CAVES IN MINECRAFT

I've been taking one of the game's biggest features for granted.

- By Kara Phillips

When I used to play Minecraft in its pre-alpha stage back in 2009, I would actively avoid mining.

Although I loved the satisfaction of getting a full set of iron armor and tools, I would do everything in my power to put it off for as long as possible. This meant I was missing out on one of the main factors of the game—I mean, it’s literally in the title. It’s not really something you can put off for long.

I just felt like there wasn’t much to do when you were down there. Coming across a mossy cobblestone dungeon was pretty rare, and mineshafts weren’t introduced until the game’s full launch in 2011. Minerals and ores were as exciting as it would get for a while after I started playing, so it’s no surprise I'd rather spend some time navigating the overworld rather than digging further and further down in the hopes I'd find something interesting before hitting bedrock and having to turn back on myself.

A FEAST FOR THE EYES