10 best Minecraft challenge ideas

Minecraft is a game of infinite possibilities. So long as players can come up with new builds, minigames, and challenges, there will always be more things to do. However, it can be hard to figure out a unique or fun new way to take on the survival aspect of the game, in stark contrast to the hundreds, if not thousands, of different build ideas out there.

This article will explore 10 of the best Minecraft survival challenges that players can take on. These ideas should help ensure that players never run out of ways to take on the challenges presented by Mojang's blocky masterpiece.

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Explore these Minecraft challenge run ideas to spice up survival playthroughs

1) Old school survival

Not having access to food makes this challenge quite difficult (Image via Mojang)

An old-school survival challenge playthrough intends to mimic how survival worked before the addition of the hunger system. Back then, food would instantly heal a set number of hearts rather than restoring hunger, which allowed players to slowly heal.

To mimic this, players attempting this challenge can't use any consumables, including both food and Minecraft potions. The only exception to this is instant health potions, as they act very similarly to how old food did by instantly restoring hearts when used.

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2) No crafting

Structures are great places to find items when crafting isn't allowed (Image via Mojang)

One of the hardest challenges that a player could attempt to take on is a no-crafting challenge. These runs mean that any armor, tools, or other gear must be found or traded for. This will help encourage exploration and get players thinking about items and materials in a much different way. The only exception here would have to be the eyes of ender, as they must be crafted to be obtained.

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3) Nomad life

A nomadic player exploring a new area (Image via Mojang)

Minecraft survival bases are some of the most iconic parts of survival. This is exactly what makes a nomadic playthrough so interesting. Players attempting this challenge can't set up a permanent base and must carry everything around before setting up a new temporary base each night.

This style of playthrough forces players to constantly do value assessments of items to determine the best things to keep. Players are encouraged to explore huge distances and see many biomes and areas.

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4) Single chunk

The size of a single chunk (Image via Mojang)

Single-chunk challenges force players to live in, explore, and mine all inside of a single chunk. Having to find everything that's needed to survive within a single 16x16 area will force players to make the most of their game knowledge in a truly satisfying way.

Due to how worlds are generated, two minor exceptions will need to be made for strongholds and Nether fortresses. Both these structures are required to reach the fight against Minecraft's ender dragon.

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5) Hardcore

A new hardcore world (Image via Mojang)

Minecraft's hardcore mode is the only official alternative to regular survival offered by Mojang. This difficulty doesn't allow players to respawn, meaning that death is permanent and the world is lost. This forces players to think about the game in an entirely new and much more cautious way. The hearts on the hotbar are also given a unique texture.

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6) Underground only

Underground structures are much more important when the surface is off-limits (Image via Mojang)

The surface of the Overworld is where players will spend the majority of their time. It's easiest to travel around and find new biomes and structures here, and it's where trees naturally grow. This is what makes the idea of an underground playthrough so interesting.

Players attempting one of these runs will have the first day and night to run around on the surface, collecting potentially useful resources, before having to delve underground, never to see the light of the sun again. This will allow players to get useful renewable items, like crop seeds and Minecraft tree saplings, while also requiring players to act fast and think on their feet.

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7) Speedrun attempt

Speedrunning is one of the most popular ways to play the game. Speedrunning requires players to try to beat the game as fast as possible. There are many different versions of the game that players can run, depending on preference.

Additionally, players can decide if they want to use a set Minecraft seed or do a random seed run. The former will encourage memorization and perfect play, while the latter will encourage quick thinking and problem-solving.

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8) Superflat survival

Superflat survival is one of the most unique takes on survival out there. These worlds are different and intended for Minecraft creative mode building, thanks to their flat terrain. It's unfortunately impossible to beat the game on these worlds, as there are no strongholds. However, it's quite interesting to see just how far these otherwise barren expanses can be pushed.

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9) Pacifist run

Snow golems are surprisingly important in Minecraft pacifist runs (Image via Mojang)

A pacifist run means that players aren't allowed to directly attack any Minecraft mobs. This might seem like a simple change, but it completely overhauls how players have to look at the world. Even otherwise simple tasks, like collecting blaze rods, are nearly impossible with this restriction, requiring players to know the ins and outs of how the game works to reach the End dimension.

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10) Single biome

Having to live in a single biome drastically changes how players interact with the world (Image via Mojang)

A single biome run is similar to the previously mentioned single-chunk idea. However, instead of being limited to a 16x16 area, players are instead limited to a single biome. Players should take the first day or two of the world to explore around or use a third-party tool like a Minecraft seedmap, to find the best nearby biome to live in.

As with the single-chunk challenge, players should be prepared to make an exception for the Nether fortress and Minecraft stronghold needed to reach the final boss fight.