Creative

Creative Mode is one of the main game modes in Minecraft. It is playable in both premium and Classic and singleplayer and multiplayer versions of the game. The Creative game mode allows you to build and destroy blocks instantly in a manner in which you can build any sort of structure you would like.

Players are given an infinite amount of blocks to build with and no health Bar thus rendering the player immune to all damage. The only possible ways to die is to use the /kill command on a server, or to fall into the void. Taking advantage of this, players can create large constructions such as castles, roads, water fountains, and much more along with forms of pixel art. Not only have users designed buildings, structures, and pixel arts, but also mini-sports, such as Spleef.

Along with the absence of hunger and health, the player is also able to fly.

The command to toggle a player's gamemode (survival or creative) in multiplayer (must be operator in able to use this command) is: /gamemode [player's name]

As of snapshot 12w21b the inventory screen in creative mode is updated. It is sorted into the sections 'Building Blocks', 'Decoration Blocks', 'Redstone', 'Transportation', 'Miscellaneous', 'Foodstuffs', 'Tools', 'Combat', 'Brewing' and 'Materials'. There is also a search box and survival inventory. To bring down the new inventory you must press 'Esc'.

Creative Game Play


Once a Singleplayer Creative Mode level is created, it cannot be changed to a Survival world (or vice-versa) within the game without the use of mods. In multiplayer, players can be individually changed between creative and survival mode with the command available to Operators. 0 signifies Survival, and 1 is Creative. This means that individual players can play creative mode (at the Operator's discretion) on a survival map, or vice-versa.

In Creative the inventory screen is replaced by the Item Selection Screen and shows all blocks and items except Fire, Water, Lava, Mob Spawners, End Portals, the Enderdragon Egg and Giant Mushroom Blocks. (However, water and lava can be placed by their respective buckets infinitely, the buckets will never empty.) Although, you can't put on armor (diamond, iron, leather armor etc.)

Dropped items can be picked up by the player, but if the hotbar is already full, the items will go in "invisible" inventory. Even though the regular inventory where these blocks are stored cannot be accessed using any keys, it can still be accessed from the inventory box of a chest, crafting table, furnace, dispenser, enchanting table or brewing stand. As of 12w21b, there is now a tab allowing you to access the survival inventory.

Flying is enabled, activated by double tapping to start flying then single pressing  to go up and  to go down and the  keys (default) to move. You can disable flying in mid-air by double-tapping again, causing you to drop to the ground. Touching the ground when flying also disables flying. However, if you get into a minecart or a bed while flying, when you get out, you will still be flying. You can also destroy beds while sleeping in them, making you wake up before morning. This can also happen in the Survival and Hardcore modes.

You can pick blocks into your hotbar by pressing middle-click. Bug: middle-clicking animals after the 1.2.5 update will give you Bedrock or Lava. And also you can obtain many other blocks that aren't in the item select, items like Nether Portal, Monster Spawner, End Portal, and the Enderdragon Egg by pressing your middle mouse button. This results in not having to use hacks or the /give command unless you're in survival mode. In SMP, any item not in the Creative inventory, including both the items above and enchanted items, will briefly appear in the Creative inventory upon being placed in the player's regular inventory, allowing players to duplicate enchanted items.

Mobs will still spawn like in survival (including monster spawners), but will not try to attack the player unless provoked. Even then they will do no damage. Creepers are still a hazard, as they might explode near structures.

Normally indestructible blocks like bedrock and portals can also be destroyed. Going too far into the Void will still kill the player, but the player can fly around in the Void provided they do not descend below the y coordinate of -64. This, along with the /kill command, is the only way to die in creative mode.

Blocks that are destroyed by means other than clicking on them (destroying a block it is attached to) can still be picked up. However, TNT, paintings, minecarts, powered minecarts and storage minecarts can be picked up when destroyed by punching.

Flying very close to the top of a block without touching it will generate footsteps sounds. As flying is much faster than walking, it will generate a lot of footsteps at once. You can also hear wood footstep sounds when hovering right over some non-solid blocks like torches or signs.

If one flies very high above the clouds, it will seem as if there are two suns; you are actually seeing both the sun and the moon.

Some items and blocks are only available in Creative mode. These are Sponges, Bottle o' Enchantings, Chainmail Armor, Spawn Eggs and Circle Stone Brick.

Representation in level.dat
To change the GameType in the  one has to open it with something like NBTedit:

As of 1.2.1, the code is now different. You'll find the String "GameType" in clear text followed by 0x000000:

Missing Blocks and items
As of 12w21b. There are several in game blocks and items that do not appear in the Item Select Menu:


 * End Portal frame
 * End Portal block
 * Nether Portal block
 * Giant Mushroom blocks
 * Melon stems
 * Tilled soil
 * Pumpkin stems
 * All potions (NOTE: These are the same block ID with different damage values) (Present in 12w21b)
 * Enchanted tools (NOTE: These are all the same block ID)


 * Note, all of these can be obtained with Pick Block. However, Mob Spawners do not spawn the right mobs. Melon and Pumpkin stems plant seeds instead. And potions and enchanted tools simply cannot. Giant Mushrooms do not give the right type of Mushroom block.

Classic Creative
Minecraft website and clicking 'Classic'.

For obvious reasons, any blocks added in the full release, Beta, Alpha, Infdev, or Survival Test cannot be accessed.