Variants of Survival mode include a peaceful mode, which removes all hostile creatures, and the hardcore mode, which deletes the entire world if players die. There is no definitive endpoint in Survival mode, but gamers may eventually find themselves visiting the Nether, a hell-like alternate dimension full of unique resources, or the End, a dimension that contains only the Ender Dragon, a boss whose death triggers the game's credits. Other mobs include the iconic Creepers, which sneak up on players and explode, or the creepily silhouette-like Enderman, which can teleport and grab blocks, but are benign unless provoked.

Daytime mobs like cows, chickens, and sheep can be killed for food and materials, while nighttime mobs like giant spiders, zombies, and skeletons will attack players on sight. Survival mode is an open-ended adventure in which players are encouraged to gather natural resources, build shelter, and gradually acquire or craft more powerful and effective weapons and armor. There are two modes in Minecraft, both of which can be played alone or with friends in split-screen multiplayer action. The worlds operate on realistic day/night cycles and feature varied terrain and environments, and as gamers explore they come across a variety of creatures and non-player characters known as mobs. Exclusive to the Wii U edition of Minecraft is the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack that adds Super Mario Bros.-themed skins, textures, music, and a pre-made world to the game. In Minecraft, a game of digging, exploration, and construction, players can customize and control the default character (lovingly known as Steve) and head into randomly generated worlds made up of cubes representing various elements and materials, such as iron, sand, and coal.

Minecraft skins layout