5 Reasons to Avoid Playing Minecraft (and What I’m Playing Instead)

Key Points

• Minecraft is highly addictive, with players easily spending hours building and exploring the game’s vast world.
• Minecraft servers can be toxic, with server owners taking advantage of players and toxic players ruining the game experience.
• Minecraft lacks a storyline and end game, which can lead to boredom or addiction for some players.
• Playing Minecraft can cause anxiety due to challenging elements like Redstone and chaotic survival mode.
• The pixelated graphics of Minecraft can strain the eyes and cause headaches, leading to adverse physical effects.

Minecraft has been around for years and is the epitome of popularity. However, you may wonder if there are reasons for you to avoid playing Minecraft. Believe it or not, there are plenty of reasons to avoid this game.

Although Minecraft seems to have something to offer everyone, it’s missing some qualities we love about games while adding a few we don’t. Read through our list and make a fully educated decision about whether this game is suitable for you. Should you decide it isn’t, keep scrolling through our list of alternatives.

Reasons to Avoid Playing Minecraft

Deciding whether or not to play a game takes a little more thought and consideration for some than it does for others. Minecraft is a relatively harmless game that offers hours of fun for a variety of gamers. However, it isn’t for everyone.

As someone who’s played this game for over a decade, there are plenty of reasons to avoid it. So, whether you’re looking into playing for the first time or perhaps getting the game for your kids, read the following sections before deciding.

1. Playing Minecraft Is Highly Addictive

The number one reason to avoid playing Minecraft is that it’s addictive. While that’s true for most great games, Minecraft takes it a bit further. For example, you start in the forest, and you’re going to build a small shelter. Before you know it, it’s seven hours later, and you have an entire fort with 60 chests full of stone and a pet dog (speaking from experience here).

The unfortunate thing about Minecraft is the time it takes to build anything. You must mine for your materials, then build. Then, it’s even worse for those who are easily distracted. You can’t have a castle without a moat, and you might as well track down some sugar cane to plant since you’re making a water feature. Before you know it, you’re wandering the entire map, saving villagers from zombies.

Playing Minecraft can take over your life because there’s so much to do, and every achievement is actually a compilation of tasks. Unless you have superior self-control, it may be best to avoid playing the game.

2. Minecraft Server Owners Can Take Advantage of People

Similar to most games, Minecraft is more fun with other people. The entire goal of Minecraft servers is to bring people together. Unfortunately, these servers can be a bit toxic. Back in 2009, when the game first launched, we really enjoyed the peaceful serenity of hammering away at rocks and collecting birch. Nowadays, everyone wants to join servers and play with others.

The main drawback to this component of the game is that server owners can take advantage of people. Especially kids. While it is possible to find some great servers, it’s also one of those “buyer beware” situations.

Servers do cost money, and they do take time to run. However, some of the more nefarious owners out there have figured out ways to scam people out of money and in-game materials. If you’ve ever had a server owner take your hard-earned stash of diamonds, you know what we’re saying. Furthermore, servers can have toxic players. Bullies who take your materials and blow up your builds can completely ruin the game.

3. There’s No Minecraft Storyline

Minecraft is an open world where you can build and do nearly anything. However, there’s no end game, and there’s no storyline. This game does two things: It never ends and doesn’t give you a purpose.

Many gamers enjoy these things about Minecraft. However, it also presents some issues. You’ll either become bored with it quickly or you’ll get addicted (see our first reason for reference). Your character, Steve, wanders around a blank world with a few tools and infinite possibilities.

Our goal-oriented readers will fare better with a more structured game that has an end. However, our more creative readers who like to relax may see this as a benefit.

4. Playing Minecraft Causes Anxiety

Some of our readers may wonder how Minecraft can cause anxiety. There are so many moving components to this game that it can become really stressful. Have you ever heard of Redstone? It’s one of those super-helpful elements in Minecraft that’s really challenging to figure out. For those unfamiliar, it’s basically like routing electricity. You can spend hours working with it, only to find that you’ve made a mistake somewhere and must completely redo everything.

Furthermore, Minecraft in survival mode is pure chaos at night. You have to feed Steve, but also, you’ve got skeletons shooting arrows at you while zombies try to eat your face and Creepers are blowing up everything you’ve built.

Moreover, if Steve dies, you lose everything you were carrying. You can return to the ill-fated spot where you met your demise unless you fell into lava. Watching your diamond pickaxe melt before your very eyes with no chance of recovery will have you wanting to throw the entire game away.

5. Minecraft Can Cause Headaches

Finally, one of the more severe issues with playing Minecraft is the physical effects that come after hours of gameplay. Minecraft is incredibly pixelated. While it looks cool at first glance, it can strain the eyes and cause terrible headaches. Other gamers have reported seizures and nausea.

One of the reasons for putting down Minecraft, or refraining from ever picking it up, is the adverse side effects. Thanks to the game’s graphics and infinite gameplay possibilities, it may be best to avoid playing it.

What We’re Playing Instead of Minecraft

We’ll assume you agreed with our reasons to avoid playing Minecraft, and you’re still looking for something to play. Fortunately, there are plenty of other games that have similar attributes to Minecraft but with a different twist.

Furthermore, some of these games are free, and some are perfect for mobile devices as well as PCs and consoles. So, let’s dive into good Minecraft alternatives.

1. Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is a fan-favorite that’s quite similar to Minecraft. Although the building aspect is a bit dialed down, it has a cute storyline and an open-world game. After inheriting your grandfather’s farm, you can clear some land and begin building.

Stardew Valley has cartoonish graphics like Minecraft, but they aren’t as pixelated. You can play for hours without getting a headache while also enjoying a bit of structured tasks.

2. Ark Survival Evolved

Another wildly popular game that’s similar to Minecraft is Ark Survival evolved. The entire goal of the game is survival and building. Nearly every gamer we know who loves Minecraft also loves this game. However, it is a true survival game. You start without any materials, punching trees for wood scraps, and along comes a dinosaur to eat you. It’s a rough start, but once you get going, it’s great.

Considering the “T-Rex ate my leg” aspect of this game, it may not be the best for younger audiences. However, it gives you plenty to do, and the graphics are much more realistic than Minecraft.

3. No Man’s Sky

No Man’s Sky is hands-down one of the best Minecraft-esque games to hit the market in a long time. It isn’t just an open-world game. It’s an open-universe game. You can build ships, mine for materials, fight sentinels and pirates, make new friends, and complete quests.

Unlike Minecraft, No Man’s Sky has an excellent storyline. You can play through that or stay on your home planet and build. Of course, you can also meet new and exciting people who love this game as much as you do.

4. Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing is another great game for our readers who just want to relax and design. Its cartoonish graphics are cute without the adverse side effects of headaches and nausea. You can meet unique and colorful animal characters, shop using in-game currency, and explore the neighborhood.

While this game isn’t an open-world concept, it is quite relaxing and gives you plenty of tasks. It’s also more goal-oriented than Minecraft.

5. Lego Worlds

Legos aren’t just for kids anymore, and Lego Worlds is one of the best alternatives to Minecraft. You get the biomes, you get to explore, there are witches and zombies, and creative possibilities galore.

If you’re looking for something a bit more kid-friendly or want Minecraft with a twist, this is a great alternative. Of course, beware, Lego Worlds can be just as addictive as Minecraft.

Wrapping Up

Minecraft is one of those video games that has stood the test of time. Sure, there are occasional updates and new things to explore, but there are still plenty of reasons to avoid playing it. From headaches to addiction and boredom, Minecraft isn’t for everyone.

Of course, there are plenty of other games that will match your interests and fulfill your desire to get creative. Choose a game and enjoy a lazy afternoon enjoying new worlds.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Alainara/Shutterstock.com.