Minecraft is one of the games that I always end up returning to time and time again, like an old familiar friend. While I lament the fact that it will never be completely new again, I can always start a new world to get a fresh start. Of course, I pretty much know what to expect at this point (and I also know that I’m going to struggle to find those doggone Blaze Rods), so even a fresh start can’t compare to the magic of playing this monumental game for the first time.
But after all these years, I’m still not great at it. I would finally say that I’m decent at it, and I might even say I’m kind of good at it now. But when I see some of the stuff that other players have done in this game, my jaw drops to the floor and I realize I will never be a mad genius at this game.
So I want to highlight four of my all-time favorite builds in Minecraft. These are the videos that I go back to time and time again, whenever I need a little inspiration for my own Minecraft creations.
I should point out that all of these videos are kind of old at this point, but I promise you they’re all still worth watching to this day. And if you missed them back when they were new, this list will help you get caught up.
Etho’s World
EthosLab (or just Etho for short) made a name for himself in the Minecraft world by creating some of the most creative and ambitious projects of all time. And the charming, nonchalant, Canadian way he goes about explaining his projects can be quite soothing to listen to.
If you want a good introduction to Etho’s building style and you’ve got a couple hours to spare, you really need to watch his world tour video. This was published two years ago at this point, but it remains one of my favorite Minecraft videos of all time. This is a spectacle to behold, one I go back and re-watch whenever I need a little inspiration.
TrixyBlox’s Underground Elvish City
I showcased TrixyBlox’s stunning underground Elvish city about a year ago, so I feel a little bad about posting it again here. But I couldn’t help myself. This is such a jaw-dropping build that the entire 55-minute video is worth watching over and over again. The whole project took about 300 hours, and it’s not difficult to see why.
There are so many good ideas jam-packed in this one video that it might make you completely rethink the way you approach the game.
Mumbo Jumbo’s hidden doors
If you have a passion for Redstone, than Mumbo Jumbo is your guy. He’s constantly doing weird stuff, like trying to create the most useless machines possible, or trying to build the smallest possible base with the most features he can cram into it.
To get just a taste of Mumbo’s style, check out his project where he built a secret base inside a secret base inside a secret base inside…
Well, it just keeps going. I promise you, this video is a trip, and it will either endear you to Mumbo Jumbo or drive you completely mad.
Wattles’ Season 3 World Tour
There’s something irresistibly charming about Wattles‘ Let’s Play videos. Maybe it’s his endless enthusiasm or just his bizarre sense of humor — whatever the case, he’s always a lot of fun to watch.
The World Tour video showcased here clearly draws inspiration from EthosLab, but Wattles has definitely carved out his own unique niche in this endless building sim.
The thing about Wattles, though, is that his builds feel the most achievable for someone of my skill level. Yes, there’s clearly a lot of creativity at play here, but I think Wattles’ way of thinking about his worlds is at least somewhat similar to my own. No, I don’t have nearly the amount of skill that he does, but whenever I watch a Wattles video, I say to myself, “Holy cow! I think I could build that!”
I should point out that I’ve straight up ripped off several of Wattles builds for my own world, like his ice-based Nether rail system.
Conclusion
And there you go. You now have several hours of content to watch while you’re wiling away the hours at your dead-end desk job, dreaming of the moment when the clock strikes 5 and you can go home and play some Minecraft. I hope these videos get your creative juices flowing. They’ve certainly helped me over the years, and I’m a much better Minecraft builder because of them.