Minecraft News and Pocket Edition Updates: New Mini-Games, Bosses Headline Latest Game Modes and Versions
A three-headed monster and lots of lava are in store for sandbox fans.
Since its release in 2009, Minecraft's unique brand of creativity had become a household name for PC, console and now mobile players. Topping one new feature over another, the popular sandbox game had sold over 20 million copies as of 2015.
Technology magnate Microsoft had also stepped in to help developer Mojang pack the game with more updates. This year, two new mini-games are coming to the console versions, while an update brings a new challenge to players of the PC and mobile versions.
Block by block
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For those who do not know anything about Minecraft at all, there is a lot to catch up on. In a gist, it is a sandbox game, where players use blocks to progress depending on the mode.
In Survival Mode, players must craft their way to get through each night surrounded by exploding zombies and skeleton archers, to name a few. During the day, players can gather resources such as wood, food and leather. These materials can be used to craft weapons, torches, a house and, most importantly, a bed, which marks your checkpoint and also advances your night into day.
In Creative Mode, players are provided with an array of blocks they can use to create any world or building they like. YouTubers have capitalized on this feature, creating real-life such as castles, subway systems and universities.
Fear the lava
Earlier this year, Mojang released a new mini-game for the console versions of Minecraft, called Battle. This mode essentially turns Minecraft into a first-person shooter, where players are locked in a free-for-all death match in various PVP maps. Random blocks are generated to arm each player at the start of the mini-game.
On Tuesday, Mojang added another console mini-game, this time called Tumble. Players stand on blocks over a stream of lava, and the objective is to eliminate opponents by breaking their blocks and making them fall into the hot fluid. As a bonus, this update is free to download.
As for the PC and mobile versions, Microsoft rolled out their own update—a new Boss upgrade. The update launched The Wither, a three-headed monster that can be looted for the Nether Star material.
Ocean Monuments, a new part of the vast Minecraft world, are also introduced. The treacherous area, however, is home to another added Boss—the Lovecraftian Elder Guardian.
Microsoft reportedly has more plans for their pet franchise, including letting players access its code to help develop the game further. It also plans to eventually make all versions of the game at par with each other, so they could all be connected to Microsoft Cloud.
Minecraft is currently available on PS4, Playstation 3, Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC and Wii U. It also has a Pocket Edition, which is available on mobile through the Windows store, Google Play and App Store.
