Ten great Java Realms maps to close 2018!
Just in time for the holidays, we’ve got a big bag of maps for Realms! Whether you’re on vacation or working, you’re airing grievances or performing feats of strength, we’ve got something for each and every one of you. It’s a busy week here at the office, so this time Oskar and I have teamed up to give you our thoughts on the multitude of maps.
by Azerus Team
MARC: Some warfare games concern themselves with concepts such as historical accuracy, or if you can 360-no-scope a player after jumping out of a jet, but puzzle wars is mostly concerned with puzzles. Players get a wall with an image, which inconveniently and randomly rotates sections of the image.
It’s up to you to rotate them back into their proper place, but make sure that you do so more quickly than your opponents! If you’re into upgrading your puzzle-based real estate, many in-game store options exist for transforming your island into a more habitable locale.
by SirBenet
MARC: The first thing that jumped out at me about Balloon Bash was the technical prowess on display here. For the most part, you’re not supposed to notice this sort of thing, but you’re also not supposed to be able to bounce off of balloons, fly through valleys in an oversized basket, and watch as hot-air powered vehicles drift lazily across the sky (at least, not in Minecraft). Play through three different balloon-based minigames and you, like me, just might find yourself asking how they accomplished all of this in Minecraft.
by the_suso_craft, adri2711
MARC: A strategic aerial battle over the void, where your primary weapons are your reflexes and… paint? Yes! With paint, players can create blocks while they run and glide, establishing temporary pathways between floating islands. These mysterious islands come with other power-ups, so keep in mind that all of this flying around isn’t just for sightseeing! Your end goal is to knock your opponents into a bottomless void, never to be seen again (or, well, until the next round).
by PopularYouTube, MagicJer10, MagicTin
MARC: When I was a kid, our town had an annual air show on the local Navy base. It was always fun seeing different kinds of planes, especially fighter jets flying in formation, or stunt planes flying upside-down or in loops. In Airshow, some of my favorite kinds of planes are on display. This map is designed to get you thinking about all manner of flying machines; maybe you’d like to add one to your own build?
Whew! Well, I’m sure I have to rush off to a meeting involving blocks or something, so I’m tag-teaming it over to Oskar now. Take it away!
by Dieuwt
OSKAR: Here's a map which is very deftly put together and has incredible replay value. Ruby Caverns is a randomly-generated dungeon with unlockable game modes, NPCs, and shops that keep you coming back for more (even after being venomously taunted by the dungeon upon your death). There are even multiple endings to the story and more secrets that I don't want to spoil for brave would-be dungeoneers. I honestly think I spent something around six hours reviewing this map; I might have done a couple extra runs or ten for, uh, safety measures (don't tell Marc). Oh, did I mention it has mineable rubies?
by Vertex Creations
OSKAR: Stop me if you've been in this situation before: after another day mining precious ores, you return from your mine, and then run into an omnious chicken with red eyes who then kidnaps you to be a test subject for some nefarious experiment. Well, if this sounds like your everyday hustle and bustle, luckily those are just the first thirty seconds of the newest Vertex Creations map, and you're in for a lot more! There’s lots of puzzles that will make your brain grow some extra veins and harder-than-nails dexterity challenges to tackle. As you delve deeper into the lair you’ll learn more about the titular character, and also, possibly, yourself (hey, not very likely, but it could happen).
by LegoBro, CdRCraft, ThatGreenGem
OSKAR: If minigames are your itch, look no further for a scratch than Space Aces! (Well, or the other great selections on this list.) In Space no one can hear you scream, but you can be an Ace at kicking your friends’ behinds with a wide array of weapons and gadgets suitable for the task.
A sign in the lobby confidently tells you "There is a class for your playstyle", and with 15 classes to choose from, that might be a hard assessment to contest. There's actually a bit of effort spent on creating a lore for the characters, the worlds, and the two warring factions, IGSR and RLU (you may or may not learn the meanings of those acronyms when playing). I appreciate extra touches like that, and don't be surprised to see Space Aces: The Motion Picture once those Hollywood execs get their hands on it.
by HomiePinkGuyYT & Dank_Assassin
OSKAR: Here we have a throwback to the arcade games of yore; a gentler time where environmental destruction was a commendable pastime. Although it has a name similar to the seminal arcade classic Asteroids, it also has influences of Space Invaders, with a little... actually, it's probably better to just describe the gameplay itself.
Asteroids (the rocks, not the aforementioned game) rain down at the player from the top of the screen, and you can guide your spaceship to the left and right with your keyboard, pressing the right mouse button lets you shoot directly upward, and hopefully there's an asteroid there when you do so. Some asteroids can take more hits than others, but thankfully there are power ups you can use to make life in the space age that much easier.
by Vertex Creations
OSKAR: Heart Rush is a minigame with a very simple concept: you try to rush into the other team’s base and jump into their spawn to score points. The real draw here for me is the skills system, where you can select three skills which, in combination, can be very powerful. If you combine Vengeance (when you die lightning hits the ground) with Runner (temporary Speed III after respawning) you can charge into battle and go down with a bang every time, and you still have one skill left to pick! There's also an in-game shop where you can upgrade your gear on different paths, meaning there's a lot of room to specialize how you like to play.
by PopularYouTube, MagicTin, and MagicJer10
OSKAR: Let’s wrap this up with something to get you into the festive spirit! Snowmen, penguins, elves. Lists with options for naughty or nice. Bells, bulbs and dinner of the Christmas variety. Yetis?? If none of this gets you into the mood to terrorize your neighbors with impromptu vocal performances, take a look in the mirror. You might be some green furry creature that needs a heart enlargement of at least three size.
OSKAR: And now, back to Marc for the home stretch!
MARC: As we are known to do each year, our team is taking a much-needed break from publishing content until January. We’ve had a good amount of Realms maps recently, but did you know the Minecraft Content Team reviews all of the Marketplace content as well? Let me tell you, there was a whole avalanche of holiday submissions and so we’re all in need of a good snooze. Maybe it’s time to finally catch up on our backlog of spidey, shooty, or smashy games. We’ll be back in 2019 with more fresh Minecraft maps!
To learn about loading this and other content into Java Realms for your PC, visit our help site. If you haven't yet tried Realms for yourself, you'll have a blue diamond on the Minecraft Realms button, located on the main screen of Minecraft: Java Edition. Click it, then follow the instructions to try Realms free for 30 days.
Want to have your own Minecraft creations featured on Realms and on this blog? Head over to this page, which explains the Java Realms Content Creator Program. If you have questions about this process, you can find me on Twitter.
Happy Minecrafting!
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