Legacy Console Edition

Legacy Console Edition refers collectively to several nearly identical editions of Minecraft developed by 4J Studios for game consoles. It comprises editions for: Previously, the simpler term "Console Edition" was used to refer to these on this wiki, but with the release of the Better Together Update two of the platforms received an implementation of Bedrock Edition as well. (Additionally, New Nintendo 3DS Edition was released shortly thereafter and is also an edition that runs on a console platform but is not based on the same codebase as Legacy Console Edition.) Since it no longer comprises all implementations for all consoles, the term was amended. Each edition of Legacy Console Edition will still be updated for as long as is feasible.
 * Xbox 360
 * Xbox One
 * PlayStation 3
 * PlayStation 4
 * PlayStation Vita
 * Wii U
 * Nintendo Switch

Legacy Console Edition introduces new features such as a simpler crafting system, in-game tutorials, and split-screen multiplayer (excluding Vita), as well as online multiplayer for up to eight players online, which requires a PlayStation Plus subscription (PS4 only), Xbox LIVE (requires Xbox Live Gold subscription), Nintendo Network (Wii U only), or Nintendo Switch Online (will require subscription in the future). As with all editions, updates are free of charge.

On September 20, 2017, Xbox One Edition was withdrawn from the Microsoft Store, in conjunction with the Bedrock Edition's Better Together Update. People who own it will be entitled to download the new Bedrock Edition of Minecraft for free, and their worlds and most purchased DLC will transfer to the new edition. With the Bedrock Engine, they have cross-play with each other as well as the other editions of Minecraft that use it. At the same time, they can continue to play Legacy Console Edition. This also happened with Nintendo Switch Edition on June 21, 2018. To transfer a world from Xbox 360 Edition to Bedrock Edition, it still has to go through the original Xbox One Edition because there has been no announcement of direct transfer functionality between the two versions.

Initially, Xbox One Edition was planned to no longer receive updates, starting with the lack of an equivalent update to TU58, but the edition later received CU50, an update adding the MINECON Earth Skin Pack, and later updates resumed entirely with CU51, an update equivalent to TU60 which also added all the features from TU58.

On May 3rd 2018, Mojang officially announced that most Legacy Console editions will be getting the Update Aquatic, but will receive no further feature updates after its release. The Xbox One and Nintendo Switch Editions are excluded because the Update Aquatic features will be available to them in the Bedrock Edition, which they can obtain for free. There was no mention of future updates for bug fixes on any platform, but the PlayStation 4 Edition will still be updated.

Gameplay
The objective of the game remains the same as its Java Edition and Bedrock Edition counterparts, where players can build virtual realities in a sandbox-like environment. There is no preset goal; the player may choose to set their own goals.

For the most part, Legacy Console Edition is almost identical to Java Edition with few apparent differences, but was released with the Xbox 360 Edition in an earlier version equivalent to Java Edition Beta 1.6.6, rather than the current Java Edition version at the time of release, 1.2.5. The Wii U Edition was released with an earlier version equivalent to Java Edition 1.6.4, rather than the current Java Edition version at the time of release, 1.8.9.

Differences from Java and Bedrock Edition
Differences from Java Edition 1.12 and Bedrock Edition 1.2 include:


 * The game features splitscreen functionality, a HDTV with a Component or HDMI cable is required for split-screen play. Split-screen functionality works with a VGA connection to a PC monitor as well as HDMI-to-DVI cables to a PC monitor. Up to 4 players can play in split screen, as well as the possibility to play 8-person online multiplayer game modes in split-screen. Nintendo Switch Edition also supports splitscreen on the console's own screen, as well as local wireless communications. PlayStation Vita Edition only supports up to 2-4 players online and Ad-Hoc support.
 * The game includes an automatic crafting system where you do not have to place the blocks in the grid. However, there is an option to use classic manual grid crafting like in Java Edition.
 * Legacy Console Edition includes a tutorial mode not included in Java Edition or Bedrock Edition. This tutorial leads the player through the basics of digging and placing blocks, crafting, as well as building their first house to survive the night, fishing, enchanting, brewing, and more.
 * The Zombie Villager sound is outdated.
 * The Player always begins a new world with an empty map.
 * On the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and Wii U platforms, the world size is limited to 864×864 blocks. Because the outer-most block is unusable on each side of the map, it is effectively 862×862 blocks that can be used. The worlds on the Nintendo Switch can be up to 3072x3072, whereas the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 can be up to 5120x5120.
 * The Nether is limited in size and because of this the movement distance in the Nether vs. the Overworld is 1:3 versus 1:8 in Java Edition (1:6 in Switch Edition). Consequently the Nether is limited to about 288×288 for the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U editions, and to about 512x512 for the Nintendo Switch. The End also uses the aforementioned sizes.
 * Players can choose from three different biome scale options when generating a world. The Large" setting is equivalent to the biome scale in Java Edition.
 * Skins can only be chosen from those available as default or from downloadable content.
 * Breeding and utility mob spawning works the same as Java Edition with the exception of limiting tamed wolf and snow golem populations to 16. If the player attempts to tame or breed a 17th wolf, it will be killed by other wolves, and if a player attempts to build a 17th snow golem, upon placing the pumpkin all three blocks will break, dropping one pumpkin and eight snowballs. Also, wolf pups are born with full health and reach adulthood without player input.
 * The edge of the world cannot be mined and is completely sea. The edge of the map is a strip of water surrounding the map followed by an invisible barrier to which players cannot gain access. This can cause problems as sometimes chests in abandoned mineshafts generate at the edge of the map where they are inaccessible. To solve this problem, the player can make and place a new chest next to said chest and use the accessible half of the resulting large chest to open it, making the previously inaccessible items available.
 * Creative mode flying does not conserve momentum, meaning if you sprint and stop quickly, you will not drift to another block.
 * When flying, the player has digital directional movement, meaning that they cannot drift in a full circle. This was done to increase precision when building with a controller.
 * When building a portal to the Nether in a superflat world, the Nether will also be flat.
 * Nether wart randomly spawns on soul sand in the Nether, while in Java Edition and Bedrock Edition nether wart can only spawn in nether fortresses.
 * The edge of the Nether is made of bedrock.
 * PlayStation Vita Edition and Nintendo Switch Edition have Ad-Hoc support, like an offline multiplayer service. It can be toggled on or off (Online or Ad-Hoc), and is also similar to LAN servers but without internet connection.
 * Statistics are replaced with leaderboards, with the exception of Wii U and Nintendo Switch Edition.

Trivia

 * 4J Studios, the company that ported Minecraft to consoles, also ported several other video games, namely Banjo Kazooie, Banjo Tooie, and Perfect Dark for XBLA as well as The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for PS3.
 * Notch stated that the Xbox 360 would be the sole console provider of Minecraft. However, Sony later annnounced that there would be editions for the PS3, PS4, and Vita released. Later, Mojang released the Xbox One edition, announced a Wii U edition, and still later a Nintendo Switch edition, as well as the New Nintendo 3DS Edition.
 * In Creative, entering the Void is not possible (except in the End, where it is easily accessible due to the large gaps between the islands), as the bedrock will remain indestructible in that mode.
 * There is no way to modify Legacy Console Edition legitimately, but it can be cracked to do so. Note that you stand a chance of getting banned when using mods, except on Wii U and Nintendo Switch.
 * You can grab edge blocks with sticky pistons. However, it's impossible to push blocks into the edge.
 * Spiders can climb the edge of the world, as it's classified as a block.
 * Unlike the Old world border in Bedrock Edition, you cannot fly to the top. While it is only 2,147,483,647 blocks tall, the world height is only 511 blocks tall, so you cannot go anywhere near the top.