Why Minecraft's Hardcore mode is so unique in the world of survival games

Minecraft is a survival game where players fight various hostile creatures, explore irregular terrains and biomes, enter new dimensions, and finish the final boss mob. In the regular Survival mode, if they die due to any cause, they can easily get back up near a respawn anchor like their bed and return to the scene to gather every resource they lost.

However, the game also has the Hardcore mode, which takes things to the extreme. It is safe to say that Minecraft's Hardcore mode has one of the most unique mechanics that hardly any other survival game has.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinion.

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Reasons why Minecraft's Hardcore mode is so unique

One life

Players only have one life to survive in the Hardcore mode (Image via Mojang Studios)

One of the most unique features of Minecraft's Hardcore mode is that players only get one life to survive in and play the game. In most survival games, if they die, they get an opportunity to respawn and restart where they left off. Even at the hardest of difficulties, respawning is an option in most games.

In Minecraft's Hardcore mode, however, players only get 10 hearts that they need to protect at all costs. If they die in a Hardcore world, they will no longer be able to play in that world ever again. No matter how powerful they get in that world with all the farms, endgame gear, elytra, and more, if they die once, that marks the end of their journey there.

After dying in Hardcore, they can only roam around the world in Spectator mode where they cannot interact with anything. If the Hardcore world is multiplayer, they can spectate their friends and help them in several ways.

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Preventive measures to survive in Minecraft Hardcore mode

Totem of Undying is the only item that can counter the Hardcore mode's one-life mechanic (Image via Mojang Studios)

Since players have only one life to protect in the Hardcore mode, there are a few items and methods they should use at all times. One of the most important of these is a Totem of Undying, another extremely unique item that not a lot of survival games have.

The Totem of Undying is the only item in the entire game that can technically respawn a player even if they die in a Hardcore world. If they are holding it in their hands, they will get a second chance at surviving even if their health bar depletes to zero.

Another simple yet important mechanic to survive in the Hardcore mode is to timely sleep when the night falls. This is to eliminate the chance of hostile mobs spawning on the surface and posing a threat to players.

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Check out other Minecraft Hardcore mode articles:

• Hardcore mode officially announced for Minecraft Bedrock
• Top 10 things to do in Minecraft Hardcore
• Which Minecraft features lose their purpose in Hardcore mode?