Minecraft: Pocket Edition (also called Minecraft PE or MCPE) is a version of Minecraft created for mobile devices. The current version of Minecraft Pocket Edition is Update 0.15.6.
Release
Minecraft: Pocket Edition was released on the following dates for various devices:
- Xperia PLAY- August 16, 2011
- Android- October 7, 2011
- iOS- November 17, 2011
- Amazon Fire TV- April 4, 2014
- Windows Phone Store- December 10, 2014
- Windows 10 Store- July 29, 2015
A version for Hololens has also been announced.
Versions
- iOS 8+: Update 0.15.6
- Android 2.3+ Update 0.15.6
- Google Play: Update 0.15.6
- Samsung apps: Update 0.15.6
- Amazon appstore (Fire OS): Update 0.15.6
- Windows Phone 8.1+: Update 0.15.6
- Windows 10 Store: Update 0.15.6
External links
- Official site page (currently redirects to Minecraft.net)
- Last retrieved version from Wayback Machine: minecraft.net/pocket
- iOS App Store
- Google Play
- Amazon Appstore
- Windows Phone Store
- Windows 10 Store
Diversity
Where as the PC version is written in Java, PE has been ported to C++ to function on mobile processors. Even though Android can support Java, since iOS is incapable of supporting Java, C++ is used for cross-platform compatibility. Pocket Edition developers have tried to make the game diverse from PC, with the following features:
- Aside from Infinite and Flat world types, there is an "Old" world type, featuring a finite area of 256x256 blocks with a barrier of Invisible Bedrock. Low-end supported devices have Infinite worlds generation disabled by default, but it can be re-enabled in the game options under the "Experimental" tab.
- The Invisible Bedrock barrier can be walked on, due to the 128-block world height limit, which also doesn't allow for blocks to be placed on it.
- Biomes that exceed the 128-block height limit are shrunk to fit.
- The Far Lands and Stripe Lands are present.
- Fallen Trees are present.
- Huge Mushrooms can be up to 13 blocks tall.
- Village houses have brown Carpet tables, instead of Pressure plate tables.
- The graphics are more vibrant and smoother than in PC, such as an improved burning animation for entities.
- Shadows on entities move depending on the position of the Sun.
- Sheeps' color around its face and patches when sheared correspond its Wool color.
- Sugar Cane can be grown with Bone Meal.
- Pistons have a broader "neck".
- Enchantment Tables have block luminosity.
- Snow layers are affected by Gravity.
- In snowy Biomes, leaves appear frosted with Snow when it is snowing.
- Slime Blocks can naturally spawn in Swamp Biomes. (Very rare)
- Item Frames are blocks, not entities.
- Cauldrons can be filled with Potions. Water inside it can be dyed and this dyed Water can dye Leather Armor.
- Trees grow faster.
- Monster Spawners are available in Creative mode, and what it spawns can be changed with a Spawn Egg.
Reception
Minecraft Pocket Edition has received critically favorable reviews, earning a 4 out of 5 on PCmag and a 7.5 out of 10 on IGN. It remains #1 for top paid apps on the App Store and is #17 for most grossing app overall.
Trivia
- Amazon Fire TV is the first system to allow controller support with Minecraft Pocket Edition.