How to get started in Minecraft

Minecraft is a vast and amazing game. It’s also spectacularly overwhelming when starting out. If you have no idea where to begin, you’re in luck. I’m here to guide you through the very basics so you have the foundations to grow in the game and achieve whatever you want.

Of course, as such an open-ended game, you don’t have to follow these tips. There are plenty of other ways to get started but this is for those moments where you just don’t know where to begin. From there, you can develop your own skills and maybe one day even use the best Minecraft server hosting to have ultimate control over everything.

What type of Minecraft game to choose?

Starting out in Minecraft isn’t actually as simple as loading up the game and you’re all set. Well, it kind of is but it also isn’t. Confused? That’s why I’ve broken things down elsewhere.

It’s important to know whether to play Java or Bedrock with their pros and cons to both setups. I tend to prefer Java as it means more customization options on my PC but Bedrock is your sole option when playing on console and comes with its own advantages.

Once you’ve figured out, you need to decide whether to play Minecraft Creative or Survival. You can’t really fail at Creative so I’m focusing on Survival with the tips below. You need more guidance with Survival than with Creative which lives up to its name and is more to do with artistic vision than lasting as many days as possible. Just let loose with your ideas and don’t worry about getting stuck.

In either case, using one of the best Minecraft seeds may help as you can choose a particular part of the world full of the resource or landscape you need most. If you’re completely new though, don’t worry about this. Come back to that idea when you’re more experienced with the game.

What should I build first?

You’re in the game. Now what? The world seems huge and overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be that way. Collecting resources is a good starting point so just simply punch some trees (really) and smash some blocks. You’ll be collecting useful things in no time.

If you punch a sheep, you end up with wool too, and an uncomfortable realisation that you’ve punched a sheep to death.

You start out with a basic crafting table but you need a slightly bigger one to build genuinely useful items. Do so by collecting four pieces of wood and diving into the crafting menu. Once you have a bigger table, use it to make a wooden axe to ensure chopping down trees is easier. Combine three pieces of wood and two sticks and ta-da – one wooden axe.

There are a LOT more recipes and things to build than this. Far too many to list here but these are some of your core essentials.

How to build a shelter

Surviving is tough but a shelter helps matters. Build items like a pickaxe or shovel then start getting to work on building a shelter.

A shelter gives you the most protection although if you simply want to rest, a bed will do. A bed can be made with three pieces of wood and three wool from sheep. It won’t take long to build.

For a more robust form of shelter, a home helps. You can dig into the side of a hill then place some blocks to create walls around you. You could also create torches with coal and wood. Start small and focus on the basics then work your way up. Adding windows is a nice touch but far from essential, especially on your first day.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed so I suggest building one room with your walls and place a door. You can work on further details as you progress and become more comfortable.

What to do about hunger

Now you have a shelter, it’s time to be aware of your hunger levels. Everything you do from walking, smashing, sprinting, or jumping burns through your energy meter. If you’ve picked one of the easier difficulty levels, the meter goes down slower but it’s still important to keep on top of it.

Kill an animal and eat the raw meat for a quick burst of energy but cooking it is far more beneficial. Mine eight stones and some coal then make a furnace via the crafting table. More intricate food can be created but for now, we just want to get you to tomorrow.

How to survive the night

Night time is dangerous in Minecraft. Once you’ve built your shelter, build a little mine shaft to hide amongst at night. It might be a little dull but with limited defenses, it’s your best option right now.

Find a good place to set up camp and make sure you don’t get lost as you roam in the daytime. Make some tools, make a bed, build a shelter ideally against a hillside, and gather together some meat. Basically, put everything you’ve learned above together.

If you place torches near the entrance, that’ll stop enemies from respawning near you.

Do you need villagers in Minecraft?

Safety in numbers is certainly a thing here and you might hear about villagers a lot. One of the most complex things about Minecraft, you can learn how to breed villagers but I don’t really advise it when starting out. Focus on you first before you get too involved with others.

As before – get that base nice and strong and ensure you can handle a fight or two. From there, you can experiment and work out what your goals are. There’s so much to do here, you’re likely to have your own plan once you know how to survive the first day or two.