Best Minecraft Mods You Should Add to Your Game
Finding the best Minecraft mods can be a bit tricky if you don’t know where to look. But don’t worry because we’re here to help. Minecraft is not exactly a new game anymore but that doesn’t mean it’s no longer popular. In fact, the blocky sandbox title just recently surpassed all competitors to become the best-selling video game of all time according to Wikipedia. It goes without saying that a lot of people are still playing the game to this day. That’s in no small part thanks to its active modding community.
Mods have allowed many games to remain fresh and interesting many years after their initial launch and Minecraft is no exception. Unlike other games that have most of their mods in one central hub, Minecraft’s modding community is spread across a handful of different websites. As mentioned, however, we’re here to help. In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the best Minecraft mods on the internet. We’ll also add download links to each of them so you easily grab the ones that spark your interest.
JourneyMap
It can be extremely fun to aimlessly wander across the world of Minecraft without having to worry about setting up shop in one specific place. However, you’ll eventually do want to settle down and start building a home. That’s where things can get a bit tricky because the procedurally generated world of Minecraft can make it a bit difficult to remember how to make your way back when you stray too far. This is where JourneyMap comes in. The mod generates a real-time map of the world as you explore, which can be viewed not only in-game but also in a browser.
Spacecraft Mod
Most Minecraft mods take place on the ground but not this one. Just as its name indicates, this particular mod lets you go to outer space. In order to achieve this, you’ll need to use the new items added by the mod, including a rocket, an oxygen tank, and a space suit. You’ll also need to construct a structure that serves as a launching pad for the rocket.
Millenaire
One of the main aspects that make Minecraft so popular is that it offers a huge never-ending world to explore. However, this can also make the game feel a bit empty at times. Well, with this mod that won’t be the case any longer. Millenaire adds villages throughout the world and populates them with various types of NPCs. The NPCs aren't just standing about either. Each NPC is programmed to perform certain tasks such as cultivating crops or expanding buildings. But probably the best part about this mod is that all the villages are Medieval-themed and are inspired by real world 11-century villages from Japan, India, and the Byzantine Empire. To name just a few examples.
OptiFine
Whether due to its blocky nature or the procedurally generated world, Minecraft is infamous for not scaling too well on certain systems. Surprisingly, this applies not just to old PCs but some newer rigs as well. This mod changes that by optimizing the game for all types of systems. Not only are you guaranteed to see better framerates with this mod, but OptiFine will also make the game look much nicer. The mod adds HD textures, smoother lighting, better shaders, and more.
Rope Bridge
This one is pretty straightforward but extremely useful. Rope Bridge does exactly what it says and adds rope bridges to the game. However, there’s a bit more to it than that. In order to build rope bridges, you’re going to need to first build a special grappling hook capable of firing them. After that, you can simply aim at a distant object and fire the grappling hook to create a quick rope bridge to said object. Particularly useful when you need to traverse harsh terrain or climb mountains.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
This is one of the many Minecraft mods out there that imitate fantasy or even real-world locations. As you’ve probably guessed right away, the mod is inspired by the famous wizard's school from the Harry Potter series. This mod adds a massive map that recreates Hogwarts almost in its entirety. If you’re a Harry Potter fan this is definitely a must-have.
Thaumcraft
If you plan on installing the previous mod so you can visit Hogwarts you might as well go all the way and become a powerful wizard yourself. How? Well, with Thaumcraft of course. This mod is all about magic and allows you to reshape items to your needs. Among the new additions, you will find things like altars, wands, and even golems ready to follow your commands. Aside from all of that, the mod also lets you craft new spells for the complete wizard experience.
The Lost Cities
If you love adventures and exploration you’re going to get a kick out of this one. The Lost Cities is a mod that essentially changes the entire world and transforms it into an urban landscape. Just like in the vanilla version, the world is procedurally generated so you’ll be able to spend hours upon hours roaming around the streets of the city. The cityscape will not be populated by any NPC and features partially destroyed buildings, which gives is a pretty nice post-apocalyptic vibe.
Fossils and Archeology Revival
Endermen and Creepers are all fine and dandy but nothing beats going up against towering dinosaurs. Unfortunately, there are no such prehistoric beasts in the vanilla game. But that’s what modding is for. Fossils and Archeology Revival adds a bunch of dinosaurs to the game that will roam around the world. In addition, the mod also introduces fossils that the player can use to bring extinct dinosaurs back to life. The mod also comes with a texture overhaul and even features a new boss for those daring enough to challenge it.
Also Read: Sims 3 Mods
Biomes O’Plenty
Minecraft has quite a bit of biome diversity these days but having, even more, wouldn’t hurt. With this mod, you can expect to enjoy a grand total of 75 new biomes to explore along with about a dozen or so of sub-biomes. Needless to say, that’s quite a lot of new content. The added biomes are very diverse and range from tundra and coral reefs to spooky forests and lavender fields. Considering that simply exploring the world is such a huge part of Minecraft, it’s safe to say that this mod can add countless hours of fun to your playthrough.
The Aether
This mod is a massive collaboration between five of Minecraft’s most well-known modders. The Aether is essentially the polar opposite of The Nether and looks like a celestial realm that can be found above the clouds. This new world is composed of a network of floating islands inhabited by peaceful Aerwhales and giant birds. Enter one of its many dungeons, however, and you’ll soon discover that The Aether is also home to some pretty powerful enemies. Some of these dungeons will be very difficult to complete but it will be well worth it as they reward some very nice unique items.
Inventory Tweaks, NotEnoughItems & Waila
This trio of Minecraft mods work very well together and add a number of quality-of-life improvements to the game. Inventory Tweaks is a tool that can be used to quickly sort your inventory while also automatically replacing broken tools. Meanwhile, NotEnoughItems gives you a list of all the blocks available in the game along with the recipes required to craft them. Finally, Waila provides you with an easy way of discovering what unfamiliar blocks can be used for.
Inventory Tweaks: Download Link
NotEnoughItems: Download Link
Waila: Download Link
Tamriel in Minecraft
This mod was designed specifically for fans of The Elder Scrolls series and does just what it says. The mod adds the entire continent of Tamriel to the world of Minecraft complete with all the province you know and love, such as Morrowind and Skyrim. The mod creator added a nice touch by making sure that each of the provinces features biomes that closely match the landscapes of the original. In addition, there are also a few iconic landmarks scattered throughout the world, including the Imperial City in Cyrodiil.
EyePhone Mod
Can’t take your eyes off your phone even while playing Minecraft? This mod might help with that problem as it adds an in-game phone that you can stare at instead. The EyePhone might be even better than a real iPhone because it comes equipped with quite a few crazy apps, including one that allows you to blow up other people. Unfortunately, the battery of your virtual phone will drain just as fast as that of your real one so you’ll need to craft a charger in order to keep ii powered. Can’t escape low battery life issues even in Minecraft I’m afraid.
Elite Armageddon
We all like to see a bit of destruction every now and again in the world of Minecraft but this mod takes things to a whole new level. Ultimate Apocalypse is a mod that adds a timer to the game, which will cause the overworld to be destroyed upon expiring. Luckily, the underground will remain safe so your character doesn’t necessarily have to die when the world ends. The bad news is that you only have five days or so to stockpile whatever supplies you can for your new life underground.
Chameleon Creepers
Creepers are pretty annoying with them blowing up unprovoked and all. But at least you can usually spot them from a distance and that gives you a chance to get out of their way. Well, this mod makes avoiding them a bit more difficult. Chameleon Creepers gives the suicidal monsters the ability to change their color in an attempt to better match their surroundings. You can still hear their iconic hiss but by then it might be too late to get to safety.
Carpenter’s Blocks
This is one of those Minecraft mods that attempts to change its most fundamental feature – the blocks. The basic gist here is that you get new special blocks to play around with that can mimic the appearance of other blocks. This gives you a bit more creative freedom and makes it so that you can create slopes and other shapes that were not possible in the vanilla game. The possibilities are quite vast so it’s up to you to experiment and create structures that have never been seen before in the game.
Star Wars Ultimate Skinpack
There was already a way of acquiring Star Wars skins for the game even better this mod came out. If you were willing to spend a bit of money on them that is. But why buy them when you can get them for free instead? This mod adds a grand total of 25 Star Wars themed skins that will let you play as all your favorite characters from the series. This includes Chewbacca, Han Solo, Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader, Darth Maul, and many more.
ComputerCraft
Minecraft is not just fun, it can also be very educational, especially with the right mods. This particular one aims to teach players the basics of programming. Once you acquire sufficient knowledge, you can put your programming skills to good use by creating password-locked doors, automated mining rigs, and much more. ComputerCraft even lets you create entirely new video games in the world of Minecraft. Yes, you can make a video game inside another video game. Where else can you do that except Minecraft?
Final Thoughts on the Best Minecraft Mods
Minecraft is a great sandbox experience that can be made even better by adding certain mods. It’s worth noting, however, that not all of these mods work well together so you’ll need to do a bit of research if you want to install a whole bunch of them. Something else to keep in mind is that each mod has specific installation instructions. Luckily, the instructions can be found by visiting the download links found beneath each mod.
