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JOIN At its core, Minecraft is a game where players place blocks and go on adventures. This includes anything from crafting simple items like containers or weapons, to building structures like houses, castles, and cities, or even making complex mechanical devices, all within the game’s world. Think of it like an endless world of complex, programmable LEGOs that allows players to imagine, design, and create anything they dream up.
Gameplay in Minecraft is split into two different modes: Survival mode and creative mode.
Survival mode is almost like a campaign, where players must forage for food and fend off incoming enemies with various weapons such as swords or pickaxes. Players have to be resourceful when exploring their environment, as they could be attacked by mobs of threatening creatures (such as the iconic Creeper).
The ultimate goal is to use materials to build equipment and structures like houses or gardens to stay safe from the elements. Unlike many similar games, the path to victory is entirely up to the player. The open-world structure invites many different playstyles and encourages experimentation and exploration when dealing with the crafting mechanic. For those that want a structured challenge, the Ender Dragon is the main threat within this mode, and players can try and vanquish it, though it’s not an easy task!Creative mode offers a more open-ended experience, where players do not have to worry about hunger, health, or being attacked by enemies. In creative mode, players can fly and have access to an unlimited amount of in-game resources. With a full arsenal of materials to use, players create and explore to their heart’s content. Some players opt to create simple structures, while others create vast works of art and engineering. The possibilities are endless!
Players can also join private servers that are set up by independent members of the community and are not controlled or moderated by Mojang Studios. Servers may host some users with whom parents may not be familiar. Players can “block” or “mute” other players who
bother them. Many servers are set up by default to censor profanity in text chat; however, some servers – which is an individual player’s “world” – are set up by their host to allow more explicit or objectionable content subject to the specific community guidelines they establish. Voice chat is not available in the PC version of
the game, but players can use other platforms like Discord to chat while playing. Meanwhile, those playing on game console platforms, like Xbox and PlayStation, do have access to in-game voice chat. Of course, you can block or limit with whom your kids’ can communicate via parental controls.
Parents should monitor which Minecraft server(s) their children are participating in to determine if the user base is appropriate. You can also create a private server for your kids called a Minecraft Realm, which allows you to individually approve or deny who is permitted to enter. Microsoft parental controls also enable parents to set up a child account to manage online communications, not just in Minecraft but in other Windows PC and Xbox games.
