Minecraft Fungal Infection Spore mod: Features, installation guide, and more

The Minecraft mod known as "Fungal Infection: Spore" is a Java Edition modification that creates deadly foes to encounter, (but also new blocks, items, and gear to collect) courtesy of mycelial spores. According to the official lore of the mod, a bioweapon intended to target humans has been released, and infected humans roam the game world in search of targets to infect.

However, despite starting off relatively weak, those infected with the mycelial spores in this Minecraft mod will consume and grow and evolve until they have accrued enough biomass to construct a hivemind. As a player, you're tasked with surviving these new spore-based threats and continuing to live as long as possible despite the inexorable growth of the mycelial fungus.

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How to install the Fungal Infection: Spore mod for Minecraft

Fungal Infection: Spore is a Minecraft mod that utilizes the Forge mod loader (Image via Harbinger/Modrinth)

To install the Fungal Infection: Spore to Minecraft: Java Edition, you'll need the Forge mod loader, and a specific version of the mod loader to ensure the Fungal Infection: Spore mod is installed correctly and runs as intended.

Fortunately, this is pretty easily accomplished, but if you haven't installed a mod like this before, you can check out the steps below:

1. Open your web browser and head to https://files.minecraftforge.net/net/minecraftforge/forge/ before selecting either the 1.20 or 1.19 tab on the left of the web page.
2. Select a version of Forge that is compatible with Fungal Infection: Spore. That means either version 1.20 or 1.20.1. Alternatively, you can select versions 1.19, 1.19.1, or 1.19.2 as well. Whatever the case, click the version you desire and then click the installer button under "download latest".
3. You'll reach an Adfocus page. Wait a few seconds, then click the skip button at the top right of the page. You'll receive a .jar file as a result.
4. Run the .jar file, click the "install client" radial button, and ensure that the Forge installer is pointing to your game's root directory, which should end with the ".minecraft" folder, then press the ok button.
5. You'll be notified that Forge has completed its installation. Next, head to a modding site and find the Fungal Infection: Spore mod, including its Modrinth page at https://modrinth.com/mod/fungal-infectionspore.
6. Click the download button and select the version of the mod that matches the version of Forge that you installed earlier. You'll receive a .jar file much like Forge.
7. Open your Minecraft Launcher and select Java Edition from the game list, then click the button that reads "latest release" and select your Forge version instead, then press the play button.

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Features of the Fungal Infection: Spore mod for Minecraft

A Proto Hivemind in the Fungal Infection: Spore Minecraft mod (Image via Harbinger)

As previously noted, this Minecraft mod is somewhat similar to other "infection/parasite" mods in the modding community with a heavy dose of survival horror elements and gameplay. As time transpires, infected mycelial mobs will roam the environment and attack targets in the hope of afflicting them with spores as well while partially consuming their biomass to instigate evolution.

However, while many infection mods allow the infected to attack various animals and hostile mobs, Fungal Infection: Spore's infected attempt to attack humanoid targets specifically. This includes villagers, pillagers, zombies (who were once human, presumptively) and their variants, and players. Most humanoid targets can become infected themselves, making the mobs that converted them stronger.

In this mod, while infected mobs can mutate and become stronger before ultimately forming a mighty hivemind or calamity, they also have weaknesses. The infected in this mod is incredibly vulnerable to the cold, and some mobs, like infected humans, can die from starvation. Defeating infected can yield new items that can craft new gear. New blocks and beneficial items are also available.

This mod is a work in progress, so it may receive updates and new content over time, but there are tons of hours of intense survival gameplay to be enjoyed with just this lone mod installed, so there's no lack of entertainment as the mod continues to develop.

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Tips for playing the Fungal Infection: Spore mod for Minecraft

A Hindenburg calamity attacking a village in the Fungal Infection: Spore mod (Image via Harbinger)

At the outset of creating your world with this mod activated, creating shelter and procuring food and resources is still imperative. However, nightfall and darkness are even more dangerous now, as infected mobs can spawn and will eventually roam out into the world to find structures populated by villagers or pillagers, or at least roam and find zombies to infect.

As the infected kill other mobs, they'll begin to mutate and evolve to become stronger and gain unique abilities. There's a chance evolution that fails though, which can create scampers, weak creatures that can eventually create mounds, fleshy spore clusters that can spread by converting grass through mycelium until they can form into a Reconstructed Mind, and ultimately a Proto Hivemind.

Stamping out mounds and Reconstructed Minds early is imperative in this Minecraft mod, as the creation of Reconstructed Minds and Proto Hiveminds will result in even stronger foes being created, and the latter can create calamities that are effectively the deadly bosses of this mod.

Because the mobs in this mod are weak to the cold, it's highly advised to seek out a cold biome as soon as possible. Defeat the infected to collect their materials to create spore technology and weapons/armor that will be much more effective, and ultimately harness technology capable of brandishing the cold against these spore-infected beings.