After a first teaser a few weeks ago, the AR version of Minecraft for iOS and Android mobile devices was finally revealed. We are talking about Minecraft Earth. Within this new game, we will be able to collect Minecraft blocks as we walk down the street, having fun with a series of mini-games in open spaces, creating our virtual buildings, which can be shared and explored by other players.
Polygon had the chance to try Minecraft Earth and they have said that “It’s a lot like Pokémon Go, except deeper, richer, more ambitious and more technically advanced. It turns my phone into a portal through which, as one Microsoft exec put it, “Minecraft is everywhere.” We can see the first trailer of the game below.
Minecraft Earth will work on Android and iOS devices that have six tracking degrees. For now, five types of activities in the game have been revealed:
Tappables: Activating the app a map appears showing a series of nearby places, in the form of icons. The icons are the “Tappable” that is elements on which it is possible to click once you have approached it enough (about six meters, as reported). These reward with building materials, typical of the game we all know.
Adventures: They are missions placed in open places. Through the augmented reality it is possible to see, for example, a castle or a mine defended by enemies: the player can select a weapon and moving his arms attack the enemies. After winning you are rewarded with other materials. These are activities that can be carried out in groups.
Build Plates: They are the places where it is possible to build through the collected materials. Multiple players can participate, through their own devices, in the construction of the same building/environment.
Exploration: It is possible to take the buildings made with the Build Plates and place them in spacious environments (like a garden) and explore them. It is also possible to place enemies and fight them.
Sharing: You can place your creation anywhere (it probably needs to be spacious enough) and allow others to explore it and interact with enemies placed inside or even break down the walls of the building you created (obviously your creation is saved on your profile and remains intact). You can also share the creation via a link.
However, these are just some of the activities that can be undertaken in the full version of Minecraft Earth. You can sign-up for a summer closed beta of Minecraft Earth here. Tell us, what do you think about it?
