MinecraftRated
At a glance
| Platforms | Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series (src: ESRB); also PC, iOS, Android (verify) |
|---|---|
| ESRB rating | E10+ (ESRB record) |
| Ways to play | Single-player; local & online multiplayer (verify) |
First 10 minutes
When creating a new world, choose Creative mode and Peaceful difficulty. Peaceful stops hostile mobs spawning (Minecraft Wiki). On Java Edition, turn down distortion and field-of-view effects in the accessibility options (Can I Play That). Nobody on our team has played the opening yet.
Good to know: FGD: the ocean-monument jump scare with a loud noise happens only in Survival on Hard. Bedrock (consoles) and Java (PC) have different accessibility settings (minecraft.net).
Sensory scale
Each item is scored from 0 to 3: 0 = None; 1 = Mild, or can be turned off; 2 = Frequent; 3 = Intense and can’t be avoided. “Not enough info yet” means we couldn’t find good evidence, so we didn’t guess. For “Ease of stopping”, a higher score means it’s harder to stop.
Mode: Creative mode on Peaceful difficulty
| What we check | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Flashing or strobe effects | Not enough info yet | No source found on flashing or strobe effects. Source for Flashing or strobe effects, Creative mode on Peaceful difficulty |
| Sudden loud sounds | Not enough info yet | No source on sudden sounds in Creative. FGD lists Balance Audio Levels, so volumes can be adjusted. Source for Sudden loud sounds, Creative mode on Peaceful difficulty |
| Timers or time pressure | 0 of 3 | FGD: in Creative you build freely without damage or enemies, so quick reactions aren't needed. Source for Timers or time pressure, Creative mode on Peaceful difficulty |
| Failure and losing | 0 of 3 | Creative mode: no damage, so you can't lose (FGD; Minecraft Wiki). Source for Failure and losing, Creative mode on Peaceful difficulty |
| Difficulty spikes | 0 of 3 | No damage or enemies in Creative (FGD), so there are no difficulty spikes. Source for Difficulty spikes, Creative mode on Peaceful difficulty |
| Scary content and jump scares | 0 of 3 | Peaceful stops hostile mobs spawning (Minecraft Wiki). FGD says the jump scare happens only in Survival on Hard. Source for Scary content and jump scares, Creative mode on Peaceful difficulty Still checking: Dark caves still exist. A reviewer should check how dark it gets in Creative. |
| Screen motion and camera speed | 1 of 3 | Can I Play That: Java Edition lets you reduce nausea/portal distortion and sprint field-of-view effects; FGD lists No Screen Shake and Motion Sickness Friendly. Source for Screen motion and camera speed, Creative mode on Peaceful difficulty Still checking: Check whether the Bedrock (console) version has the same distortion settings. |
| Competition and online strangers | 1 of 3 | Can be played alone offline. Public online servers can mean talking to strangers (Common Sense Media). ESRB: Users Interact, In-Game Purchases (Switch 2). Source for Competition and online strangers, Creative mode on Peaceful difficulty |
| Ease of stopping | 0 of 3 | FGD lists Save Progress Anytime. Source for Ease of stopping, Creative mode on Peaceful difficulty |
| Reading load and text speed | 1 of 3 | FGD rates it Moderate Reading. Text-to-speech and captions are available (Bedrock). Source for Reading load and text speed, Creative mode on Peaceful difficulty Still checking: We mapped FGD's 'Moderate Reading' to 1. Please confirm. |
Mode: Survival mode (Easy/Normal)
| What we check | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Flashing or strobe effects | Not enough info yet | No source found on flashing or strobe effects. Source for Flashing or strobe effects, Survival mode (Easy/Normal) |
| Sudden loud sounds | 2 of 3 | Steady Strides says Survival can overwhelm kids because of enemies, darkness and sudden sound. Source for Sudden loud sounds, Survival mode (Easy/Normal) Still checking: Score is based on one parent-guidance source. Please confirm how often sudden sounds happen. |
| Timers or time pressure | Not enough info yet | No source on time pressure in Survival. Source for Timers or time pressure, Survival mode (Easy/Normal) |
| Failure and losing | 2 of 3 | You can take damage in Survival, unlike Creative (FGD). Difficulty can be changed at any time. Source for Failure and losing, Survival mode (Easy/Normal) Still checking: Losing items when you die isn't in our sources yet. Check the Minecraft Wiki death page. |
| Difficulty spikes | 1 of 3 | FGD lists Select Difficulty, Customise Difficulty and Adjustable Anytime. Source for Difficulty spikes, Survival mode (Easy/Normal) |
| Scary content and jump scares | 2 of 3 | Enemies and darkness (Steady Strides). On Hard there's an ocean-monument jump scare with a loud noise (FGD). Source for Scary content and jump scares, Survival mode (Easy/Normal) Still checking: Consider 3 for Hard difficulty. |
| Screen motion and camera speed | 1 of 3 | Can I Play That: Java Edition lets you reduce nausea/portal distortion and sprint field-of-view effects; FGD lists No Screen Shake and Motion Sickness Friendly. Source for Screen motion and camera speed, Survival mode (Easy/Normal) Still checking: Check whether the Bedrock (console) version has the same distortion settings. |
| Competition and online strangers | 1 of 3 | Can be played alone offline. Public online servers can mean talking to strangers (Common Sense Media). ESRB: Users Interact, In-Game Purchases (Switch 2). Source for Competition and online strangers, Survival mode (Easy/Normal) |
| Ease of stopping | 0 of 3 | FGD lists Save Progress Anytime. Source for Ease of stopping, Survival mode (Easy/Normal) |
| Reading load and text speed | 1 of 3 | FGD rates it Moderate Reading. Text-to-speech and captions are available (Bedrock). Source for Reading load and text speed, Survival mode (Easy/Normal) Still checking: We mapped FGD's 'Moderate Reading' to 1. Please confirm. |
Concerns to check
Survival mode: enemies, darkness, sudden sound (per source); use Creative/Peaceful
Combat or enemiesScary momentsLoud or sudden sounds
Where to buy
Sources
- Steady Strides ABA (autism Switch guide)
- ESRB rating record
- Family Gaming Database accessibility report
- Common Sense Media review
Spotted something wrong? A way to report corrections is coming soon.