Minecraft is, at its core, a survival sandbox. A huge environment randomly generated for you with the simple gameplay goal of ‘survive and explore’.

That’s not to say your time in Minecraft is completely aimless as the game works to a few rules, such as the way Monsters like to dwell in the dark, which means they will venture out into the overworld at night, making it dangerous. Your world will also always feature a few strongholds in which secrets lurk. Yet even with a big boss to be found the game really thrives on your ability to construct personal goals – literally.

Building is a huge part of Minecraft due to the way blocks can be placed freely in the world. There is a huge variety of these blocks, and an equally large amount of gadgets that you can tinker with. If you’re the sort that enjoys a bit of personal experimentation and expression then Minecraft is most definately for you.

What it most certainly is not is a linear trudge towards a big bad central enemy. As such this guide is not traditional. While it’s easy to tell you how to survive your first night it’s not so simple to instruct you on how to spend the rest of your days as, to truly enjoy Minecraft, you should really be doing whatever takes your fancy.

That’s what makes Minecraft unique, engrossing and frequently confusing. But this guide will make finding enjoyment all that easier, so let’s get digging…