Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition has got off to a great start so far, and the lovely folks over at 4J Studios are committed to updating the Switch edition to keep it in line with other versions of Minecraft, which in our eyes makes it one of the best versions available courtesy of the console's hybrid nature.
The latest update will be available very soon, as the tweet above from 4J Studios states. You'll be able to try out the recently announced Adventure Time Mash-Up pack, as well as enjoy lots of other improvements:
Change log for Patch 3 - May 30th 2017
- Added Glide!
- Updated Switch Features to be inline with other platforms
- Added Adventure Time Mash-up Pack.
- Added Magic: The Gathering Skin Pack.
- Added Chinese Mythology Battle Map.
- Added Temple, a free Glide track.
- Your best run in Glide will now be recorded (as long as it is under 5 minutes), and a Ghost will fly alongside you in Solo Mode to help you improve!
- The default controls have been changed slightly, and you can now define your own control scheme in the options menu.
- Added Pick Block - This is unassigned by default.
- Added Off-hand slot for Maps and Arrows.
- Added Shulker Box item.
- Added Shulker Shell item.
- Added Iron Nugget item. You can now smelt Iron and Gold armour into nuggets.
- More items can now be used as fuel in a furnace.
- Added new Note Block sounds
- Added some new sound effects for filling Cauldrons, paddling Boats, using a Fishing Rod, and End Portals.
- Using a Firework while gliding with Elytra will now give you a boost. Don't try this at home!
- Added Concrete Powder Blocks – 16 Different colors!
- Added Concrete Blocks – 16 Different colors!
- Added Glazed Terracotta Block – 16 Different patterns!
- Changed the color of Dyes, Wool and Banners
Bug Fixes
- MCCE-4554 - Take Damage when falling into slime block
- MCCE-4704 - Fall Damage being taken in 1x1 areas
- MCCE-4551 - Falling in shallow water is damaging players
- MCCE-2308 - Player Glitched out in Battle Mode
- MCCE-2902 - Squids not spawning in anything man-made
- MCCE-4604 - Battle Mode Spawn Glitch
- MCCE-2019 - Some times when with a arrow or hit the players scren will freeze or shake.
- MCCE-4223 - elytra fly glitch
- MCCE-3164 - Rabbits
- MCCE-4662 - Exp from Coal not going to mending
- MCCE-4591 - Map direction icon skewed
- MCCE-4278 - Banner are giant
Let us know if you've got the Minecraft update yet and if you feel this makes the Switch version even better.
[source minecraftforum.net]
Comments 31
Never played Minecraft but have watched it. If I can find a Switch I would not mind trying out some Minecraft.
Great to see updates coming thick and fast and bug fixes too.
I want Portal Knights released soon on Switch, in retail version as well. I don't like Minecraft at all but Portal Knights looks much better with Minecraft style.
Still cannot find the cartoon textures I bought and seemingly downloaded according to the minecraft icon and eshop. Nintendo have not responded to my email asking can they check what has went wrong. Feeling ripped off.
I really hope they extend the draw distance a bit. It'd be nice if they addressed some of the other strange bugs too, such as falling into blocks. I also wonder if it'd be possible for them to extend the worlds a bit some day? That'd be awesome.
Adding the "Off Hand " slot is great - I use it all the time on the PC version. It also means that shields are coming soon, I am sure! Those change the game up so much on the PC.
Never played it, but i like how they tell you want they fix, instead of the normal Nintendo Stance of Stability update.
@Moon would like the draw distance as well real pain for navigation at moment
Looking real good. I hope they continue to keep this version alive. Maybe we'll get better draw distance and 1080p too at one point, but that's updates are very welcome.
"The update for Nintendo consoles will be out later today/early tomorrow."
"Nintendo consoles"
"consoles"
"s"
So why do you only mention the Switch version?
You know, I've never tried Minecraft before. I got curious so I decided to buy it over the weekend. And.....What exactly IS this game? I still don't get it. I thought it was digital Legos. Then a flaming zombe came after me during the TUTORIAL.
It seems they build this giant, interesting looking world, but the only thing you're actually supposed to use it for is to rip it apart to build random other stuff? And the whole crux of the game is demolishing the entire world around you to gain things to use to build other things that you use to build other things that you use to get blocks to build something you want to build.....and somehow that seems weirdly dystopian....
Am I missing something?
@Moon They deliberately kept the draw distance shorter than Wii U due to a "lack of GPU resources" undocked....
@crackafreeze Well, at least I'm not so dense as to not be missing something It's like a weird acid trip for ADD kids, where you're in this serene but unsettling world and all you're supposed to do is destroy it, and then out of nowhere a zombie wreathed in flames come out.
The main thing I take out of it though is I keep hearing how Minecraft has been all the rage for small kids.....and I got into this game, and it has all the fiddly menu controls of a PC strategy-simulation game, the camera angles of a 90's first person shooter, and a VERY complicated crafting system of hierarchies burred in menus and I keep thinking, this seems WAAAAY too complicated for kids, and WAAAAY too tedious for adults. How is this thing all the rage with kids?
@NEStalgia Although the creative aspect is the biggest hook, for many players survival and exploration are at least equal pillars. Think of it like Morrowind (or similar open RPG) with building and no story.
The real beauty of Minecraft lies in the organic relationship between those three aspects. You create to provide safety, store goods, and survive many nights; you survive to explore deeper, further, and grow stronger; you explore to find supplies and equipment to both build and battle tougher enemies (eventually bosses).
Building is always an element, but more to the extent that it relates to your goals for exploration and survival: do you create simple pits or caves as you progress through the landscape to survive a night or two at a time? Do you attempt to build an entire castle or city with extravagant architecture ? Do you establish various structures and landmarks about the world to navigate and migrate? Do you develop elaborate roads and mines to maximize efficiency? Do you establish a massive farm to collect and utilize all sorts of animals? Do you descend to build a monument declaring yourself lord of the underworld?
Their is quite a lot of depth and complexity which the game doesn't explain, so it's encumbent upon the player to discover their own path to success, or even enjoyment.
@NEStalgia What you are describing is what many witness upon first playing Minecraft, but let go of your expectations and let the world itself life lead you. Not sure how to say it I guess. The first step is to find a seed worth committing to... (There are an incredible amount of varying terrains and landscape amongst seeds, so it's always worth trying a new world.)
The point is finding a world that as you explore impresses upon you the desire to explore further; this will make survival a necessity, which will in turn demand a degree of building effort. Many start with a simple cave he first night (or end up in a tree) and either build that out into something more suitable or head out to prospect for an ideal site for their grand ambitions.
Personally I wouldn't make building my sole ir primary goal until I've nade some headway in the world. That said, it's completely left to the player to find what he or she enjoys. Many simply go into creative mode and fly all over the place to build without any danger... That's not for me — I like even the tension of building a massive skyscraper where a mistake will mean tumbling to my doom.
@ACK Hmm, interesting. Well I started with the "tutorial" world. It has that big castlescape and all. And I can't get past the fact that I have no intention of damaging any of the existing structures. They want me to mine stone...that means dismantling the buildings! I'm a historian by nature, a preservationist, I can't harm a stone on those buildings, they look quite ancient!
And then to get sand for the glass tutorial I have to first make coal by chopping the trees down, and then dig sand, which erases the shoreline and just grows the pond. Why do I want the shore gone? Why do I want the pond bigger? And then when all the trees are gone I just have an empty flat staging ground at the start of the game? It all seems so wrong. It's like "Tract Home Developer Simulator 2012" "Clear all the land, build monuments to high density consumerism!"
What you describe sounds almost fun, confusing (backward) interface aside. But...that "destroy the world" aspect is hard to get around for me.
The other thing I don't get about night....are you really just supposed to sit in the little house you build every time it gets dark and watch the clock waiting for it to get light? (Unless you're battling....I don't have weapons, so I don't know!) And do you forever have to cycle between a million materials to make a billion materials to make a specific material to build from? Or does that get streamlined at some point?
Either way, I still definitely don't understand how kids can comprehend that level of complexity. Surely these are not the same kids that play Skylanders?
The update is also on Wii U, but of course, Nlife doesn't care about the previous console anymore. Like, PushSquare.
@NEStalgia I'm not the best person to answer some of the finer details since I haven't played in many months and I've forgotten many specific details. (I'm waiting on further info on migrating Wii U worlds before jumping into the Switch version... My son and I are very fond of one of our particular worlds, for the buildings we've established and the incredible topography inherent to the seed.).
I've also never done the tutorial, so take that for what its worth... However, I believe the interface has several tricks to streamline crafting and what not, so it may not be as obtuse as it first seems. And as far as kids go, consider that an interface is like a language to communicate with a game. In that sense, kid brains are far more able to hardwire the correlations defined by language associations, so as we age and grow wiser it is somewhat necessary to mitigate our rigid minds. Maybe think back to the old-fashioned parents in the past who struggled to decipher computers and the internet while their kids took to that technologly relatively rapidly.
As for destroying the pristine landscape... I actually do get where you're coming from. I sometimes agonize over meager decisions such as what tree to fell, what area to mine, or where to start building. But that is where finding a world (seed) you appreciate comes in. As you explore you may find a particular waterfall or mountain which inspires you to envision a magnificent structure or view that compels you to alter that environment to suit your vision. There is of course no right or wrong, so you may choose to work with the constraints and build off a present structure or strip and clear the land to provide a flat canvas. Similarly you can do minimal building and live like a caveman with minimal alterations... As you progress you'll likely find your goals and ambition evolving over time.
Eitherway, I believe finding a neat seed is an important entry point to inspire and inform such decisions. The world itself may guide you to an extent and it is perhaps important to stay open to that process.
As for nighttime, it is a risk/reward endeavor. As you progress more tough enemies will spawn at night, so hiding indoors can be alluring. For me, I enjoy the danger of exploring at night, so it doesn't stop me from venturing out. Monsters may have nice gear so battling can be advisable or you can adapt to present danger and flee for a cave or a tree top. Personally I build several towers as landmarks with torches at the top to orient myself at night. I may also add stocked bunkers to each in case of lacking gear or supplies.
That said, my son turtles up at the first sight of sunset and uses that time to tend house, sometimes crafting and often tunneling deeper into the basement mine while improving and expanding facilities. He also takes great pride in tending to our livestock, so he often ascends the watchtower to ensure wolves aren't on the prowl while dispatching creepers who may blow a hole in our structures at a safe distance.
I think a large part of the appeal comes from falling down the rabbit hole and at first being lost and confused to slowly grasp concepts one at a time to eventually become a steward or lord of the environment or essentially whatever you want to be. In that sense, Minecraft is truly freeform RPG.
Combine that with ability to mold the world to your fantasy and share/explore your creation with friends... I think it will become apparent why kids adore Minecraft so. Give it more time and there is a good chance as you discover new aspects of the game that compel you, pretty soon it may feel as if you are spiraling down that hole as well.
EDIT: This is quite long and typed during break on a phone... Pardon me for any confusing wording.
@NEStalgia I tried playing on PC and thought the same thing. I tried it again when the Wii U version came out and had a blast playing co op with my son. I think it helped playing with someone that knew what they where doing instead of someone watching you play and trying to explain it to you.
Most of this stuff should have been here at launch
I am hoping for the Simpsons pack to come to Switch.
@Anti-Matter I totally agree with you there. I just don't get what's so great about Minecraft. Yet Portal Knights looks really awesome and worth a lot more attention.
Just checked, no update available on either Switch or Wii U. Any idea what time it's coming out?
....how is it they'll make MTG skins for Minecraft, but won't release a worthy MTG game? That last pay-wall was terrible--would have forgiven them if the physical packs had a code to get a digital booster pack in the game.
@ACK @ACK Well said. I love how people play minecraft for 1 hour and think its a kids game. I kind of was in that boat but because I paid 40 bucks for it I kept playing and eventually I figured out the in and outs and now I love it. Just made my first trip to the ender world and grabbed some blast rods to make a brewing stand. Every time I get bored I find something new to pull me back in. Youtube helped me a lot with mining. Once you learn to enchant your diamond pick axe the game really opens up. I only play survival on hard mode. makes it interesting.
I am still holding out for the Switch version of Minecraft due to one reason, local play is a huge boon for me. My bro and I are going to be mining and exploring this game together, just need to find a Switch now.
@ACK Thank you for your detailed description of what to do. Both my teenage boys have been playing it for years. I keep thinking I might want to try it, but the idea of playing a game without a formalized end goal kind of bothers me. Also, I don't know if I want to spend time just building.
That said, so many people seem to enjoy it, and it looks cool. I've been trying to get me kids to explain the ins and outs and they haven't done a good job. So, I appreciate you descriptions.
They forgot to remove Herobrine!
I hope we get another nintendo themed texture pack! The Mario Pack looks nice but the music in this is very stressfull imo because they only used tracks of Mario64
@dcstud Just now saw your post. Happy to help!
Minecraft is a great experience as a family, but don't be dissuaded if they leave it up to you to figure out the nuances. Take it as a positive because the mystery is part of the allure, I think. There are many online videos and what not, though it is completely possible to learn much of it through experience (what I did at first, even skipped the tutorial).
Really the main things you need to know off the bat is that you need to find and stockpile food and mine coal to build many torches (wood+coal). Obviously build some kind of bunker and always remember that enemies cannot spawn in lit areas, so apply torches liberally to safe zones. Also consider defensive structures as you amass more equpiment and erect a more extensive base. Creepers, for example, can blow a hole in your structure if they spot you nearby. If you hide out at night in your base, keep busy by mining deeper and deeper below (like a basement), crafting items, and reinforcing your base.
If you have anymore questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer. Most of all, just jump in. Nothing beats practice, so for me I started a few worlds cold, monkeying around and gradually coming to grips with the basics before finding a world that could be my muse and finally committed to the long haul. That initial experience was invaluable in informing me on the nuances of building and proper defensive structures.
Also its wise to develop some method of navigation, both above ground and below. Only what is necessary and natural for you, I wouldn't go overboard unless you want to. Whatever you do make sure you can find your way back home at night or in a pinch.
Anyway, the worst that can happen is a game over or boredom... So just jump in and find your path. Good luck!
@hendie001 Right on. It's frustrating how so much online discourse distills everything down to simple positives and negatives when the result should be the opposite.
Who cares if someone played a game for an hour and didn't like it? What value can we provide? Do we want to dismiss everything we don't like or encourage new endeavors? That's what we need to ask ourselves.
I was skeptical of Minecraft at first, but I made it a goal to understand it knowing my kids were coming to an age where all their friends are playing it. As a pure gamer I wanted to appreciate the enjoyment they found in such a game and experience it with them. I'll say we've had some great times taking down hordes, exploring caves, and building castles, farms, towers, towns, etc. together. And I wouldn't trade the fun we had, the memories we share, for anything else. No matter what anyone says, that is why gaming is great. (Not to say Minecraft is collectively our favorite game, that's Splatoon, easily.)
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