This beta version does not change the fundamental basics of the game. However there are some fun new additions to the game and some aesthetic improvements. For example, villages now have MPCs, lilly-pads have been added to water which can be collected and the netherworld has randomly generated strongholds. Other minor elements have been reintroduced, such as roses, or subtly changed such as the way snow now collects on top of ice.

If you're not sure how to play Minecraft or are a newcomer to the game, we recommend you check our beginners guide and read the full review of the stable version. Also, note that to install this beta version, you simply need to put the downloaded file in folder where you have hosted your game data within AppData. To play Minecraft, you need to download a license from the developer site.

Minecraft beta is a must for all hardcore fans of the game.

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Set up

Like the game, Minecraft Server doesn't come with instructions and can be challenging for beginners. You can find a tutorial here. In essence setting up takes four steps:
1. Download Minecraft Server.
2. Execute and configure the server.
3. Check your Firewall settings.
4. Open the Minecraft game client and connect to your server.
Once you're up and running, your friends can join you using your computer's external IP address. Minecraft will then play as usual, but won't be such a lonely experience!

If you can put the time into setting up Minecraft Server, it can be a lot of fun. However, compared to most commercial games, it's incredibly complex!

Performance

The more players you have in Minecraft Server, the more resources it will consume - if your PC is not very powerful, you may notice some lag and fan noise!

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To find skins, all you need to do is browse by username or upload your own file. The developer claims that the best thing about the tool is the ability to play with the position of your model by dragging and dropping, so you can pose it just how you like. You'll also be able to visualize the skins in movement.

If you use Minecraft Skin Viewer, you'll also be able to change the background, and save images of the skins for later.

Download Minecraft Skin Viewer 1.1.0.0 in Softonic

Features

Your world in Minecraft is randomly generated, and you appear in a land surrounded by water, with mountains, valleys, trees and animals. It's not clear what to do except explore to begin with but as the sun sets, monsters appear, who will kill you. Survival is impossible in the open, so you need to build a shelter to hide out in for the first night. Here is a guide.

Playability

Version 1.0 has some nice cosmetic changes, including an HD texture pack, better lighting from torches and even prettier sunsets and sunrises! The game launcher also looks better. There is now a 'Creative Mode', which makes you invincible, gives you unlimited resources, allows you to fly, and fast forward/rewind time! This mode is ideal for players who just want to get on and build cool stuff, without worrying about staying alive.

Quality

Minecraft is constantly being improved. It's blocky graphics give it a unique style, and while there have been many clones and copies, nothing matches the original. The mix of exploration and creation during the day, and frightening survival at night is infectious.

Conclusion

Minecraft is a wonderfully inventive sandbox game that really deserves the title, as your creation in it is only limited by your imagination and time!

What's new

A new realm has been added to Minecraft, which allows faster travel through the huge worlds. Called The Nether, it resembles Hell, and is full of flowing lava and monsters. You can access The Nether using portals made from Obsidian you have mined. Also, when you create a new Minecraft world, it will now be more varied, with 'biomes' of different landscape, like desert, tundra and snow. NPC (non player characters) now roam villages, which can serve as early shelters for you at night, if you can find them!

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Being free and open source, CraftBukkit offers you the ability to modify the way your Minecraft server is run. You'll be able to manage and create new Minecraft servers easily, which in turn will provide more flexibility when it comes to game customization.

CraftBukkit requires you to install Minecraft Server and Java in order to work. Otherwise, installation is pretty simple.

After downloading CraftBukkit, move the craftbukkit.jar file to the directory from which you'd like the server to run on your PC. Open a text editor and type in the following:

java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar craftbukkit.jar
PAUSE

From there, just save the document as run.bat (not as a .txt, please note!) in the same directory you saved the craftbukkit.jar file in. Double click on run.bat, and CraftBukkit should start right up.

CraftBukkit is a great way to customize your Minecraft experience to your own specifications.

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To initially install it, the process is a bit tricky but afterwards it makes life much easier. To install ModLoader, go to the Start Menu and select "Run". Type in “%appdata%” and you'll be presented with the .minecraft/bin folder. You must then open the minecraft.jar with WinRAR or 7Zip. Finally, drag and drop all downloaded files into minecraft.jar. The last step is to delete the META-INF folder. If you have any problem, there's a handy How to install ModLoader tutorial video to help you out.

ModLoader makes installing mods into Minecraft much easier.

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Functions

Open MCEdit, then choose a saved map from Minecraft. You can then fly around it using the mouse and keyboard, and use the interface along the bottom to edit various aspects of the map. The Select tool allows you to select areas of blocks, then delete, copy, cut and more. The Brush allows you to 'paint' any typ of block into your map, and you can specify the proportions of the brush, meaning you can add huge lumps of material if you want. There's a clone tool, fill and replace, and a filter to use with the select option. It's also possible to move the position of your player, and also set a new spawn point.

Usability

MCEdit is pretty easy to use. Editing 3D spaces is always tricky, but MCEdit does a good job of making it as accessible as possible. Everything in the application is well explained if you have a reasonable understanding of Minecraft itself. While purists may think using editors is cheating, MCEdit does allow you to do some cool stuff that otherwise would have been really difficult. One good example is making a huge TNT ball to blow enormous holes in the landscape - it's ugly, but a pretty quick way to mine for minerals!

Conclusions

MCEdit is, in our opinion, the most user friendly Minecraft editor around. It's a great way to add a new layer of creativity to the game!

Download MCEdit 0.1.6 in Softonic

EscapeCraft 2 is the sequel to EscapeCraft adds yet another extra game mode to Minecraft that gives you a plot and goals to achieve.

Like EscapeCraft, EscapeCraft 2 is a room-escape puzzle game that requires you to decipher clues, solve riddles and exploit the idiosyncratic physics of the classic Minecraft game. In EscapeCraft 2, you have to complete a series of goals in order to complete the game. Throughout your quest, you'll find different rooms in which you have to solve different puzzles and work your way out of mazes. Of course, you need to have Minecraft already installed to use EscapeCraft.

In EscapeCraft 2, there are more than a dozen new rooms-o-puzzles, 2 different endings, 50% less rage-quit, functional respawn, minimal game-ending failure penalties and even more corny videogame-clichés than the original EscapeCraft. Like the original, EscapeCraft 2 preserves all the playability of Minecraft that has made it so popular but also adds new challenges to keep things interesting.

However, its aimed mainly at those that are experienced at playing Minecraft. To complete the game, you must have a thorough knowledge of the mechanics of Minecraft (such as redstone, water, etc). In addition, some of the in-game humor is aimed at Minecraft experts and the later levels are extremely difficult.

EscapeCraft 2 will appeal to all Minecraft fans that want to spice things up a bit.

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EscapeCraft is a room-escape puzzle game that requires you to decipher clues, solve riddles and exploit the idiosyncratic physics of the classic Minecraft game. In EscapeCraft, you have to complete a series of goals in order to complete the game. Throughout your quest, you'll find different rooms in which you have to solve different puzzles and work your way out of mazes. Of course, you need to have Minecraft already installed to use EscapeCraft.

EscapeCraft preserves all the playability of Minecraft that has made it so popular but also adds new challenges to keep things interesting. However, its aimed mainly at those that are experienced at playing Minecraft. To complete the game, you must have a thorough knowledge of the mechanics of Minecraft (such as redstone, water, etc). In addition, some of the in-game humor is aimed at Minecraft experts and the later levels are extremely difficult.

EscapeCraft will appeal to all Minecraft fans that want to spice things up a bit.

Download EscapeCraft in Softonic

You can save and load entire inventories, create unlimited stacks and tools, test mods, create huge survival worlds, and much more. Too Many Items works in both singleplayer and multiplayer mode and you may find it even better than playing Minecraft in creative mode.

To install Too Many Items, just put the file in your mods folder. However, you'll also need to copy the classes into your minecraft.jar. There are several YouTube tutorials to help you if you have any problems.

Too Many Items includes unlimited stacks (which can be activated by shift-clicking) but you will need ModLoader for Minecraft for them to refresh constantly.

The full controls for Too Many Items can be found on the MinecraftForum.net forum.

Too Many Items is a powerful and comprehensive Inventory editor for Minecraft.

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If you can't get enough of building huge structures, caves and more in Minecraft's simple but addictive gameplay, MCPatcher will make playing different versions of the game even easier now for you.

MCPatcher is a small program, which makes it simple to use for just about anyone. It contains a comprehensive archive of the main Minecraft versions. Simply opt to upgrade or downgrade to the version of your preference accordingly. MCPatcher also creates backup copies, so if something goes wrong, you can restore the game back to the last version you were playing.

MCPatcher requires an installed version of Minecraft to already be on your computer without modifications for it to work. Unfortunately, installation can be a bit tricky, and you'll need to have administrator powers on any computer you're trying to install it on.

MCPatcher is an indispensable tool that allows users to switch easily between multiple versions of Minecraft.

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To install MCPatcher HD Fix, simply double click on the Patch file. Then open Minecraft, click Mods and Textures Packs and select the pack you want. Of course, you need Minecraft texture packs already installed or downloaded to switch between them. If you still can't see them, make sure you go to the Minecraft root folder and copy and paste some some texture packs into the "texturepacks" folder.

If you want to switch between texture packs more easily in Minecraft, MCPatcher HD Fix is an effective solution.

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In Far Cry 3 for Minecraft, Mods include weapons, tools and environments. The map features key characters, including Vaas, Jason and Citra, all completely redesigned in classic Minecraft-style. Although the gameplay obviously can't live up to Far Cry 3 itself, the developer has made things more interesting by adding over 50 hidden Easter eggs throughout the map.

If you're a Minecraft and Far Cry 3 fan, then you should definitely try Far Cry 3 for Minecraft.

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Like Minecraft, in Terraria you can do pretty much anything you want to do with your tools and imagination. From digging deep underground and finding accessories and money to fighting-off a variety of enemies in numerous "biomes" and gathering wood, stone, ores and other resources, Terraria has an amazing level of depth that Minecraft fans will instantly recognize.

As in Minecraft, your basic aim in Terraria is to create your own world and defend it. You can build a house, a fort, a castle - pretty much anything you want with a little imagination. If you're lucky, people will move in to live in your world and trade with you to help expand your empire. Of course, like Minecraft, graphics are not the strength of Terraria but it's the sheer amount of possibilities and imagination that goes into the game that makes it so enthralling.

If you loved Minecraft, then you should definitely try Terraria.

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1. Downloads the files - no need for big and messy app download. 2. Easy interface. No need for copy/paste, program does everything for you. 3. Change versions as you like. 4. Backup system.

This software can not only upgrade/downgrade your Minecraft game, this software also can backup your game and all this is done very secure! This software has versions down to alpha!

This software is pointed for everyone who is in need of downgrade or upgrade the game Minecraft.

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Slenderman for Minecraft follows the same format as Slender and Slenderman i.e. you are stalked by a mythical figure called Slenderman who drains you psychically if you come into contact with him. However, in Slenderman for Minecraft, he appears very rarely - the developer claims the probability is about "3% per chunk, which is around 2-3 slendermen per biome."

Slenderman can teleport and appear and disappear randomly and in Slenderman for Minecraft, he can see you through all transparent surfaces. He can also break torches, glowstones, redstone torches and other light sources as well as open doors and trapdoors. You can however kill Slenderman in Slenderman for Minecraft with either a Diamond or Slender Sword.

The installation process for this Mod is a bit tricky for beginners and full instructions can be found on the developer homepage.

Slenderman for Minecraft will appeal to all Minecraft players that are big fans of Slender.

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To get the most out of Minecraft you need to search high and low for rare commodities. Minecraft X-Ray gives you the power of X-Ray sight so that you can more easily discover gold, diamonds and pumpkins. Minecraft X-Ray display a 3D flyover view of the world with highly visible luminous markers to indicate the route to the precious minerals. Be warned however that this is heavy on CPU and RAM and it's not recommended to have any other applications open.

Minecraft X-Ray is perfect for beginners to the game or for those that want to get more out of Minecraft.

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Work in progress

Still under development, Ace of Spades really does look a lot like Minecraft, with its pixellated blocky style. But the team combat gives it a very different feel. Building and digging in Ace of Spades is more about making walls and trenches for the battle. The newbie guide even warns you not to be too creative, as your 'buildings will be destroyed'!

Gameplay

There are three guns: a rifle, machine gun and shot gun. You area also equipped with grenades and a spade for digging. You can talk to your team mates in secret to coordinate tactics. Despite the simplistic shooting and graphics, the gameplay is really satisfying. Digging and building adds an interesting dynamic to the game, and some of the servers have really well-designed levels to battle over.

Getting started

Ace of Spades does have its problems. Changing your player name is awkward, and battles can seemingly go on without end. However, these issues will no doubt be ironed out as the game develops. Where Ace of Spades isn't very user friendly, there is at least an extensive Wiki where you can find answers, as well as the newbie guide.

Ace of Spades is a fun release in what is becoming 'the Minecraft genre'. It's free to play, so get involved!

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StarForge blends elements from both Minecraft and the Halo franchises. Just like Minecraft, StarForge has fully manipulable environments. Players can carve tunnels, build platforms and set up weapons to protect their base. StarForge borrows elements from the Halo franchise with its first person shooter aesthetic, as well as having vehicles in the game that resemble those in Halo. Players can even fly into space, opening up a whole new mechanic to the game.

Players will spend a majority of their time preparing for the alien onslaught. Prepare your base by building up walls, putting up spotlights, and placing weapons for the best defense. From the very beginning, all weapons and structures are available to you to build up your base. While Minecraft has Creepers, StarForge has face-eating flying aliens.

Performance and graphics largely depend on your machine. This early alpha of the game requires a decently powerful computer to render its lush environments and to support its rag doll physics. The graphics in StarForge are stunningly beautiful, but players will find that they can also look crunchy at times.

Overall, StarForge is a very promising game with an already-huge fan base. The developers have the right idea and should be able to improve performance and game play in future versions.

Download StarForge 0.100 Very Early Alpha in Softonic