Minecraft (universe)

Minecraft (universe)
Developer(s)	Mojang Studios 4J Studios Other Ocean Interactive Telltale Games Double Eleven
Publisher(s)	Mojang Studios Xbox Game Studios Sony Interactive Entertainment NetEase Games
Designer(s)	Markus Persson (formerly) Jens Bergensten
Genre(s)	Sandbox Survival
Console/platform of origin	Microsoft Windows Apple Mac OS X Linux
First installment	Minecraft (2009, first public alpha; 2011, official release)
Latest installment	Minecraft Dungeons (2020)
Article on Wikipedia	Minecraft (universe)

The Minecraft universe (マインクラフト, Minecraft) refers to the Smash Bros. series' collection of characters, stages, and properties that hail from the video game franchise created by the Sweden-based developer Mojang Studios. Since its development versions in 2009 and official release in 2011, Minecraft has become a worldwide cultural phenomenon and is the single best-selling video game of all time, spawning a litany of spinoffs, merchandising, and media and becoming a staple of popular culture in the subsequent years. Originally an independent property, the franchise and its developer have remained under the ownership of Microsoft since their acquisition on November 6th, 2014.

Franchise description

Minecraft began development in 2009, when independent game developer Markus "Notch" Persson started expanding on one of his personal projects, a base-building demo named RubyDung. He took heavy inspiration from Infiniminer, an open-world, block-themed mining game released earlier that year, lifting its blocky aesthetics, mining gameplay, and first-person perspective, and developed a tech demo named Cave Game, of which he uploaded a short gameplay video to YouTube. He soon renamed it Minecraft: Order of the Stone (a reference to the webcomic The Order of the Stick), then simply Minecraft.

Coded in the Java programming language, a pre-alpha version of Minecraft was publicly released on May 17, 2009. The game's great popularity allowed Notch to work on it full-time, updating it based on feedback. To facilitate this, he founded a video game company, Mojang Specifications (eventually renamed to "Mojang AB" and later "Mojang Studios"). Minecraft entered beta testing on December 20, 2010, then was officially released on November 18, 2011. Later, on December 1, Notch stepped down from his position as lead designer, leaving programmer and designer Jens Bergensten to take his place. In 2014, Microsoft purchased Mojang for US$2.5 billion, thus acquiring the Minecraft intellectual property; Notch soon left Mojang, and the company cut all ties from him.

Minecraft is an open-world sandbox game about survival and creativity, with a block-based world and blocky characters. Worlds are generated pseudo-randomly based on seeds (integer sequences), allowing players to have a different experience for each playthrough, while specific worlds can be recreated and revisited by saving their seeds. Worlds may come with different biomes, affecting the types of scenery and mobs the player may see, and also come with different dimensions to explore (three by default: the Overworld, the Nether, and the End). The player takes on the default appearance of a generic character named Steve or Alex, but can be customized to the player's liking using custom-made textures, known as "skins." As the name implies, the primary gameplay mechanics of Minecraft are mining (digging up blocks to obtain materials) and crafting (using said materials to create new objects, such as weapons or armor).

There are two main modes to Minecraft. In Survival Mode, the focus is to gather resources and become stronger while building a home base. By day, the player normally encounters passive mobs, such as animals that can be tamed and farmed for materials. At night, the player may encounter more dangerous mobs such as Zombies, Creepers, Spiders, Endermen, and so on. While never explicitly stated during gameplay, the goal is to kill the Ender Dragon, who lives in the End dimension; doing so rolls the game's "credits", a surreal dialogue between two higher beings that explicitly breaks the fourth wall. However, there are no limitations on accomplishing this goal, and upon doing so, the player simply returns to their spawn point.

Creative Mode focuses on building creations with a wide array of different blocks and materials. In this mode, survival is no issue, as the player is invincible and has the power to fly around freely. Furthermore, all mobs become passive and all blocks can be mined instantly. The game allows players to play online with other people through custom servers, or on Minecraft Realms (a subscription-based private server service). Online play is a notable and popular part of Minecraft, and because of this, the game is continually updated and re-released with new features.

There have been numerous editions of Minecraft, available on various platforms. The Java Edition, the original edition of Minecraft, is available on home computer platforms such as Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS X (now macOS) and Linux; the Bedrock Edition, rewritten in the C++ programming language, was originally available on iOS and Android and has since been ported to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, as well as on Windows 10; the discontinued Legacy Console Edition is the solely available edition on older consoles such as the Wii U, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and Xbox 360; special editions of Minecraft have been made available on platforms like the New Nintendo 3DS and the Raspberry Pi, but have since been discontinued. Minecraft has also spawned spinoff titles: adventure game Minecraft: Story Mode (co-developed by the now defunct Telltale Games), augmented-reality mobile game Minecraft Earth, though ending its services in June 2021, and action RPG / dungeon crawler Minecraft Dungeons (co-developed by Double Eleven). Additionally, Minecraft has found success as a learning tool through Minecraft: Education Edition, a specialized branch of the main game.

The popularity of Minecraft has led to many third-party companies basing their own games upon it, or crossing over with the Minecraft franchise in some way. For example, Square Enix's Dragon Quest Builders series is a mix between Minecraft's blocky design and survival genre and Dragon Quest's characters and role-playing genre. The Nintendo console versions of Minecraft include the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack, which comes with custom graphics and worlds based upon the Mario series.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

The Minecraft universe was introduced in Ultimate as DLC for Challenger Pack 7, with one fighter, a stage, music tracks, and several Spirits. Three Mii Fighter costumes released separately alongside the new update.

Fighter

• 77.
  
  Steve: The default skin makes his debut as a downloadable character, with Alex, Zombie, and Enderman as alternate costumes. Visually, his appearance and animations match those of Minecraft. In battle, he uses a sword, axe, shovel and pickaxe to fight or mine from the stage for materials. Materials can be used to place Blocks, which serve as an unusual means of recovery, can block attacks, and allow for setups and extended combos, and can also upgrade his tools and sword or replace broken tools for different damage levels and properties. Materials are also used in some of his standard moves, like his down air and down throw (which use anvils), along with some of his specials, which involve TNT, a Minecart, and the rails used to propel it. His Final Smash traps a single opponent into a House of Boom filled with TNT and Creepers, resulting in an explosion that occurs as he dines on a bit of steak. He was released alongside Minecraft World, 7 music tracks and the Minecraft series Spirits on October 13th, 2020 as part of Challenger Pack 7.

Stage

• 
  Minecraft World: The stage has multiple possible layouts, with various possible biomes and structures. Fighters are able to destroy elements of the stage on top of the main level. The stage’s background is styled after the "Java Edition" of Minecraft, as indicated by various aspects of world generation that distinguish it from other versions.

Mii Costumes

Costumes

• Creeper Outfit (DLC)
• Pig Outfit (DLC)
• Diamond Armor (DLC)

Hats

• Creeper Mask (DLC)
• Pig Mask (DLC)
• Diamond Helmet (DLC)

Music

Minecraft received 7 music tracks in Ultimate, 6 of which are new arrangements. Music from the original game was unable to be used due to "various circumstances" including their style being deemed too relaxing (and potentially licensing issues), so the songs are instead taken from spinoff titles such as Minecraft Earth and Minecraft Dungeons as well as minigame themes from the "Legacy Console" version of Minecraft.

Original Tracks

• Halland/Dalarna: A new remix of the two camp themes from Minecraft Dungeons, which was featured in Steve's reveal trailer.
• Earth: A new remix of the main theme from Minecraft Earth.
• Toys on a Tear: A new remix of one of the "shrunk" Battle Mini Game themes from the Legacy Console Edition of Minecraft.
• Dance of the Blocks: A new remix of one of the "shrunk" Battle Mini Game themes from the Legacy Console Edition of Minecraft.
• Glide: A new remix of one of the Glide Mini Game themes from the Legacy Console Edition of Minecraft.
• The Arch-Illager: A new remix of the theme of the final boss from Minecraft Dungeons, the Arch-Illager.

Source Track

• Clockwork Crafter: One of the "steampunk" Battle Mini Game themes, taken directly from the Legacy Console Edition of Minecraft.

Spirits

1,428. Steve 1,429. Alex 1,430. Zombie 1,431. Creeper 1,432. Skeleton 1,433. Slime (Minecraft) 1,434. Enderman 1,435. Villager & Iron Golem 1,436. Ghast 1,437. Piglin 1,438. Ender Dragon

Games with elements from or in Super Smash Bros.

Minecraft

• Playable Characters:
  • Steve is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, with alternate costumes for Alex, Zombie, and Enderman.
  • Tennis Steve, Tennis Alex, Scottish Steve, and Swedish Alex from the Legacy Console Edition's Default Skin pack are the third through sixth alternate costumes.
  • Creeper and Pig appear as costumes for the Mii Brawler.
  • Diamond Armor appears as a costume for the Mii Swordfighter.
• Stage:
  • Minecraft World: Based on how worlds generated in Minecraft look with six different variations derived from different biomes.
• Stage elements:
  • Various mobs from the original game appear, including sheep, cows, chickens, and spiders, in addition to mobs featured in other ways in Ultimate like villagers, zombies, and Endermen.
• Music:
  • "Clockwork Crafter": Taken directly from the Minecraft Battle and Tumble soundtrack.
  • "Toys on a Tear": An arrangement of the song of the same name from the Minecraft Battle and Tumble soundtrack.
  • "Dance of the Blocks": An arrangement of the song of the same name from the Minecraft Battle and Tumble soundtrack.
  • "Glide": An arrangement of the song of the same name from the Minecraft Glide soundtrack.
• Spirits:
  • Steve, Alex, Zombie, Creeper, Skeleton, Slime, Enderman, Villager & Iron Golem, Ghast, Piglin and Ender Dragon appear as Spirits.
  • The artwork used for the Steve, Alex, Zombie, Creeper and Skeleton Spirits are taken from the Legacy Console Edition of the game.
  • The artwork used for the Enderman and Ender Dragon Spirits are taken from the Bedrock Edition of the game.

Minecraft Earth

• Music:
  • "Earth": An arrangement of the main theme.

Minecraft Dungeons

• Music:
  • "Halland/Dalarna": An arrangement of the two camp themes.
  • "The Arch-Illager": An arrangement of the main antagonist's boss battle theme.

Trivia

• According to Daniel Kaplan, former Production Director for Minecraft, talks regarding the game being represented in Smash began as early as 2015.
• Prior to Steve's inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, characters from the Mario, Donkey Kong, Yoshi, Wario, Pac-Man, Final Fantasy, and Banjo-Kazooie universes have appeared as official content, most appearing as skins in the "Legacy Console", “New Nintendo 3DS”, and "Bedrock" editions of Minecraft.
• By official release, Minecraft is the first third-party universe to debut in the 2010s.
  • It is also the second to debut in the 21st century following the Bayonetta universe.
• Minecraft is the third third-party universe in Super Smash Bros. to have a female playable character, after Banjo-Kazooie and Bayonetta.
  • Unlike Kazooie and Bayonetta, Alex is an alternate costume.
• Minecraft is the first third-party primary universe in Super Smash Bros. to be of indie origin, although being a property of Microsoft when joining Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
• Minecraft is the second primary universe in Super Smash Bros. to originate from a non-Japanese developer, the first being Banjo-Kazooie. Coincidentally, both franchises are owned by Microsoft.
• Minecraft is the first universe in Super Smash Bros. to originate from continental Europe, and by extension, any country whose official language is not Japanese or English.

External links

• Article on the Official Minecraft Wiki.