In 'Build Battle,' players compete to see who can build the best object.

Once it is set up, you'll be able to access it at any time by double clicking the name on the Multiplayer server list.ġ. From there, hit 'Done,' and the server will be added to your list of multiplayer servers. To connect to any of the mini-game servers listed, log into Minecraft on your computer, hit 'Play,' and then select 'Multiplayer.' Once you're in the multiplayer menu, you can add a server by clicking 'Add Server.' Fill in a server name (it can be anything you want - this is just so you can identify it in the list), then under 'Server Address,' type in the IP provided. So if you're all playing together, make sure everyone gets to the right game! You must log into the server, then navigate to the appropriate mini-game, usually from some sort of virtual lobby. Be smart about which games you play, which servers you join, and what age of patrons you allow at your programs.Īlso keep in mind that most mini-games are hosted on servers along with other mini-games. Try playing one with your patrons!Ī quick warning, however: These games are hosted on remote servers which are, by their nature, populated by strangers whose behavior you have no control over. Here, I am presenting a short list of the best mini-games, as chosen by a group of middle-school Minecraft players at our library. There are mini-games that mimick games from books ('Hunger Games,' 'Maze Runner'), mini-games that mimick other video games ('Super Mario Kart,' 'Halo,' 'Pokemon'), and some whose concepts are unique to Minecraft. There are endless mini-games available on a seemingly endless list of servers. We've talked about creative mode and survival mode, but there is a third way of playing Minecraft that you will no doubt see your young patrons engaged in (and no, I'm not talking about Story Mode, at least not yet). (Note: If you've never run a Minecraft program before, please read my previous entries on getting started first: So, You Want to Start a Minecraft Program and No Fuss Minecraft Programs.)

It is a building game, sure, but it's also a game that can be used to build other games. This long-term popularity is in part due to Minecraft's flexibity. It's amazing how long this game has remained popular in a world where the shelf life of technology is so short. You may have even played it, and your young patrons certainly have. By now, most people have heard of Minecraft.

Minecraft minigame lobby library