Although many of today’s popular titles are free-to-play games, it might surprise you to find out that Minecraft — the best-selling game of all time — isn’t one of them. Its price varies depending on your platform of choice, but it’ll always cost you something to pick up and play the hit title. However, it is possible to gain access to a free trial of the game. It’s not available on every system — and there are a few limitations — but it’s a good idea to take advantage of the demo before buying Minecraft. There’s also a way to access an old version of Minecraft from 2009 for free, so long as you don’t mind being more than a decade behind the times.
Play the Minecraft demo on PC & Mac
Anyone looking to test out Minecraft on their home computer just need to follow these two easy steps:
- Create a new account.
- Download Minecraft from the official website.
That’s really all there is to it. You’ll have access to the full version of Minecraft, but it only lasts for “five in-game days.” A day in Minecraft runs for about 20 minutes, so you’ll have just over an hour and a half to decide if the game is for you. It’s also a good way to check if your older laptop can handle the procedurally generated worlds and sprawling landscapes of one of the best PC games and Mac games.
Play the Minecraft demo on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
While the demo for the console is more restrictive than PC/Mac, it still allows you to experience the world of Minecraft. Here is where you can access the demo for consoles:
- Xbox One owners can locate the demo on the Xbox Store after searching for ‘Minecraft. ‘
- PlayStation 4 owners can find it on the PlayStation Store after searching for ‘Minecraft. ‘
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to save your progress or go past the trial levels. The demo gives you a hands-on experience of what the game will be like, but you may want to check out gameplay videos on YouTube.
Play the Minecraft demo on iOS and Android
Unfortunately for us, there isn’t a demo version of Minecraft: Pocket Edition available. Gamers can play around with the mobile version of Minecraft, which many people find to be just as fun as playing on a console or PC. However, that type of play does require a bit of learning to fully get an understanding of the controls and mobile features.
For a detailed list of alternative Minecraft games for Androids and iPhones, check out our current guides.
Play Minecraft Classic for free
There is at least one free version of Minecraft Classic for players who prefer a more traditional feel to their game. The 2009 free PC version is available. This game does lack a few of Minecraft’s more modern features, but players can still interact with friends and poke around in Creative mode.
If it’s convenient for you, you can use your browser to play Minecraft. That is not our preferred method, though, because that version of the game is largely bug-prone. That said, it’s still a pretty fair way for players to try out and get used to Minecraft.
If this sounds appealing to you, you can check out the game on Mojang’s official website.
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