One of the most popular games of the last decade, Minecraft's success doesn't seem to be going anywhere. In the last couple of years, the success has only grown with recent updates and brought many players back to the game. That being said, it's still natural to feel bored and tired of experiencing the game the same way every single time.
This is where the modding community steps in. Minecraft has an immense variety of unique mods and mod packs, as well as resource packs and shaders that can make the game feel totally different. Here are mods that will completely change how players experience the game. Note that some of these will only function on older versions of Minecraft, so make sure to check the download page for information before installing a mod.
Updated on August 18th, 2021 by Anastasia Maillot: Minecraft on its own is a great game, but every year, its fans and the modding community it has created manage to come up with insanely creative modpacks and modded content into and already fantastic survival sandbox game.
There is an abundance of Minecraft mods that completely change the feel of the game, and these are just some of the best, most immersive mods released so far by creators. Each mod now also has a genre next to it, to give players an idea what the mod does.
20 Compact Claustrophobia
- Genre: Skyblock-inspired limited survival, technology and engineering
Not for the faint of heart, this skyblock-inspired survival modpack has Minecraft players stuck inside a tiny cube-shaped room, with nothing but a few basics. The mission from there onward is to thrive and eventually break out of the cube.
Compact Claustrophobia is focused quite a bit of tech and engineering, so it does have a bit of a learning curve. That said, its well-made questing system guides players through each phase of the game by explaining what to do next.
19 Roguelike Dungeons And Adventure
- Genre: Medieval, adventure and RPG, with new structures
Minecraft has a few cool structures in its vanilla version, but nothing quite as intense and crazy as Roguelike's. This mod adds a bunch of new structures into the world for players to discover, and these structures are large and very difficult to conquer.
Moreover, it adds in several new dimensions with boss enemies that will require players to grind and level up first before attempting to fight them. It's the perfect mod for those who love old school RPGs and a real challenge.
18 Enigmatica 2 Expert
- Genre: Mix of technology and magic, with quests
A lot of Minecraft's more tech-based mods might feel a bit intrusive or game-breaking when it comes to immersion, and that's fair enough. The alternative is a modpack like Enigmatica 2 Expert, which, as the name implies, is quite hefty and difficult to get into but rewarding once learned.
Through a large questbook of over 600 quests, the player can attain certain goals by building and unlocking craftable items. Most of the tech is based on magic and plants, through mods like Botania which are a bit closer to the original feel of Minecraft.
17 Rebirth Of The Night
- Genre: Adventure, RPG, Dark Souls-type of punishing gameplay
If Minecraft feels like a walk in the park, mods like Rebirth of the Night are the perfect addition. It's very much focused on adventure and RPG, which a massive added challenge to any mob encounters. Players will actually have to play strategically and think critically about their survival.
Perhaps the most terrifying aspect of this challenging mod is that mobs are much smarter. They will actual mine and place down blocks to get to the player, making the safety of one's home pretty much redundant.
16 Seablock: Rustic Waters
- Genre: Subnautica-inspired, underwater limited survival, steampunk
Subnautica is a wildly popular game for similar reasons as Minecraft, so it's no surprise that a mod called Seablock has come out with gameplay directly inspired by the original game. The concept is akin to skyblock, but everything takes place underwater.
There are new structures to explore, new goals to attain and an oxygen meter to keep an eye on. Just like in Subnautica, players need to survive, build and thrive while exploring what's around them to further aid them on their quest.
15 Applied Energistics 2
- Genre: Sci-fi, technology-centered
Players who appreciate futuristic content and would like to try playing Minecraft using sci-fi inspired technology developed by talented modders, Applies Energistics 2 is one of the most interesting options out there. Energy is a concept that doesn't really exist in vanilla Minecraft, which is why this mod is revolutionary.
The mod brings in a ton of new blocks and items, from brand-new tools to new decorative blocks and ores. With the power of energy, players can build structures they could only dream of previously. To get this mod, head over to its official page.
14 Botania
- Genre: Nature-oriented, magical
Technology doesn't just have to be about wiring and electricity. Botania, a mod that really redefines the natural side of Minecraft, allows players to create machines and farms that are automated through the magical power of plants.
There's an immense amount of new content within the mod, from new gear, tools to new potions as well. If the idea of wiring and creating mechanical machines doesn't appeal to the player, this is a fantastic natural and magical alternative that lines up better with Minecraft's original themes while still changing quite a bit.
13 MineColonies
- Genre: Medieval, immersive structures, village improvement
The villages in Minecraft are nice, but how cool would it be to have a bit more agency over how things are managed within a colony? Imagine being able to determine who works for what and how many NPCs are employed in a massive, growing medieval city.
The aesthetic of Minecraft allows for this, but the logistics of it are provided by Minecolonies, a mod that allows players to actually govern their towns and cities in a more efficient and robust manner. There's even the option to set up proper security and guards for a new colony.
12 The Undergarden
- Genre: Alternate dimension, cave-like
New dimensions are something that Minecraft desperately needs, and thankfully there are a bunch of mods that provide. One of the best and most impressive mods out there right now is the Undergarden mod, which brings the player to an underground, Nether-like cave dimension.
Players will have to see the place for themselves to really appreciate it, but the visuals are truly stunning and eerie. With a new dimension comes new biomes, new mobs, potions, new music as well as even new ores that can be crafted into powerful tools and weapons.
11 Gaia Dimension
- Genre: Alternate dimension, crystal world
For players wanting desperately to feel that classic Aether aesthetic, there's a newer dimensional mod that takes some visual inspiration from the most popular mod of all time. Gaia Dimension is basically a world entirely crafted out of various crystals, which gives it its unique appearance and colors.
As is expected from a dimensional mod, this one also introduces a whole myriad of new hostile and passive mobs and ores to make the player's stay in the Gaia Dimension as exciting and rewarding as possible. With a bunch of new biomes to discover in the dimension, players won't be bored for a while here.