Java Edition Classic

Classic, is a title given to game modes released before Indev. This version of the game is still playable for free on Minecraft's website. It is no longer updated and only kept for historical purposes. It is only playable in both Creative and Survival Game Modes.

According to Notch, he plans on "...slowly phasing it out. I won't remove it, though. Just hide it."

It is build-based and comes in singleplayer and multiplayer variations. There are mods which have been added in the multiplayer, making the game more varied in gameplay. Some special custom game modes like Lava Survival, TNT Wars or Zombies have also been created. However, most people play Spleef.

Because of its outdated status, it does not support crafting, inventory or any newer features such as dynamic lighting.

Survival Test
It is an early version of Minecraft's survival mode which is still available to play for free at the Minecraft website, although there are no links to it. It can be played here.

Maps created in Classic can be exported to Survival Test due to having the same file type, and vice-versa. This can allow mobs to be imported into the classic versions. However, they cannot hurt the player, and vice-versa. They will however still chase them, and despawn under normal parameters.

Advantages of Pre-Purchasing
Although this mode is free to the public, there are several advantages made available to those who have pre-purchased the game. Some of them are the ability to:
 * Use custom skins in both singleplayer and multiplayer.
 * Save maps made in Classic to the online server.

Classic