Minecraft Ultimate Collection Review (Xbox, PlayStation, Switch & PC)

Minecraft continues to make huge waves in the voxel-based sandbox world, with a brand-new, albeit rather familiar all-in-one duplex package that includes just about everything that you could ever need and want to begin your creative journey across the blocky globe. Thanks to the Ultimate Collection, both newcomers and returning fans of the franchise have can finally have every fragment at their fingertips, with not only a refined version of the vanilla edition, but also as a ton of goodies that stretch from skins to blocks, pets to tools. And that’s barely scratching at the tip of the iceberg.

Of course, you have every reason to remain skeptical about the Ultimate Collection, given that it is, rather simply, a recycled collection of previous packs and block expansions, but in the one bundle. And that’s all that it is: a jam-packed banquet of blocks and other Minecraft items, as well as a smoother version of the base game with general quality of life enhancements. It contains 1,000 Minecoins, too — but that’s besides the point. Frankly, it’s an excuse to persuade die-hard fans to venture back into the hobby. But then, maybe that isn’t a bad thing here.

As the title implies, Minecraft Ultimate Collection is the definitive version of the cult classic sandbox game, therefore it is, in all honesty, the best of the bunch. That is, of course, if you’re relatively new to the game. See, while the Ultimate Collection contains the full weight of the original experience plus all of the other post-launch packs, it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. Rather, it settles for a convenient solution for new players who have yet to bury their heads into the wealth of content. And I’ll be honest with you, there is a lot of content, even without the added packs and lofty expansions. But that’s Minecraft for you; it doesn’t really have a middle or an end. If anything, it just rotates in the nether, forever spouting out fresh ideas for you to fool around with.

If you take all of the packs and goodies into account, then what you have, really, is a meaty encyclopedia that boasts thousands of creative possibilities and blueprints. With more textures to work with, and a huge helping of unique blocks, character skins, tools and structural elements to experiment with, you could, in all likelihood, spend a thousand hours or more here and still have so much left to unpack. But, again, that’s the Minecraft mantra, and something that is still alive and kicking even today. The Ultimate Collection simply illustrates that sense of evergreen beauty with a generously crafted love letter that houses the full spectrum of bits and pieces, verses and bullet points.

Above all else, Minecraft Ultimate Collection is a clean and superbly refined version of the original game that launched back in 2009. With native 4K at the heart of its ecosystem and a huge overhaul in its graphical department, it basically delivers a vibrant, more polished exterior that not only looks better, but also plays a lot better, too. The loading times have been squashed to a pittance, and the animations have been altered to allow for swifter progression and building speeds. Moreover, with faster rendering and world-generating capabilities, it allows for clearer images and much, much easier exploration. And, again, this is only a small portion of what the latest edition brings to the table.

Suffice it to say, Minecraft Ultimate Collection doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel by implementing anything that would ultimately spoil the original experience. Instead, it aims to add a fresh lick of elbow grease to the existing wheel to give it that little extra oomph. To that end, it does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s still Minecraft, but with a little extra meat on the bone  — and with some well-needed technical polish, to boot. The question is, are the technical boons and quality of life updates worth the investment? Should you buy Minecraft Ultimate Collection, or should you give it the cold shoulder?

Verdict

Minecraft clearly boasts a lot of materials to weave an endless tapestry, thus making Ultimate Collection an obvious choice for those who are unaccustomed to the block-based sandbox. However, the question remains: Is it worth picking up if you already own the original game plus a fair share of packs and cosmetics? To be honest, probably not, no. See, while the Ultimate Collection features all of the juicy details and an all-round higher quality emulation of the vanilla version, it doesn’t offer much more than a complete package — which, frankly, isn’t a sight for sore eyes for those who currently have their own bouquet of expansions. But for the newcomer, it’s a no brainer—a perfect anchor point to embark from, given that it includes just about everything that you truly need to make the most out of Minecraft and all of its voxel features.

To make it clear, Minecraft Ultimate Collection is the ideal package for fresh-faced builders, though perhaps not as much for returning veterans who host their own plethora of materials and expansions. It is, for lack of a better description, a fully functioning, all-encompassing suite that will appeal to beginners, but not so much to old-school crafters, nothing more, nothing less. Therefore, if you’ve been dabbling with the thought of slipping into Minecraft for the first time, then consider Ultimate Collection as your go-to package for all of the bare necessities. For die-hard crafters, however, I’d suggest giving this cocktail of blocks and coins a wide berth.