Minecraft for PC is a sandbox type game available on almost all possible platforms: it can be played on computer (Windows, Mac), mobile (a Pocket version for iOS, Android), but also on portable consoles (Switch, 3DS, PS Vita) and home consoles (PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Series X/S). Minecraft is unquestionably one of the most famous games in the creative/exploration genre. Thanks to its easy-to-understand gameplay and its almost infinite possibilities, it has established itself as a must-have video game for young and old. Accessible in both solo and multiplayer, it has one of the most dedicated communities in video games, which offers content on a very regular basis thanks to mods (Minecraft Forge). Minecraft is quite simply the best-selling game in history, and its success doesn’t look like it’s about to fade.
| Developer | Mojang Studio | Year of Launch | 2011 |
| Processor | Intel i3 Gen. 4 | Ryzen 5 2600 | Graphic Card | Nvidia GTX 1050 | Radeon RX 470 |
| Memory | 4 GB | File Size | 39 MB |
| Supported OS | Windows | MacOS | Android | iOS | Category | Sandbox |
| License | Free to Play | In-App Purchases | InGame Store |
| Language(s) | English | Store(s) | Google Play Store | App Store |
| Official Website | www.minecraft.net | Rating |
Why Play Minecraft for PC?
Created in 2009 by Mojang, Minecraft has been owned by Microsoft since 2014, and has established itself over the years as one of the most famous and popular games in the history of the medium. It is a “sandbox” type game that mean it offers a certain freedom of exploration, but also of creation. Its constant success over the years is also linked to the fact that it offers many updates and a community of players who contribute content on a regular basis.
Total creative freedom
The concept behind Minecraft is ultimately quite simple: behind each cube in the game hides a resource that can be used to create structures (buildings, walls, houses), traps or weapons. Each player can thus shape the universe which surrounds him in the way he wishes, simply by recycling the elements already present around him. If we had to compare Minecraft to a physical game, it would certainly be Legos: here, the bricks become blocks that we can reuse endlessly to create the structures we want. And, as its name suggests, Minecraft emphasizes crafting: in other words, it is possible to merge several blocks to create various elements sometimes not found in the game world. This simple concept allows great freedom for players, who can choose their style of play: it is possible to explore the world, to bring a precise focus on the construction of a building, or even to join the world of friends to create a village there and prosper there.
Many game modes in Minecraft for PC
Minecraft also offers several game modes to suit all tastes. The survival mode is the most popular in the game: it challenges players to gather all the material possible to build a structure, craft useful items for survival and try to stay alive as long as possible. For example, it will be important to keep an eye on the level of hunger of the character you play. The creative mode gives the player complete freedom to create the world they want. Here, the blocks are unlimited, the player is invulnerable and can instantly create or destroy anything he touches, for a faster construction and destruction phase. It’s a popular mode for players who want to let their imaginations run wild.
Adventure mode offers, as the name suggests, a real story with narration. Players here can interact with villagers in a pre-established world. On the other hand, it does not allow the destruction of blocks. Hardcore mode is similar to survival, but offers an additional level of challenge: if the player dies, he can no longer reappear in the world and becomes a spectator without the possibility of interacting with other participants.
An extremely active community
In addition to these game modes, Minecraft benefits from an extremely active community of modders. The latter add content to the game on a very regular basis, and make it possible to substantially extend the field of possibilities of the game. To simply take advantage of it, you must download Minecraft Forge, an API for installing mods, which allows you to add a lot of content to the game.
How to play Minecraft for PC?
To play Minecraft, you must first download it to the medium of your choice. For information, Mojang’s game is accessible on almost all current platforms: home consoles (PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One), portable console (Nintendo Switch), computers (Windows, Linux & Mac) and smartphones with its Pocket version (iOS and Android). In terms of prices, Minecraft will not be accessible at the same price depending on the platform: the classic version is accessible free of charge on a web browser for example, while it will take €23.95 to download the Java Edition on Windows, Mac or Linux.
The Pocket Edition for smartphones is available for €6.99 on the AppStore (iOS) or €7.49 on the Google Play Store. The price may also vary on game consoles. To take advantage of all the possibilities offered by Minecraft, it is however important to have a stable internet connection, not only to be able to download the game but also to receive updates and play online with friends. It is necessary to have a Microsoft account to launch Minecraft, regardless of the platform on which you plan to launch the game. To play online on Xbox, you must be a subscriber to Xbox Live Gold. Ditto for Playstation: a PS Plus subscription will be required to take advantage of the game’s online features.
Alternatives to Minecraft for PC
Roblox
While Minecraft is the undisputed leader in sandbox/creative gaming, some competing games offer a similar gameplay system that lets the player’s imagination run wild. Among them, the most obvious is Roblox. The latter leaves the player the possibility of creating his own game or joining one created by other members of the community. It offers several environments, themes and different modes to offer a fully customizable and fun gaming experience, alone or with others. Like Minecraft, Roblox bases its entire experience on its community.
Survivalcraft
Survivalcraft is a game greatly inspired by the survival of Minecraft, also benefiting from cubic graphics. This is about collecting resources and creating objects and a place to shelter in order to survive on an island.
Creativerse
If you are mainly looking for a game that allows exploration, Creativerse is one of the most interesting options, with graphics otherwise similar to Minecraft. The concept of the game is simple: it proposes to travel through a world populated by various creatures and to carry out many missions, which range from the confrontation with certain beasts to the discovery of lost treasures.
Minetest
Minetest is a free & open-source version of the collaborative game MineCraft. The principle is simple: with a cube, players can playfully model a given environment. They assemble the cubes of different textures to reproduce a place, nature or a complete environment.
Terasology
Terasology is a sandbox-like game inspired by Minecraft. Using different tools and raw materials, the player can modify the randomly created environments of the game as desired.
MineClone2
MineClone2 is a survival sandbox game that is still a work in progress. Survive, gather, hunt, mine for ores, build houses, explore, and do much more. The goal of this project is to create a free clone (or imitation) of Minecraft.