Minecraft is one of the best-selling games ever made, and Microsoft wants fans to know that it is constantly working to make it better — even on mobile.
Microsoft and Minecraft developer Mojang published a blog today that highlights the many improvements the Pocket Edition version has seen over the last year. This is important, because the mobile version is how many fans — and especially kids — enjoy their first interaction with the blocky Lego-like world. But as players grow more versed in Minecraft on their iOS, Android, or Windows 10 devices, they may begin to crave a deeper experience. But Pocket Edition lags behind the PC version of Minecraft in terms of features. For example, the PC game was recently updated to version 1.9, and almost none of the additions from that — like the attack strength mechanic and dual wielding are in Pocket Edition. And while that might frustrate some savvy gamers, Microsoft and Mojang have made numerous updates to the mobile version to keep most people happy. It has already surpassed 30 million copies sold on smartphones and tablets, and it is still one of the top purchased premium-priced games on iOS and Android, according to tracking site App Annie.
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To that end, Microsoft released a new trailer for Minecraft: Pocket Edition that shows off some of the things you can do in the game thanks to updates that went live in 2015.
Check it out:
Mojang provided a list of the updates from the last year to really emphasize just how much it has improved. Here is the changelog directly from the developer:
- Upload your own custom skin, or try one from the various packs that Mojang has made
- Ride in a boat with your doggy companion
- Throw things at mobs from inside your boat
- Catch fish from inside your boat — or from not inside your boat
- Make your old worlds infinite in size
- Decorate with all sorts of stone brick variants
- Collect rotten flesh dropped from slain zombies and feed it to your dog
- Drink milk to cure nastiness caused by enemy mobs
- Play cross-platform together with friends using the Windows 10 Edition Beta
- Gather your bravery and explore the Nether
- Tame ocelots and start your very own in-game cat ranch
- Build golems
- Enhance your stuff with anvils and enchantments
- Whip up some fancy potions in Brewing Stations
- Pick up experience and manage your hunger like the true wild survivor you are
- Bunnies
- Enhance your worlds with basic redstone-powered components
- New things to attack you: Spider Jockeys, Cave Spiders, Chicken Jockeys, and Baby Zombies
- More passive mobs – Squids in the water and bats in the cave
- Explore and discover the treasures and danger of Desert Temples