of the game.
• If you are selected to participate in the closed beta (congratulations!), you will receive an invitation email to the email address you have associated with the Microsoft Account or Xbox Live account you submitted in your registration.
• If you are selected (congrats again!), you will need to play at least once every 7 days. If you don’t, we’ll give your spot to someone else, as space in the beta is very limited.
• You have to be 18 years or older to participate.

Sponges in Minecraft are pretty darn absorbent—a single sponge block can suck up a total of 65 blocks of water before it becomes completely filled and needs to be dried out in a furnace.

But is 65 blocks really enough? Minecraft is full of swamps and lakes and inlets and oceans and sometimes all that pesky water gets in the way of what you’re trying to do, whether it be a construction project or the investigation of an underwater monument.

A modder named Quanted on Reddit wasn’t happy with the absorbency of Minecraft’s vanilla sponges, so they created their own modded sponge. And boy can it sop up water. A lot of water. All the water?

When placed in water, the modded sponge spreads in six directions, replacing water blocks with empty air (and leaving a lot of confused squids flopping around). The intention is for the sponge to expire after 150 blocks, but as Quanted demonstrates, the mod code can be tweaked for the sponge to simply keep absorbing water forever. You might need some of that water to put out the flames on your GPU, from the looks of it.

Quanted hasn’t released the mod yet, saying “this was just a proof of concept, but since a lot of people appreciate it I will publish this mod. This week I’m very busy, but then I will do my best to finish the mod and share it to the world.” That was a couple weeks ago and I haven’t seen another post with the mod arrive yet, but hopefully it will be available soon.

Luckily, there’s also a data pack version of a super sponge that seems to work in a similar fashion, made by another clever creator on Reddit called Plagiatus, inspired by Quanted’s mod above. You can grab the data pack on github, where you’ll also find installation instructions.

Spider-Man: Far From Home, which is now showing in US theaters, did pretty well on its opening day of Tuesday. So well, in fact, that its first-day haul of $39.2 puts this final installment in Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe well on track to reaching the estimated $125 million the movie about your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is expected to take in over the course of its first six days in theaters.

Some estimates are even predicting a $150 million total haul for that initial six-day run, well above the Tom Holland-led Spider-Man: Homecoming, his first standalone film as the titular web-slinger.

In this 23rd Marvel film, we get a look at the post-Avengers: Endgame world in addition to getting to enjoy another Peter Paker-saves-the-world story, this time from script co-writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers. Recurring actors like Samuel L. Jackson and Colbie Smulders are back, with the addition of Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio, for the film which has already knocked it out of the park globally. Far From Home debuted in Asia last week and has collected $150 million already from China, Japan, and Hong Kong.

Among the more interesting new details that are revealed in Far From Home? How about a new name for Thanos’ genocidal finger snap from Endgame, for a start.

For a minute there, Marvel was letting it be known post-Infinity War that the moment in which half of humanity was wiped out would be referred to as “The Decimation.” This is a Spider-Man movie we’re talking about, though, and he’s such a happy-go-lucky hero (with these movies also having a bit of a sunnier tone) that maybe it makes sense the new movie is now taking to calling the finger snap moment … drumroll … “The Blip.” Kind of a silly name, but if you put that aside we do get an entertaining and great first look at the world kind of putting the pieces back together in the wake of the events of Endgame. Its box office success will surely be no blip, either, and there are also some pretty big end credits scenes you should stick around for.

Check back here for updates. Movie studios love playing a guessing game when it comes to what they are going to reveal when at San Diego Comic-Con. The bad news is that Sony, Warner Bros. and Universal have decided to sit this year out which means no news or reveals about Venom, the Spider-Verse, Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey and other projects fanboys and fangirls have been craving. On the other hand, Marvel Studios is supposedly returning after taking last year off. Joining the MCU for cinematic fare at this year’s wildly celebrated geeky confab are Paramount and New Line — so far.

As per usual, Marvel has been keeping their lips sealed when it comes to what they are bringing to its speculative presence in Hall H. However, there is plenty of buzz as to what they will present considering Phase 3 of their MCU has come to a close with Spider-Man: Far From Home. With Phase 4 on the horizon, the MCU has projects floating around such as Black Widow, The Eternals, and Shang Chi as well as Doctor Strange 2, Black Panther 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — but until the news comes from Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige, nothing is 100 percent solidified.  Perhaps their Comic-Con presence will confirm speculations or put them to rest. At the same time, we can expect plenty of surprises that will make the crowd go wild.

Speaking of the MCU, Avengers: Endgame directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo are set to take the Hall H stage to talk about the massive superhero cinematic team up event and what’s in store at their indie studio AGBO. No word yet on whether an Avengers reunion will happen — but we are keeping out fingers crossed.

New Line is not clowning around this year when it comes to returning to Comic-Con with their ScareDiego event on July 17. This year, they are bringing the wildly creepy and terrifying It: Chapter Two with director Andy Muschietti and members of The Loser’s Club.

Hall H will be filled with revivals and reboots. Paramount will bring us back to the post-apocalyptic world of Skynet with Sarah Connor and her cybernetic frenemy T-800 with a presentation for Terminator: Dark Fate while Top Gun: Maverick is set to enter the danger zone and bring us footage from the revival of the Tom Cruise aviation classic.

Saban Films’ Jay and Silent Bob Reboot will say “snoochie boochies” to Hall H with filmmaker/Comic-Con staple Kevin Smith and his counterpart Jason Mewes. Both will be reprising the titular roles in the cult franchise.

Deadline will be on the ground in San Diego for the confab. Attending Comic-Con will be Editorial Director Anthony D’Alessandro, Hero Nation columnist Geoff Boucher, Senior Editor Dominic Patten and myself. We will all be breaking all the news inside and outside the Convention Center.

Read the film schedule for Comic-Con below.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17

ScareDiego: It: Chapter Two
8:30 PM, Horton Grand Theatre
It: Chapter Two director Andy Muschietti and The Loser’s Club cast from the New Line horror sequel will talk about the film and present footage.

THURSDAY, JULY 18

Terminator: Dark Fate
11 AM, Hall H
Paramount Pictures brings a Terminator: Dark Fate panel discussion and footage presentation with talent and filmmakers.

FRIDAY, JULY 19

The Russo Brothers, AGBO Studios
11 AM, Hall H
Anthony and Joe Russo will reflect on Avengers: Endgame and tell fans what’s in store at their indie studio AGBO, which finances filmed projects in any medium while keeping creative control within the hands of artists. This discussion will be moderated by Collider’s editor-in-chief Steven Weintraub.

SATURDAY, JULY 20

Guillermo del Toro and André Øvredal: Scary Storytelling Master Class
TBA
Oscar-winning The Shape of Water director Guillermo del Toro is joining the parade of A-listers coming to San Diego Comic-Con. Del Toro, who produced the CBS Films/eOne Entertainment thriller Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark, will tag team with that film’s director André Øvredal for a Master Class on scary storytelling.

TBD
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot
Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes will take the stage at Hall H to talk about the forthcoming revival of the cult classic.

What are the best Minecraft maps? Minecraft is the inventor’s paradise but, of course, it is also the connoisseur’s nightmare. Thanks to the huge number of user-created Minecraft maps out there it is almost impossible to find the finest creations. Who has time these days to sift through hundreds of Minecraft maps, devour them with their digital senses, and come to a conclusion on which ones are worth your time?

Well, us, actually. We have scoured forums, marathoned YouTube videos, and sampled more Minecraft maps than we can count in order to bring you the definitive list. No, no need to thank us, we just like seeing you smile.

To find the best from the mind-boggling array of Minecraft map goodness we have whittled down the finest user-created environments and placed them into their very own category. Whether you fancy a Minecraft dropper map to plunge through, or a Minecraft city map in which to live out your dream – if blocky – cosmopolitan life, we have everything you need.

Here are the best Minecraft maps by category:

• Minecraft adventure maps
• Minecraft survival maps
• Minecraft horror maps
• Minecraft city maps
• Minecraft puzzle maps
• Minecraft multiplayer maps
• Minecraft castle maps
• Minecraft dropper maps
• Minecraft parkour maps

MINECRAFT ADVENTURE MAPS

Minecraft adventure maps are self-contained experiences that are less about building and more about exploring and, very often, fighting. Expect traps, puzzles, and all sorts of secrets. Also, while you can play many of them quite happily by yourself, some are better in multiplayer. Best of all, because the Minecraft community is so industrious, there are thousands of great Minecraft adventure maps out there.

But, before you pack your blocky bag bear in mind that almost all of them will have particular rules or settings that you will need to follow to ensure they work properly.

BIOMEBOX

Are there any problems in the world that cannot be solved with parkour? The creator of BiomeBox do not seem to think so. There are ten visually distinct levels for players to platform their way through, each one based on a different biome – leap from Nether to cake, then hop straight into a twilight dreamscape.

ASLEEP

Dreams and nightmares have, for centuries, been the fascination of psychologists and people whose job it is to think loads. In recent times, Minecraft map makers have stepped up to tackle the question of what happens when we go to sleep. In the case of Asleep, that makes for a ridiculously fun romp through space, the Nether, and a few burning buildings.

HEROBRINE’S MANSION

Herobrine’s Mansion is the work of Hypixel, one of the community’s most respected creators. It map is packed with things to find, including custom enemies, half a dozen bosses, special items, and unique potions. Widely regarded as one of the best adventure maps, it is designed to be played with friends, but it can be enjoyed on your tod, too.

ADVENTURE TIME

What time is it…? If you do not know the answer to that question it is a good bet that much of this map’s content will be lost on you. This Adventure Time-inspired map utilises a specially made texture pack to transport players to the fantastical Land of Ooo.

THE TOURIST

This Minecraft map does not just feature some of the most impressive builds in all of the game’s various worlds, it also boasts minigames and its own soundtrack. The Tourist is one of the longest adventure maps out there, clocking in at around four hours from start to completion, depending on how long you want to spend just staring.

KINGDOM OF THE SKY

Kingdom of the Sky adds the rather novel concept of narration, provided by a series of YouTube videos to which the player is given at key points. It is a little bit like listening to the audio logs in System Shock or BioShock, as you can carry on playing while the narration chats away to you. Even if you ignore them you still have an imaginative and expansive high fantasy map to explore.

DEEP SPACE TURTLE CHASE

This sci-fi Minecraft map took its creators three months to build and saw them transform the blocky, pastoral world of Minecraft into something remarkably different. Deep Space Turtle Chase has players searching for wanted criminal Dr. Earl S. Testudine, who is hiding somewhere on a mining station beyond Tarsus 3. Catching him will require all your wits and ingenuity.

This map is pretty much a total conversion for Minecraft, so ensure you back up your original copy before following the installation instructions.

WRATH OF THE FALLEN

Another work from the excellent Hypixel, this hack-and-slash adventure map is full of beautiful structures, custom weapons, potions, items, boss fights, challenges, secret sections, and easter eggs. Phew, that’s a lot. It is recommended for two players, but you should be able to solo your way through if you grit your teeth.

THE ESCAPISTS 2

Taking inspiration from one of the best prison simulation games (if that’s even a genre) around, this map features eight massive cells, jobs, and a currency system. Your aim is to hatch the ultimate escape plan, using any resources you can find, and gaining notoriety among your fellow cellmates to earn their assistance. As Minecraft maps go, The Escapists 2 is a classic.

LAST JUMP HERO

Do not concern yourself with context, cohesive visual design, or gameplay variation when loading up Last Jump Hero. This parkour map asks only a couple of things of prospective Minecrafters: a willingness to jump and a pre-acceptance of failure.

STAR WARS

Do you want a diamond lightsaber? Of course you do. Also by Hypixel, and for use with the Mine Wars texture pack, this epic adventure of stormtroopers and Star Destroyers has you fighting your way through snowy wastelands and deep space. It ticks all the Star Wars boxes, featuring blaster rifles, Jedi knights, AT-ATs, and just about everything else you might want. Imperial walkers look pretty damn good in Minecraft.

FIREWORKS PARKOUR

Boasting the white-and-red aesthetic of freerunning favourite Mirror’s Edge, Fireworks Parkour is a classic Minecraft map with a unique twist: instead of expertly timed jumps, you propel yourself through the map with TNT. We cannot promise it is a practical method of propulsion, though: once you start a sequence of explosions you will not be able to pause and catch your breath. The fireworks that pour out of each blast make for a neat visual touch.

POKÉMON JOHTO

Just when you thought you would never get a proper 3D Pokémon adventure on PC, this Minecraft Pokémon map is based on Gold and Silver’s Johto region turns up. Offering a quest-line filled with bosses, NPC shop keeps, and fully-functional Super Potions, Johto achieves an authentic Pokémon feel with its own soundtrack. Those Minecraft blocky visuals that make it feel like a GameBoy game, too.

Combat has to be in there somewhere, and while this map does not take advantage of the Pixelmon mod for its battle system, it does reskin weapons as Pokémon monsters with which to fight.

ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

Containing what may be the most horrific re-skin of Minecraft’s zombies ever made, Zombie Apocalypse is an entertaining mix-up of frantic hack-and-slash action and survive-the-night tension. Somewhat indebted to Left 4 Dead, when this Minecraft map lays on the undead, it lays them on thick and fast. Ambushes inflict panic, and panic means bad things. Bring a friend to thin the horde quicker and solve its co-op puzzles.

HEROBRINE’S RETURN

Hypixel’s maps are basically triple-A Minecraft: they even have sequels. Herobrine’s Return is the follow up to Herobrine’s Mansion, and as such contains a familiar setup of custom enemies, big boss fights, magic spells, and NPC-crewed shops. The RPG tropes are carried through with a fun selection of side-quests, and there are great scripted moments that add a welcome level of cinematic sparkle.

TERAMIA

One of the largest Minecraft adventure maps, Teramia is an open-world, non-linear RPG. Without a focused core quest, Teramia leaves you free to wander, explore its various districts, and help the NPCs you encounter along the way. Split into four regions and populated by a vast variety of mobs and friendly villagers, the areas are home to nine dungeons and a series of fortresses to claim as your own.

MINECRAFT SURVIVAL MAPS

Survival is one of Minecraft’s most popular modes, in which your sole task is to remain in the land of the living for as long as possible. The best Minecraft maps push your survival instincts to their limits, forcing you to make the most intelligent choices when mining limited resources, putting impossible voids between you and vital items, and testing your endurance with vicious monsters. Others just ask you to survive long enough to hold a hot tub party. Below you will find some of the best Minecraft survival maps around.

WORLD IN A JAR

In World in a Jar you must survive on a series of tiny worlds encased in jars. Each floating glass prison contains a unique biome, containing a mix of pure survival and adventure map gameplay. There is an ethereal stillness to these captured environments that makes World in a Jar a must-play Minecraft map.

ANT FARM SURVIVAL

Ever wondered what it would be like to find yourself trapped in an ant farm? Ant Farm Survival provides a flawed template for what you would encounter – perhaps conduct more scientific research elsewhere. Divided into increasingly challenging sections, this unique survival map boasts a heap of challenges and some deviously claustrophobic level design.

DEADLY ORBIT

Roleplayers that fancy themselves a pixelated Sandra Bullock or George Clooney need look no further than Deadly Orbit, a space-themed survival map set aboard the International Space Station. It takes its Gravity inspiration literally: there is lots of gravity as opposed to none at all. But even though there is no floating in the abyss here, the hollowness of space can certainly be felt.

PLANET IMPOSSIBLE

One of Planet Impossible’s goals is to ‘tame a dinosaur’, which is all you really need to know, really. However, if you do need any further persuading, Planet Impossible is a Mad Max wasteland and the final destination of your crashed spaceship. Tasked with surviving ten days, you need to explore the world and discover evidence of erstwhile human settlers.

ARCTIC

Washed up in the Arctic tundra with nothing but your own body to rely on, Arctic demands that you set up digs in the desolate ice fields and gradually build a thriving settlement for you and your survivor pals Jozsef and Mr. Maillet. By cultivating crops and maintaining a farm you can eventually throw the ultimate hot tub party. The premise is as silly as they come, but Arctic is beautiful and calming in its isolation.

CONTAINMENT SURVIVAL 2

A clever twist on Portal, Containment Survival 2 has you progress through a selection of containment cells, each containing a unique biome. Ushered through by a mad AI, you are to complete survival challenges on a tight time limit. Using a superb collection of voiceovers, the AI will hassle and demean you as you attempt to escape. A well-designed sequence of environments and challenges cements Containment Survival 2 as one of the best Minecraft maps.

WILD WEST

It may not be Red Dead Redemption, but Wild West captures the feel of the frontier. The glowy sunset, vast canyons, and the street purposefully set up for epic duelling make this Minecraft map the perfect arena for fulfilling your stetson-wearing fantasies. Taming horses is just as much a part of life on the ranch as it is life in Mojang’s sandblocks. Capturing monsters using cactus-based traps less so, but we are quite happy to give that a go as well.

SURVIVAL ISLAND

Survival Island is the classic original, the Coca-Cola of custom built survival maps. Its legacy is built on its high difficulty but, that sweetens its rewards. A house of twigs is a true achievement, and when you are the king of your own castle you know you worked to earn it. Lazy comparison klaxon: Survival Island is Dark Souls meets Minecraft.

SKYBLOCK

SkyBlock, like Survival Island above, is one of the ‘original’ custom maps; it lacks frills and vistas, but offers a rock-solid challenge. Just take the scavenging suffering of Survival Island and suspend it thousands of feet in the sky. Your little L-shaped dirt pile is the only resource you have, and, thus, plenty of ingenuity and a mind for conservation is required. With the right smarts, you will be amazed what you can harvest from a tree and several blocks of dirt.

SPHERE SURVIVAL

An interesting twist on the classic SkyBlock formula, Sphere Survival puts you on gigantic spheres and sends you on your merry way to attempt to bridge to the map’s other spherical worlds while fending off creepers and other nasties: this Minecraft map is a survivalist’s dream come true.

MINECRAFT HORROR MAPS

How scary can animated blocks be? Phenomenally so, apparently. If you are looking to ruin some underwear then you need a chilling Minecraft horror map. Down the lights, affix your headphones, and prepare your nerves for a fright with angles you have never seen before.Black Light

BLACK LIGHT

Channelling the frights of Outlast, Black Light is a chilling expedition to a Russian psychiatric hospital in the wake of a nuclear explosion. A specialised texture pack makes the place unnervingly filthy, complete with ominous graffiti and colour palette. Like the best Minecraft horror maps, it is the skilled use of lighting makes Black Light creepy.

THE ASYLUM

Abandoned asylums are always a great place for spooks and thrills. Apart from performing a solid job of delivering blocky jumpscares and plenty of chills, The Asylum’s borderline immortal mobs engender a sense of powerless terror. This is stripped-back Minecraft horror at its finest.

SURVIVAL HORROR

Ah, the creepy mansion on the hill. How could such a horror trope not be the centre of a Minecraft map? Created by the ever-excellent Hypixel, Survival Horror asks you to survive 25 waves of increasingly tough ghouls and beasts using only the limited resources found lying around the mansion. A failing electric generator escalates the panic to deliver pure fright throughout.

RUINS OF THE DEAD

Ancient underground temple? Check. Wave after wave of flesh-eating zombies? Check. Hidden chests of armour, weapons, and loot? Check.

Ruins of the Dead is an excellent zombie survival map thanks to its progressive loot game and increasing difficulty. There is even a deviously challenging final undead foe for anyone who can get through the 16 waves of increasingly challenging undead.

WANDERING

Rife with jump-scares and haunting from the first few steps, Wandering is an unforgettable Minecraft map. You play as Jack, a 30-year-old man returning home after a tiring day at work… only someone – or something – has followed you [crack of lightning, haunting organ music]…

MINECRAFT CITY MAPS

Minecraft tourism has certainly rescued our wanderlust-riven wallets. Saving us money on transport, hotels, and food, Minecraft city maps allow us to explore bustling urban landscapes, both real and fantastical, without any jabs or travel insurance. From loyal recreations of sunny Sao Paulo to the cities of the future, here are the Minecraft city maps in which you should have a wander and an espresso.

PRIPYAT

The ghostly region of Pripyat has been embedded in our minds ever since Call of Duty sent us running around the abandoned city of Chernobyl, avoiding pockets of radiation and sniping hapless ultranationalist soldiers. Now it has been painstakingly recreated in this Minecraft city map in which we can tentatively explore.

FUTURE CITY

War of the Worlds is catapulted into the future as several planets have been attacked by a menacing enemy alliance. Future City is at the heart of these intergalactic troubles. It is a world of staggering scale with piercing skyscrapers and modern tech so, if you always wanted to experience Star Wars’ Coruscant without having to stomach the prequels, Future City should be your next destination.

WORLD OF WORLDS

World of Worlds is a Minecraft city map for the player crippled by the unfortunate combination of wanderlust and a lack of funds. Travel the world through Minecraft’s block prism in this map, which features uncannily recreated buildings from 85 cities across the real world. Unless you are unusually well-travelled, there is certain to be new places for you to check out.

ATROPOS

Atropos is an astonishing Minecraft city built atop a tortoise. Not just a whimsical ideal, Atropos is also created in the steampunk art style: everything is adorned with brass pipes and clockwork gears. It is so detailed that, for example, the surface of the tortoise itself is a mass of interconnected metal plates and cogs. But that’s just the start.

What’s more, Atropos is huge. On its back is a full-sized city adorned with the same kind of elegant details that coat its exterior. The city descends into the belly of the beast; Atropos is as vast as it is impressive.

IMPERIAL CITY

A quite astonishing collection of structures, Imperial City is an original creation that combines prominent architectural styles from the 19th and 20th centuries. Look around and you will find neo-classical, beaux-arts, and modern influences in its design. But while Imperial City’s buildings are its starring performers, it is their layout that provides the enduring backbone of this Minecraft map. Imperial City feels like a city; the spacing of the roads, the order of the buildings, and the river banks all contribute to a city that feels real.

VERTOAK CITY

Vertoak City is what Minecraft city maps are all about: size and freedom. Without the burden of goals to complete or rules to adhere to, exploring this wonderful world is a freeform adventure of boundless possibilities. High streets are dense yet intricate, Copacabana-like beaches stretch for miles, and leafy suburbs are there as a relaxing retreat from the big smoke.

TAZADER CITY

One of the biggest maps in Minecraft keeps getting bigger. Originally a Pocket Edition exclusive,Tazader Cityclass=”gallery”> is continually updated with more skyscrapers, stadiums, and hotels. Aside from the hours you will lose to exploring and basking in detail of this city, you can relax in your plush new hotel room, discover forgotten backstreets, and play sport. All without any scraped knees.

SUN CITY

Cities are great and all, but amazing places like London can be ruined by bleak grey cloud and rainfall that is not torrential, but enough to ruin your day. Sun City, however, is an urban Minecraft map inspired by the sweltering Brazilian cities of Sao Paulo and Goiania. Sun City might not be the largest city map and without any objectives, but at least your blocky avatar will have the free time to get a much-needed tan.

MINECRAFT PUZZLE MAPS

Have you read about how we only ever use 10% of our brains? It is total guff; prove these cowboy scientists wrong in Minecraft by besting these mind-shattering puzzle maps. From Crystal Maze-like headscratchers to PhD-bothering conundrums, you will find some of PC gaming’s best puzzles in Mojang’s masterpiece. These Minecraft maps are the smartest we have found.

30 WAYS TO DIE

Death: it is an essential part of life. But it is also the only means of progression in this morbid Minecraft map. Players will be kitted out with specific tools for each level and will have to figure out how to use them in order to kill themselves. Best of luck, we suppose.

THE CODE

An exceptionally clever and intelligently-designed brain bender, the Codecontains a corridor of fiendish puzzles to crack. Solving them provides you with a code which, when written down on a piece of paper and thrown down a hopper, opens the next door. The puzzles are all exceptionally varied, ranging from mathematical conundrums to tests of speed and strength. Thankfully, there’s an in-game hint system, but we totally didn’t need it.

PORTALCRAFT

Imitation is the highest form of flattery, and if there is any puzzle game out there that deserves some, it is Portal. Portalcraft recreates Aperture Science with uncanny accuracy, replicating not only the look, feel, and mechanics of the Portal games, but its puzzles too. There are a few noticeable Minecraft-isms (lifts and doors aren’t slickly automated), but the fact that portals work and momentum still matters is impressive.

THE PUZZLE CUBE

The Puzzle Cube is a Minecraft map with a great gimmick: you can walk on the sides of the cube. Starting on the exterior of the cube, you need to solve puzzles on all sides in order to progress to the centre chamber.

Instead of you falling off when you walk over the edge of a cube, the gravity will flip and you will continue walking down the next side. The conundrums escalate in difficulty at a fair rate. It is also playable in multiplayer, the best way to play this Minecraft map.

BEYOND PERCEPTION

The simple concept of this Minecraft map is what sets it apart in the crowded puzzle genre: by turning your shading on or off, you can make certain objects appear and disappear, leading to a brilliant puzzler where you do not know what is really there and what is not.

ENIGMA ISLAND

Enigma Island features its own hints system that gives clues for any puzzles you are particularly stuck on in exchange for diamonds – manage your resources carefully to make it through. Explore the island, get your brain in gear, and discover the many hidden secrets.

MINECRAFT MULTIPLAYER MAPS

It is no fun to go alone, so why not team up with friends, strangers, and enemies to cause a little chaos. There are plenty of great multiplayer servers out there, but what you really need is a bespoke Minecraft map map. They are all homages to other games but they recreate their mechanics expertly.

PAYDAY 2: ENDGAME

Inspired by Overkill’s superb heist game, Payday 2: Endgame is a not at all copyright breaching Minecraft map with seven heists that are fully playable in co-op. Four will be familiar to Payday players, such as Framing Day One and Two, Big Oil, and Fire Starter – but the rest are original creations. Pacing is key and Endgame captures Payday’s stealth-to-panic curve competently. There are also security systems to sabotage and an effective trading system with which to kit out your mobsters.

IT’S BETTER TOGETHER

This two-player adventure map is filled to bursting point with complex, Portal 2-esque co-op quandaries. Made with vanilla Minecraft players in mind, you and your friend will not have to endure a lengthy troubleshooting install before heading in.

MINE 4 DEAD

Zombies will always be popular but they are even better with a spoonful of Valve. Mine 4 Dead is a classic zombie co-op-’em-up Left 4 Dead game recreated as a Minecraft map. Take in three friends with you (you’ll need them), and prepare to be swamped by shuffling smelly, rotting corpses.

TEAM FORTRESS 2 IN MINECRAFT

In Minecraft’s Dustbowl, Team Fortress 2 is that bit more special. Indeed, this is one of the best examples of command block work you will see, with a fully-functioning control point system to capture the classic multiplayer action. This Minecraft map lifts the core classes, Red versus Blue teams, resupply lockers, and dispensers from TF2, and they work flawlessly. The fact that Dustbowl is a perfect visual replica of the original map is its least interesting feature.

FUNLAND 3

What do you need for a perfect day out with your friends? Hundreds of rollercoasters extending to the very limits of Minecraft’s sky box as far as the eye can see. This Minecraftian ode to the humble theme park is ideal for people who love roller coasters, but hate queues. We might not try it in VR, thanks.

MINECRAFT CASTLE MAPS

From the spooky gothic sensibilities of castle Dracula to the impressive Dragonstone, the fire-spewing beasts cascading around its towering turrets, castles are the coolest buildings around. And, guess what, they are even better as Minecraft maps. Whether it is a fantasy or steampunk lands you seek to rule, become king of any world you like with these great Minecraft castle maps.

OAKHOLD

This Minecraft map is one for fans of The Elder Scrolls series. Oakhold will take your breath away, just as the likes of Solitude and the Imperial City did, but make sure you have the Sphax PureBDcraft texture pack installed, first. This fantasy-flavoured castle nestled amidst a sky high forest canopy is vast, with 29 unique apartments, houses, towers, shops, and much more with which to live out your wildest kingly dreams. Keep up to date with creator Dovetail’s website for the latest Oakhold updates.

DRAGONSTONE

Waiting for more Game of Thrones goodness is always unbearable, but at least you can soothe your desperation to be reunited with Daenerys with her home of Dragonstone. It might have been built with blocks rather than forged with fire, but Dragonstone in Minecraft is no less stupendous.

STEAMPUNK CASTLE

Castles do not have to be confined to fantasy worlds. Steampunk Castleproves just that: it is a construction that casts a unique shape on the horizon. Swap dragons for blimps and windmills with this map and you also might discover secrets, easter eggs, and a hidden storyline.

DOL GULDUR

Even castles with heavily bolstered defences and powerful rulers cannot stick around forever – take Dol Guldur, Sauron’s abandoned elven fortress as an example. A list of the best Minecraft castle maps could not possibly be complete without a Lord of the Rings entry, but with this lovingly detailed fantasy facsimile you can explore Tolkien lore without risking the wrath of the infamous necromancer.

CASTLE VERILIAN OF AERITUS

Castle Verilian of Aeritus proves that the best Minecraft maps are not necessarily the biggest. This diminutive seat of dominion makes up for its relatively cosy size with intricate interior detail and a kickass name. From the imposing main gate you must traverse a long, winding path that takes in massive waterfalls and trees to your humble abode. Kings used to a larger castle should think of this as a castle meets kingly country retreat.

MINECRAFT DROPPER MAPS

Don’t look down! Well, actually, you might want to do just that when it comes to Minecraft dropper maps. Here you have to fall in such a way as to, as gracefully as possible, avoid the blocks in your way. If you navigate to the bottom of a dropper level with all of your character’s blocks in the places where they should be, congratulations, you have survived. Test your vertigo with these fun gravity-themed Minecraft maps.

THE DROPPER 2

Subtitled ‘Newton vs Darwin’, The Dropper 2 releases you from a vertigo-inducing height and asks you to survive. As you plummet down a complex spider web of blocks and barriers, you need to shift your body in the right direction to prevent splattering against an obstacle (i.e. mining away the block as you hit it is firmly disallowed). Think of those insane space debris sections from Dead Space and you are halfway there.

MULTI DIFFICULTY DROPPERS

Multi Difficulty Droppers is a Minecraft map that demands you git gud. That means before you progress to a different environment you need to beat each on every difficulty setting. Once you land successfully, however, you are congratulated by an explosion of fireworks and the disembodied cheers of children. Yay?

ANTI DROPP3R

What do you get if you take the main mechanic of a dropper map and turn it, well, upside-down? An upper map? A levitator map? Ok, we are not the ideas people here, that honour goes to creators Addit95, Drosselbard, and ScribbleLP, who clearly levitated so much the e key fell off their keyboard.

Anti Dropp3r is the blasphemous dropper map that proves that, gravity turned on or off, the end result is pretty much the same. On the plus side, there are multiple levitation speeds and you can play it in multiplayer.

IMPOSSIBLE DROPPER 2

Think you are the bees knees at dropping? This Minecraft map is so devilishly difficult that, according to its title, it is impossible. Impossible Dropper 2 features plenty of dastardly trolls and some vanishingly small landing spots; even if you evade all the obstacles it is extremely tough to escape death right at the end. We have not completed it yet because we, er, have not got round to it. Yeah, that’s it.

MINECRAFT PARKOUR MAPS

For many, Minecraft is about making and admiring inspiring, gargantuan structures. When it comes to Minecraft parkour maps, however, the art and majesty is in how these environments are traversed. Whether you are dashing, bouncing, or jumping through canyons or sky piercing mountains, you will almost certainly be going much too fast to stand and enjoy the view. Here are the best Minecraft parkour maps around.

PARKOUR SCHOOL

Ever seen some hardcore parkour skillz on YouTube and worried you are just not up to snuff? Not to worry: everyone has to start somewhere, andParkour School is the perfect Minecraft parkour map with which to start. Easing you in with a gentle difficulty curve, Parkour School teaches you the basics with a checkpoint system and themed zones. You will be blasting through the toughest parkour levels in no time.

CANYON JUMPS

Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon and thought, ‘that’s great and everything, but wouldn’t it be better if I could jump across it in mid air, without a safety harness’. Of course not, because you are smart.

Canyon Jumps is a Minecraft parkour map that allows you to live out that terrifying and oddly specific dream nobody has ever had. With an emphasis on accuracy over speed, this is a jump ‘n’ run map that suspends your route in thin air amid a canyon setting of impressive scale. 48 challenges and an automatic in-game scoreboard system are in, too.

HOLOGRAM PARKOUR

An excellent, ethereal twist sets Hologram Parkour apart from the rest of the Minecraft parkour genre. You are faced with a map of two halves: one side features a route without blocks, while on the other side there are walls, creating a sort of asymmetrical mirror image. Using the other half to judge where to aim your jump, holographic blocks appear in front of you as you discover the correct path, as if by magic. Blending platforming and puzzle elements, Hologram Parkour is not to be missed.

JUMP ESCAPE

Jump Escape is essentially parkour meets Portal (Portalkour?). Well in aesthetic terms, that is. You transition between levels with an elevator that recalls Valve’s classic puzzler, but otherwise this is a strong and simple Minecraft parkour map. You might not be punished for slowness like in Time to Die, but the timer is always there to compel you to shave off every last second and show off to the rest of your blocky gang.

ASSASSIN’S CREEP

No prizes for guessing the series on which this map is based. Assassin’s Creep is heavily influenced by the stabby stealth games of Ezio and co. with help from the Assassini Costruttori texture pack. As opposed to tracking down those peskily hidden feathers from the earlier Assassin’s Creed titles, your mission here is to locate nine wool blocks – so turn on peaceful mode to prevent mobs from interfering. Each are at the top of tall historic towers, which is where your parkour skills come in. Hidden blades are optional, but recommended.

Phew, that’s a lot of Minecraft maps. That will certainly keep you busy for a long time, but there’s even more to come from us when it comes to Mojang’s blocky adventure. Firstly, you’ll want to make sure your dazzling your online pals with your faultless fashion taste, so check out our list of the best Minecraft skins for that. And, if you’re still itching for more exciting adventures, make sure to check in with our favourite Minecraft seeds and the finest Minecraft Pocket Edition seeds, if you’re playing Minecraft for Windows 10. Now, if you don’t mind, we’ll be retiring to our most comfortable castle map for a well-deserved rest.

For a beautiful few years, you have near-complete control over what your child plays. You decide what’s allowed and when, what to play together, which gems from the past to share with an excited five-year-old. Then a little more time passes, and suddenly the situation is completely different.

There comes a point where kids are more bothered about playing with their friends than playing with you, which – though natural and healthy, and sometimes actually quite a relief if you’ve ever spent painful hours trying to beat annoying bosses for them- can also be a little bit heartbreaking. When my teen stepson was about six, I got so bored of watching him play the same few levels of various Spider-Man games over and over again that I introduced him to Minecraft, and we had a truly cherishable few months exploring the game together and building weird treehouses and underground vaults and pretending to be scared of the zombies.

Then his wee friends got in on the action, and before too long he wasn’t interested in playing with me any more. A little later, he started getting good enough at Spider-Man that Dad didn’t have to sit there beside him to help through the hard bits. He’d come home full of enthusiasm for ropey-ass YouTube-legend games like Five Nights at Freddy’s that had spread around school like wildfire. He was forming his own individual relationship with video games, totally independent from us. And now, years down the line, he has completely different tastes.

My partner and I both have jobs involving video games. The house is full of them, and we have a pretty eclectic gaming diet. We both get a kick out of digging out lesser-known games with some shining distinction: a surreal story, an interesting art style, an extremely clever mechanic. I love huge role-playing games you can sink into for 100 hours; he likes to jump between several games at once, sampling what each has to offer. Our predilections come together on things like Yakuza and the Souls series and diverge on Nintendo (he doesn’t get it) and survival horror (I am a huge wuss), and neither of us really bothers with online play. Despite all of this, we have somehow managed to bring up a Gamer Boy who almost exclusively plays multiplayer shooters and recently refused to try Assassin’s Creed because “it’s in third-person”. I mean, what do you say to that? It’s like refusing to watch a Ghibli film because “it’s animated”.

Your children are not carbon copies of you, of course, and expecting them to be anything like you is the source of a lot of needless familial stress. But it’s fascinating that despite sharing a passion for video games, the teen and I can find so little common ground these days. For a while we had Destiny, but where I was perfectly happy to play it at the weekend for a month or so every time a new expansion came out, he spent hours pretty much every day rolling the dice for the best guns and gear and becoming a juggernaut in the Crucible. His current dual obsessions are Counter-Strike and Fortnite, both of which make me feel about 3000 years old. (Am I out of touch? No… it’s the children who are wrong.)

It’s rewarding too, though, to see your kids forging their own path. I feel the same way when I watch my stepson dominate a round of Fortnite as I probably would if he were amazing at rugby: slightly baffled, but nonetheless proud.

Streamer, programmer, and speedrunner SethBling is always cooking up fascinating new gaming feats: a machine learning Mario Kart AI, an SNES cartridge that runs mods, an Atari emulator that runs inside Minecraft. His latest creation is a 2D version of Minecraft that runs inside a Minecraft chest.

SethBling showed how it works in a video uploaded over the weekend. In Minecraft, he opens a large chest whose 6×9 inventory space has been converted into a 2D area populated by item icons that can be broken down and crafted into stuff, just like in the main game.

He can move his avatar, represented by a tunic and head, left or right by clicking on a block in that direction. When he runs up against a block of rock or wood he can break it apart and acquire the materials. In an inventory screen within the chest screen, he can even combine those materials into new items, like a wooden pickaxe.

SethBling’s Minecraft within Minecraft even has a little house with a bed inside for when contemplating the nature of simulations within simulations proves too exhausting.

SethBling replicated the “real” Minecraft world within the chest using a special /loot command, which can be downloaded as an add-on to the game. This lets the player control the Armor Stand item from the chest screen and interact with the world outside the chest as if the Armor Stand were the player. Everything around the Armor Stand is rendered inside the inventory screen, and anything SethBling breaks apart or changes in the chest happens in whatever part of the world the Armor Stand currently is.

“It’s honestly a very limited system, but it’s enough to look really cool,” SethBling said in his video. “There’s no mobs or anything although that would be cool to add.” SethBling has also added fully-functioning portals and even an internet browser to the game, so sticking a few enemies in his latest Minecraft simulacrum seems like something he could handle.

Over two years ago, Minecraft’s 1.9 patch introduced what Mojang called the Combat Update – a broad set of changes intended to deepen the game’s fighting experience. Even that revamp has never been perfect, and both the Bedrock edition and the original Java version have their own flaws. Now, the developers are testing a major set of new changes that will unify the combat system in both.

“The combat mechanics in Java Edition have been a controversial topic ever since the 1.9 update,” chief creative officer Jens ‘Jeb’ Bergensten says (via Windows Central). We want the mechanics to be the same across all editions, but simply porting Java to Bedrock or vice versa is not taking us forward. We want to find a system that is flexible and works well across all input devices.”

In the test version of the combat revamp, attacks are faster across the board, and you can simply hold down the button to keep swinging. When you stop attacking, an attack timer starts charging up – at 200%, you perform a special attack (with examples like “crits, sweeping, and knockback”) which offers longer reach.

Weapons are now differentiated by different amounts of reach, and faster weapons will now leave shorter invulnerability timers on enemies. Additionally, shields will no longer have a warm-up delay, and can activate while crouching.

All these changes are available for player testing, and you can find instructions to get the beta going on Reddit.

The beta’s been out long enough for player feedback to roll in, and Bergenstein has responded to some of the most common points of concern. Auto-attack will likely be disabled by default for mouse and keyboard users, but the bigger concern is how to balance mobs against the needs of PvP combat – an issue the team hasn’t fully ironed out yet.

Two of YouTube’s biggest stars Felix ‘PewDiePie’ Kjellberg and James Charles are linking up for KEEMSTAR’s new Monday Minecraft competition that pits some of the biggest content creators around against each other.

While James Charles had a rather unceremonious start to his Twitch career, no one can keep YouTube’s premier makeup guru down and is firing up his channel again to compete in the event.

Meanwhile PewDiePie is again streaming on his platform of choice Dlive as the two popular creators try to make their way through the brackets of KEEMSTAR’s latest event featuring Minecraft.

“I bet this is a friendship and stream that you didn’t see coming.”

To join up on the surprise collaboration, viewers can join either the sisters or the bros by visiting either other their live feeds.

Fans of PewDiePie will be familiar with his antics that can be caught exclusively on DLive, but those who want to tune into James Charles can find him on his Twitch channel: JCharlesBeauty.

The duo are up against 18 other teams vying for the chance to move onto the next round of the Minecraft Monday’s hotly contested bracket.

Minecraft Monday turns educational

Throughout the stream, the pair seemed to have plenty of chemistry as PewDiePie decided to teach James Charles a few things about playing Minecraft. 

Whether it was James learning how to “helicopter” or them talking about why they named their duo “dick and balls,” there was plenty of hilarious antics from start to finish. 

What are the rules in Monday Minecraft?

Keemstar laid out all that entrants need to know in order to assert their dominance in the Monday Minecraft set of rules.

For every Elimination a team gets +10 on their score, meanwhile a Victory Royale nets a squad +30 to their total. Moreover, the “top two teams” get +20 score while the “top three teams” get +10 score to their name.

Just surviving a game will get someone +2 score, but “whenever a team is eliminated all other remaining teams earn +2 score.”

KEEMSTAR TWITTERThe two YouTubers are doing their best to meme their way to the top of Monday Minecraft.

While teams are obviously working together, the scores for Placements, Surviving, and Victory Royales are evenly split between the members of the team unless someone dies. In that case, the scores will be “awarded to the surviving teammate” to “reflect individual contribution.”

There is NO cross-teaming, feeding, mods or resource packs that grant unfair advantages allowed in Monday Minecraft.

While trash talk is definitely allowed, players must “still conduct [themselves] respectfully.” And Keemstar added a note about Clout chase, saying players shouldn’t be a “sore loser” insted just HAVE FUN!

The hilarity is at an all time high as PewDiePie is screaming memes at the top of his lungs, while the new streamer Charles does the best he can while trying to navigate Minecraft and the technical difficulties of live streaming.

A subset of Pokemon fans are complaining because Game Freak has the audacity to re-use animations in Pokemon Sword & Shield. A portion of the Pokemon fanbase has been very vocal in their dislike that Pokemon Sword & Shield won’t be compatible with every Pokemon currently in the franchise. While past games have allowed players to transfer all of their older Pokemon into the game, Game Freak made the decision to limit the number of Pokemon species to an unspecified number due to the need to animate over 900 Pokemon models and close to a thousand different Pokemon moves in a higher fidelity than what was needed in Nintendo 3DS Pokemon games.

Since the announcement was made, a group of Pokemon fans have turned on the main series game developers Game Freak, claiming that their decision was made out of laziness and greed. To prove their point, fans have occasionally posted videos showing side-by-side comparisons of Pokemon Sword & Shield clips with clips from past games that appear to show Pokemon having the same idle animations and battle animations. Other “fans” have made the claim that Pokemon Coliseum, a game containing a fraction of the Pokemon and released over 15 years ago, actually looks better than Pokemon Sword & Shield.

While some of the disappointment is understandable, there’s a couple of erroneous narratives that are in need of correcting. Game Freak director Junichi Masuda stated that the decision was made to focus on higher fidelity animations for the Nintendo Switch, not that they were crafting all new Pokemon models and animations. While it’s clear that Game Freak is re-using some animations and models, increasing the fidelity isn’t an instant process, as explained in this threadby game designer Miodrag Kovachevic. And while there’s plenty of evidence that Pokemon Sword & Shield will use some new animations, Game Freak director Junichi Masuda noted in a previous interview that they attempted to bring over many of the older models and animations, but the higher fidelity rate led to some models needing to be completely re-made.

In addition, a narrative about Game Freak being “stingy” or “cheap” by not hiring enough developers to work on Pokemon Sword & Shield ignores the economic and business reality that it often takes months to properly on-board a new employee to the point that they can contribute to a high-profile project. Plus, finding skilled developers (like any skilled job) can be a long process, one that can’t be fixed in a matter of weeks or even months. There’s an argument to be made that Game Freak should have hired more developers if they wanted to include all 800 Pokemon, but that decision would had to occur years ago to make an impact on Pokemon Sword & Shield.1COMMENTS

At the end of the day, Game Freak and Nintendo have the right to design and release a Pokemon game with as many Pokemon as they want, and Pokemon fans have the right not to buy it if they feel it doesn’t live up to its standards. However, trying to craft a narrative using a few seconds of video seems disingenuous and doesn’t really help the discourse of the game or the toxicity of the fanbase at all.

Pokemon Sword & Shield will be released on November 19th.

Talks of a new video game based on the popular Evil Dead franchise have been swirling around the Internet for some time, with Bruce Campbell himself confirming such a thing is indeed on the way. Unfortunately, he hasn’t spilled any specifics about the inbound title, but word has been circulating that it is going to be a VR experience. That said, Campbell has spoken once again on the Evil Dead game, only this time he made sure to clarify that whatever it is, it definitely is not going to be available on a virtual reality headset.

Taking to Twitter, Campbell revealed that the Evil Dead game is currently in development for PCand consoles. Of course, he didn’t specify which consoles, but one can imagine it will at least arrive on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. “Hey, groovy gamers, this is a swell time to clarify some incorrect info that might be out there (including from me!): the upcoming Evil Dead video game is being developed for consoles and PC, not VR,” he said. “Sorry for any confusion. Game on!”View image on Twitter

Bruce Campbell✔@GroovyBruce

Hey, groovy gamers, this is a swell time to clarify some incorrect info that might be out there (including from me!): the upcoming Evil Dead video game is being developed for consoles and PC, not VR. Sorry for any confusion. Game on! #MyBoomstickIsTooBigForVR #EvilDeadTheGame4,8481:44 AM – Jul 2, 20191,298 people are talking about thisTwitter Ads info and privacy

As can be seen in the tweet above, Campbell then claimed his boomstick is too big for VR and he also may have revealed the title. Evil Dead The Game wouldn’t be the most groundbreaking title in existence, but it certainly would get the job done. Then again, that is entirely speculation at this point and only time will tell if it is indeed the title.2COMMENTS

Speaking of time, according to Campbell’s comments from earlier this year, we will be seeing the arrival of the Evil Dead game within the next year. “We’ll see more Evil Dead, that’s for sure,” said Campbell. “There is an Evil Dead video game out. A fully immersive video game probably within a year. I’m not sure about the day. There will be variations of that. There won’t be the original Ash anymore. That guy is done.”

Toy Story 4 has officially been released into theaters, with fans of all ages going to see it on the big screen alongside fellow fans with popcorn and candy galore. With the nostalgia out in full force at the movies, gamers will be able to get in on the action in one of the most popular games to exist. How they will be able to do this is through the new Toy Story mash-up that has arrived for Minecraft, and with everyone’s favorite characters all included, it is sure to be a great time for fans.

As noted on the Minecraft website, “Woody, Bo Peep, Buzz Lightyear, and some of the other charismatic characters you know and love have taken a detour to the world of Minecraft! All-new characters from Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story4, Duke Caboom and Ducky & Bunny are also joining the adventure!”

“Explore some of the places you love (Andy’s bedroom!) and maybe are a little afraid of (I still have nightmares about Sid’s bedroom), from the teeny perspective of the toys,” Mojang’s Kelsey Howard said. “Yes, you are indeed tiny, which means you’ll have to climb, jump, and solve puzzles to find your way through an enormous, yet familiar world!”View image on Twitter

Minecraft✔@Minecraft

TO INFINITY AND… right into Minecraft? Explore the big world of Disney’s Toy Story as one of the toys themselves! Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and many others – all in the Toy Story Mash-up pack, now on Minecraft Marketplace!

↣ http://redsto.ne/toystory  ↢2,8501:00 AM – Jun 26, 2019491 people are talking about thisTwitter Ads info and privacy

For those looking to get in on the Toy Story action in Minecraft, the new mash-up is currently available in the Minecraft Marketplace for 1,340 Minecoins. While there, you will also find mash-ups along the likes of Steven Universe, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and much more.1

As for Minecraft itself, the massively popular game is available on PC, PlayStation 3 and 4, Xbox 360 and One, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices. For more information on the title, check out some of our previous coverage.

What do you think about all of this? Are you excited to check out the new Toy Story mash-up for Minecraft? What other popular movies or television shows would you love to see make their way to the game? Sound off in the comment section below, or feel free to hit me up over on Twitter @anarkE7!

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On today’s episode, we talk about some changes and surprises possibly coming to Pokemon GO (including Team Rocket?!), PokeFusions are back and just as horrifying as ever, and Christian got hands on with Pokemon Sword & Shield! Make sure to subscribe now to never miss an episode!

The latest mashup pack for Minecraft is out now, and it brings Toy Story to the popular sandbox game.

The Toy Story Mash-Up pack adds a number of character skins from the Pixar franchise, including classics like Woody, Buzz, and Bo Peep, as well as new ones from Toy Story 4 such as Keanu Reeves’ Duke Caboom and Ducky & Bunny.

Some of the new locations in the Toy Story Mash-Up Pack include Andy’s bright and colorful bedroom and Sid’s spooky bedroom of horrors. Everything is scaled down to be seen from the perspective of a toy. That puts a new spin on Minecraft as you’ll need to jump and climb around.

The Toy Story Mash-Up Pack is available now on Xbox and PC for $8 USD. Click through the images in the gallery above to get a closer look at the new character skins.

Toy Story is just the latest mega-franchise to come to Minecraft with a Mash-Up Pack. Some of the other notable ones include The Simpsons, Pirates of the Caribbean, Nightmare Before Christmas, and Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Minecraft remains immensely popular, and Microsoft continues to expand the franchise with new extensions. While Minecraft 2 may not be happening, a new game called Minecraft Dungeons is on the way. Additionally, a Pokemon Go-style AR game called Minecraft Earth is in development as well.

While everyone can’t stop talking about Apex Legends and Fortnite, Minecraftcontinues to be one of the most played games in the world. Microsoft revealed today that the block-building phenomenon still has more than 91 million monthly active players. For comparison, Epic Games said Fortnite has 78 million monthly active players back in September.

Minecraft has ascended into a gaming institution like Pokémon. And now, Microsoft is adding Minecraft to Xbox Game Pass. For $10 per month, you can get Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Crackdown 3, and — beginning April 4 — Minecraft.

“Since its launch in 2009, the Minecraft community has remained one of the most active and passionate in gaming, attracting over 91 million players [each month] of all ages from virtually every country in the world,” Xbox Game Pass marketing boss Parimal Deshpande said. “Those joining through Xbox Game Pass will enter a vibrant, global community that plays across 20 unique platforms like Windows 10, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and mobile.”

More people for Minecraft Marketplace

Minecraft is not free-to-play, but it still seems ubiquitous. But by adding Minecraft to Game Pass, Microsoft could amplify that effect. And it is simultaneously boosting Games while exposing more people to Minecraft’s in-game store.

“Xbox Game Pass players will also gain access to an ever-expanding array of content for purchase via the in-game Minecraft Marketplace,” said Deshpande. “[The Marketplace] contains over 1,000 pieces of content from 60 distinct creators.”

The Minecraft Marketplace is a major focus for Micorosft. It treats it more as an ongoing service. That’s why it’s available everywhere and supports cross-play. And enabling community creators to build and sell content is a part of that. This ensures the game continues to make revenue and players have an abundance of fresh content beyond The Minecraft Team’s frequent updates.

And now Game Pass players can hop into Minecraft without spending any extra money, and they may end up spending cash in the Marketplace instead.

The Minecraft Marketplace once again had a huge month. Fans showed up for 3,320,063 free and premium downloads through the in-game store. That’s down from 4.56 million in January and 10.8 million in December. But year-over-year, downloads increased 791 percent from 372,509 downloads.

That huge growth has come due in part to the attention that Microsoft and The Minecraft Team are giving the service. The developer has added features like search and real-money prices. And the team has also worked to regularly deliver free content to keep people coming back.

All of that has paid off, and now the Minecraft Marketplace’s future seems very bright.

Let’s get to the charts.

Top 10 most downloaded

Click to view slideshow.

1. Legacy Skin Pack by Minecraft

“Get cracking with these starter skins and old favorites brought over from Minecraft editions of yore. Widen your wardrobe, turn out in a tux, or rock it as a croc.”

2. Purple Parrot Party Palace by Minecraft

“A celebration of all things purple parrot party and palace. Master the mechanics of fireworks, armor stands, jukeboxes, and banners. Traverse a jungle island to find a massive parrot temple. Part tutorial and part adventure, this map will make your parrot dance.”

3. Grid Runners by Noxcrew

“Take on Noxcrew’s Grid Runners: a mini-game map made of classic Minecraft challenges where you can craft, mine, and jump your way to victory. Compete against the clock for the fastest times and team up with all of your friends to find out who is the ultimate Minecraft champion. This is a free map created exclusively for Minecon Earth 2018.”

4. Abstraction: Minecon Earth by Jigarbov Productions

“Featuring the logos that were just begging to be played on, MineCon Earth has floating landmasses with a surprising amount of hidden secrets and challenges.”

5. Pet Shop by Pixelheads

“Welcome to Pet Shop. Choose between 17 lovely pets. Explore a town and earn coins by collecting poop or by catching stray animals. Play fetch with dogs, trim a poodle, or take a snake for a walk. Cats, hamsters, lizards, poodles, capuchin monkeys, snails, hedgehogs, snakes, German shepherds, parakeets, penguins, rats, piggies, ferrets, koalas, chameleons, and rottweilers.”

6. Luxury Life by Pixelheads

“Luxury Life is a world where you role-play life as a billionaire. Cruise the streets in a sports car or any of the 10 other vehicles, explore luxurious mansions and decorate with furniture!”

7. Dragons by InPvP

“Take one of six dragons to the skies and become a legendary dragon rider. Surprise your enemies with custom attacks. Shoot fireballs and drop TNT. Explore three huge castles and the beautiful custom landscape.”

8. Advanced Farming by GameMode One

“Farm your heart out with new machines, vehicles, animals, pets, vendors, characters, and lands to explore. Fully functioning machines and vehicles. New and improved farm animals. Huge custom farm and ranch. A peaceful and relaxing roleplay countryside experience. Progress through the economy and optimize your farm.”

9. Steven Universe Mash-Up by Minecraft

“Steven enters the Minecraft universe in this Diamond-worth mash-up. Contains Steven Universe themed skins, textures, and original music from the show and all your favorite locations, from Beach City to Homeworld. Believe in Steven.”

10. City Life by Pixelheads

“Cruise through the big city in City Life! Chase down a bandit in your police car, save the day as a firefighter or take your dog for a walk.”

Top 10 highest grossing

Click to view slideshow.

1. Pet Shop by Pixelheads

“Welcome to Pet Shop. Choose between 17 lovely pets. Explore a town and earn coins by collecting poop or by catching stray animals. Play fetch with dogs, trim a poodle, or take a snake for a walk. Cats, hamsters, lizards, poodles, capuchin monkeys, snails, hedgehogs, snakes, German shepherds, parakeets, penguins, rats, piggies, ferrets, koalas, chameleons, and rottweilers.”

2. Advanced Farming by GameMode One

“Farm your heart out with new machines, vehicles, animals, pets, vendors, characters, and lands to explore. Fully functioning machines and vehicles. New and improved farm animals. Huge custom farm and ranch. A peaceful and relaxing roleplay countryside experience. Progress through the economy and optimize your farm.”

3. Luxury Life by Pixelheads

“Luxury Life is a world where you role-play life as a billionaire. Cruise the streets in a sports car or any of the 10 other vehicles, explore luxurious mansions and decorate with furniture!”

4. Steven Universe Mash-Up by Minecraft

“Steven enters the Minecraft universe in this Diamond-worth mash-up. Contains Steven Universe themed skins, textures, and original music from the show and all your favorite locations, from Beach City to Homeworld. Believe in Steven.”

5. Dragons by InPvP

“Take one of six dragons to the skies and become a legendary dragon rider. Surprise your enemies with custom attacks. Shoot fireballs and drop TNT. Explore three huge castles and the beautiful custom landscape.”

6. City Life by Pixelheads

“Cruise through the big city in City Life! Chase down a bandit in your police car, save the day as a firefighter or take your dog for a walk.”

7. City Mash-Up by Everbloom Studios

“With over 1,000 hand-detailed rooms, there are stories, secrets, and mini-games around every corner. Build with the city’s full texture pack in your own worlds or take on any role you can imagine!”

8. Dinosaur Island by Pixelheads

“This once-idyllic island has been overrun by prehistoric beasts after the scientists lost control of their genetic experiments. Explore and discover the hidden mysteries of this intriguing island in a completely new adventure on Dinosaur Island.”

9. CampCraft by Blockworks

“A vast wilderness awaits you and your friends in CampCraft. Discover forest animals, ride camper vans, toast marshmallows, sit around the campfire, and set up your own camp.”

10. Shopping Time by Cyclone Designs

“It’s shopping time. Spend emeralds around town to buy furniture, cars, bikes, boats, pets, and much more. Decorate a pre-built house or build your own in a vacant plot and let your creativity and imagination flow.”