Gameplay in Minecraft consists mainly of adding and destroying blocks on a map surrounded by water on all sides. There are several different types of blocks, some of which perform special functions like spreading or falling down because of gravity.
With these blocks, players create large constructions such as castles, roads, buildings and skywalks, along with forms of artwork. A chessboard or giant picture rarely goes amiss on a server. Not only have users designed buildings, art, and caves, but also mini-sports. Using the current in-game features, users have put them to clever use. An example of a Minecraft sport is Spleef.
Notch has added a Survival mode, and is planning on adding Zombie Siege and other modes to give Minecraft more gameplay. Minecraft is currently considered purely a sandbox construction game. Users who have bought the game can access to the in-development version, or indev. This version can and has contained bugs, but features the most recent work on Minecraft, including dynamic lighting, crafting, farming, new blocks, and a more configurable map generator.
Only Creative and an early test of Survival mode are available to all players; indev and infdev are currently available for those who have bought the game. In the future, there will be multiple other modes and expansion packs.
Currently available game modes
- Creative - A sandbox mode where players can freely build whatever they want without the interference of monsters. In Creative mode players can use as many blocks as they want without ever running out.
- Survival - The player must survive against the elements and roaming NPCs. The current version is an early example, but Infdev is continually updated with new features.
Main game modes when the game will be finished [1]
- Creative - You can build anything for free, and there’s no health bar, and no inventory.
- Survival - There’s a health bar, an inventory, and you need to gather resources to be able to build.
- Adventure (older Dungeons and Levers) - There’s a health bar and an inventory, but you can’t destroy or place blocks, you can only use items.
Table of game modes
| Feature | Survival | Creative | InDev | InfDev | Adventure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium Account | Template:Not required | Template:Not required | Template:Required | Template:Required | Template:Required | |
| Multiplayer | Template:No | Template:Yes | Template:No |  This article describes a feature planned for Minecraft.
It has not appeared in any development versions yet, but is planned to be included in a future update.
|
Template:Unknown | |
| Crafting | Template:No | Template:No | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Unknown | |
| Health | Template:Yes | Template:No | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | |
| Editing Blocks | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:No | |
| Saving | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | On Quit | Template:Unknown | |
| Day/Night cycle | Template:No | Template:No | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Unknown | |
| Limited Map Size | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:No | Template:Unknown | |
| Map Environment | Template:No | Template:No | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Unknown | |
| Custom Character | Template:No | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Unknown | |
| Cave | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Unknown | |
| Set Spawn Location | Template:No | Template:Yes | Template:No | Template:No | Template:Unknown | |
| Respawn after death | Template:No | Template:No | Template:No | Template:Yes | Template:Unknown | |
| Mobs | Template:Yes | Template:No | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Unknown | |
| Finite Water | Template:No | Template:No | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Unknown | |
| Feature | Survival | Creative SP | Creative MP | InDev | InfDev | Adventure |
- Note2: Template:? signify it is both choice, for example, the creative mode have finite and infinite water depending of the servers.