Minecraft Maps - Everything You Need to Know

Ever wondered how you can get more out of Minecraft? You can extend the game almost infinitely with Minecraft maps. Minecraft maps are custom created worlds that are saved within the Minecraft game. They can be anything from an amazing role playing adventure that immerses you in an epic storyline, to a challenging puzzle or obstacle course map that tests your dexterity, skills, and problem solving abilities.

With Minecraft maps, the possibilities are truly endless. The only real limit is your own imagination. Anyone can create their own world within Minecraft. Try it out for yourself and share your Minecraft world with everyone!

Minecraft is a sandbox style game, which allows players to create their own world with blocks/ It can be played on both single player and multiplayer and features four different game modes; Creative, Survival, Adventure and a lot more. The PC/Mac version of Minecraft has full third-party modding support and there are thousands of custom user created mods, texture packs and skins available to
download and use. 

It also has a save game feature, which allows players to share their own custom made world with others. You'll find lists of the best Minecraft maps everywhere.

Minecraft is one of the most successful independent games of all time. Millions of users on multiple platforms login to play it each month. It is available to play on PC/Mac, iOS and Android devices via the Pocket Edition, and the Playstation and Xbox 360 consoles.

You can buy the game from the official Minecraft website.

The Different Types of Minecraft Maps

If you're new to the world of Minecraft maps, you may be a bit overwhelmed by the amount of different categories that exist for them. Over the years, Minecraft has evolved a lot and many new features such as command blocks and custom resource packs has enabled players to create more and more advanced maps. This also means that the amount of map categories for the game has increased significantly over time.

Adventure Maps

Adventure maps in Minecraft primarily focus on telling a story, and let you play out the role of the main character in the adventure. Make sure to read all of the in-game text, as they will offer instructions on what to do, and allow you to follow the main story of the map.

Creation Maps

Creation maps don't really have any set goal, the main purpose of them is to show-off the amazing creations that Minecraft players have made in-game.

CTM (Complete the Monument) Maps

In CTM (Complete the Monument) maps, the player is placed in a challenging area full of hostile mobs and must survive and find specific items that can be used to complete a monument.

Dropper Maps

Dropper maps in Minecraft are all about falling down a level while avoiding blocks, in attempt to reach the bottom without dying. The first original dropper style map was made by Bigre, simply entitled "The Dropper".

Game Maps

Game maps are mini-games made within Minecraft. They can range from a variety of different things, but most of them are usually inspired by mechanics found in other games.

Horror Maps

If you're up for a bit of a thrill and want a more tense Minecraft experience, then try out a horror map! Be warned though, most maps have many jump scares, including sounds from custom resource packs. Not for the faint of heart.

Maze Maps

The goal of most maze maps in Minecraft is simple; reach the end. You can expect many dead-ends and surprises as your make your way through the map.

Parkour Maps

Parkour maps are all about getting to the finish line as fast as possible. They usually involve lots of challenging jumping puzzles that will test the players skill (and patience).

Puzzle Maps

Puzzle maps aim to test your problem solving skills. They usually require you to complete a certain task in order to proceed to the next puzzle. This could include crafting a certain item with limited resources, or finding a hidden button to press.

PvE Maps

PvE stands for "Player vs. Environment", it essentially means that the main focus of the map is to battle against mobs. This usually entails fighting your way through a dungeon, or trying to survive waves of enemies.

PVP Maps

Player versus Player (PvP) maps are all about competition between people in-game. Battle your friends, enemies and just about anyone else willing to pick up a sword and swing it!

Survival Maps

There are different types of survival maps, some focus purely on survival, for example, the player will spawn on a deserted island with very limited resources and must survive for as long as possible.

However, there are more story driven survival maps available as well, which merge adventure with
survival.

How to Install Minecraft Maps on Desktop

Installing a Minecraft map might seem a little daunting at first, but it is actually a very simple process. This short guide is primarily aimed at Windows users, however it is the same process for most operating systems, only the path to the folder will be different.

The majority of Minecraft maps that you can download will likely be archived within a .zip or .rar file. The folders and files contained in this archive must be extracted into your Minecraft saves folder, this allows Minecraft to detect the map. You will need a file archiver program to do this, such as 7-Zip (Windows only) which is free.

If you have a Mac, the "Archive Utility" built into OS X will be able to open .zip files by right-clicking on the .zip and selecting "Open With > Archive Utility", but you will need a program such as The Unarchiver for .rar files.

Once you're ready to extract the map, you will need to locate your Minecraft saves folder. To find it, follow these steps:

1. Open the Minecraft Launcher.
2. Click "Launch Options".
3. Click "Add new" at the top next to the + sign.
4. Locate where it says "Game directory" and click the green arrow next to the folder icon.
5. Your saves folder will be in here.

Once you've found your Minecraft saves folder, you can copy and paste the location into your file archiver program and extract the Minecraft map to there. 

The location of your saves folder will be something like this: 

"C:UsersyourusernameAppDataRoaming.minecraftsaves".

The alternative way to find your saves folder on Windows:

If you don't want to load up the Minecraft client, then you can use this faster method to find your saves folder:

1. Click on the Start Menu in Windows.
2. Type run into the search box, and select the Run program at the top of the results.
3. Type %appdata%.minecraftsaves into the Run program, and press Enter.

How to Install Minecraft: Pocket Edition Maps on iPhone and iPad

1. Download and extract the folder for the Minecraft: PE map that you want to play.
2. Download and install iExplorer (the free demo version does everything you need).
3. Connect your iOS device and Computer together with a USB cable, and then open iExplorer.
4. Press "Apps" and find "Minecraft PE".
5. Click on the following folders in order: Documents > games > com.mojang > minecraftWorlds.
6. Simply drag and drop the Minecraft PE map folder into the minecraftWorlds folder.

How to Install Minecraft: Pocket Edition Maps on Android

1. Install "ASTRO File Manager" on your Android device from the Google Play Store or Amazon Appstore. Other File Managers for Android can work as well.
2. Use the browser on your device to find a map and download it.
3. Once you've downloaded a map, open "ASTRO File Manager" and click on the "Download" folder.
4. Click on the zip archive file of the map.
5. Press and hold the map folder until this Icon shows up in the top left: Once this is pressed, it should say "Copying 1 item" at the bottom with a "Cancel" and "Paste" button under it.
6. Go back to the Primary folders in ASTRO (where the "Download" folder was located) and then go to "games > com.mojang > minecraftWorlds".
7. Click the "Paste" button at the bottom and your map should now be installed.

You can also simply connect your Android device to a computer with a USB cable and find the "gamescom.mojangminecraftWorlds" folder, then copy and paste the map folder into it.