Raspberry Pi User Guide, 3rd Edition

Chapter 13

Minecraft Pi Edition

MINECRAFT, THE CREATION of the Swedish software development firm, Mojang, has become a cultural phenomenon. Blending survivalist gaming with a LEGO-inspired creative approach, the game gives players the tools to explore, mine and build in an open-world environment and has sold millions of copies worldwide across computers, consoles and even smartphones. Now, it’s also available for the Raspberry Pi—and brings with it educational elements that let interested parties learn through play.

Introducing Minecraft Pi Edition

The creation of Mojang’s Aron Nieminen and Daniel Frisk, Minecraft Pi Edition is at its heart a cut-down version of the smartphone-oriented Minecraft Pocket Edition. Although missing many of the features of the full game—such as survival mode, which pits the player against numerous foes in a deadly world—it is very well suited to casual and creative play, particularly by younger children.

Although a very early test release, known as an alpha, Minecraft Pi Edition has already proved popular in education for a number of reasons. The game provides a means for the player to experiment with building by using blocks constructed from a variety of materials, making it a good choice for teaching geographical or architectural concepts. The game is also free, unlike its other variants, with anyone who owns a Pi able to download and make use of the title as they see fit without having to pay a licence fee.

The biggest reason that Minecraft Pi ...