Minecraft pushed the definition of the words “video game”, being the paragon of sandbox games. But until you’ve applied these 9 mods and modpacks, don’t you dare think you’ve tried everything the game has to offer!
Mods, or modifications, are unofficial changes made to Minecraft that add some functionality or ability. Some can improve the performance of the game, others give you useful blocks, and more let you fly around like a god!
Disclaimer: Certain mods may not work with certain versions of Minecraft. If you’re getting errors, try disabling that mod or texture and reload.
There will be 3 different categories that we’ll organize the mods into:
- Performance, rendering, and lighting
- Textures, appearance, and UI
- New functions and items
Hold your breath! Here we go!
Performance/Rendering/Lighting
Optifine
Minecraft is critically-acclaimed as a low-spec game, meaning you can play it on pretty much anything and it’ll run smoothly. So if your $3000 battle station PC is going to waste, Optifine will scale up pretty much everything. Better lighting, textures, the whole works!
On the other side, if you have a potato of a PC, Optifine will improve the performance of the game without sacrificing too much in terms of graphics. There’s no reason why you wouldn’t get this mod!
Nevertheless, there’s still one thing that makes this the single best mod in Minecraft:
Ray Tracing
A new technology that will revolutionize graphics as we know it, and offers one of the largest jumps in real time rendering technology since 3D. Unfortunately, though, you will need an incredibly powerful PC as the technology is still being developed and optimized.
I recommend checking out this video for some incredibly beautiful gameplay:
SONIC ETHER’S UNBELIEVABLE SHADERS
If you’re planning on making a massive building or project in Creative, you want it to look its best. Install this and you’ll see a huge improvement. You’ll need to donate $10 to his patreon to get access, but it’s definitely worth it.
You’re seeing the beginning of a technology that will be mainstream in the coming years, so it’d be cool to be a part of that.
Block Mods
In this category, you’ll find mods that affect only the appearance to the game and add no functionality.
Chisel 3
If you like to play a lot in Creative but are dissatisfied with the number of blocks the game provides? Look no further, Chisel 3 has any block you could ask for – seriously. Some blocks have over 20 different variants of the original!
You can check out some gameplay with the mod:
Painted Blocks
Painted Blocks is a really neat idea. It released in April of 2019, and it looks like they’re actively supporting it, so more and more textures will become available in the future.
Basically, this mod lets you get a paintbrush and paint blocks with different colors. To use the brush, use an anvil to rename a stick into a paintbrush. From there, you can choose your texture/color and change the color or texture of the block. Judging by the Planet Minecraft post, they have a super wide array of paints.
Carpenters’ Blocks
If you’re looking for some really awesome looking blocks, this is a must. You’ll seriously never need anything else. With over 13 million downloads, it’s one of the most popular mods of all time. The developer made some super creative versions of almost every block in the game, and surely there will be more to come. The last update was around the beginning of June 2019, so it appears that they’re still maintaining it.
Look at that, they put a chest into a tree! Do my eyes deceive me??
For some awesome gameplay, and instructions on how to install, check out Udisen’s tutorial:
New Functions/Items
Journey Map
Journey Map gives you a hugely improved map, which, in real time, provides you with so many more functions and features.
As you explore the world, areas of the map will be revealed, so you won’t lose your base anymore. You can even give a marking on the map to remember certain points of interest. There are almost endless options and tweaks you can change to make the map yours, so I can’t really name each and every glorious function.
Portal Gun
You need to get this. It’s really fun to play around with. As expected, with this mod, you get a portal gun! It basically has the same function as it does in the game, and you can even see through it.
Galacticraft
We’ve all killed the ender dragon, and we’ve also felt that unexpected dissatisfaction once we do. I, for one, searched for more. In came across Galacticraft, which let me push the Minecraft saga to the solar system scale. The number of new items, machines, and whole new planets that are introduced is really impressive. Trust me, it’s not easy to get off of Earth; you’ll definitely have your Minecraft fix filled after playing this.
After building the rocket (which takes long enough on its own) you can use a rover to traverse the moon and several other planets with realistic biomes. The developers of this deserve a round of applause because this is a super expansive modification.
Storage Drawers Mod
This isn’t something game-changing, but it adds some much-needed variety to chests. They come in different sizes too, depending on the number of stacks needed to be stored.
How to Install Mods
Installing mods can be a bit risky. Be careful about where you download from, because there could be some viruses if you don’t use a credible site. Curse Forge has all the mods you’ll ever need, and they’re trusted, so I recommend that.
- Install Minecraft Forge.
- Find your minecraft mods folder at User/username/AppData/.minecraft/mods.
- Copy the mod into that folder.
- Done!
As said earlier, certain mods don’t work with newer versions, so check before you install. Once you successfully and safely install one, we welcome you to the joyous new modded world of Minecraft!
PUBG, Fortnite, Whatever-Game fanatic. Food evangelist. Internet ninja. Friendly communicator. Twitter fan. Zombie fanatic.
