One of the more popular things to do in the Minecraft community is to set a building challenge. It makes sense with placing blocks and building structures being such a core mechanic that people would want to test their abilities. What is brilliant about it is that a build challenge can be done solo or with friends (cooperatively or competitively), making it a very flexible rule set as well. If you are doing a competitive build-off, designate areas that your structures must stay in and decide if you want to time each other or not to build the better object.
In case you need some ideas for fun and different things to build, we have come up with a list for you to sort through. Be sure to use your imagination and building skills to create these to the best of your ability. For some extra inspiration, we also found YouTube creators who have made great examples of each challenge.
Related: The 5 best Minecraft city building ideas, concepts and designs
The best ideas for a building challenge in Minecraft
Castle
Why make an ordinary building when you can live in the most luxurious castle? Challenge yourself to make a living space fit for a king or queen potentially with some towers, giant walls, a courtyard, or maybe a moat. Go as far as you want with your castle design.
City
Minecraft usually does not have a bunch of civilizations in its expansive worlds. You will eventually run into a village, but there is nothing on the same scale as a large city. That is why you and a friend should make as expansive a city as possible. Maybe you want to theme it on a real-life city? Possibly one from your favorite movie? Making a city is a task that will take your full attention (as well as a lot of time), but will get the creative juices flowing.
Famous landmarks
On a smaller scale, you can always design famous landmarks in a build challenge. How accurately can you make the Statue of Liberty? What about the Eiffel Tower? There are tons of resources across the world to pull inspiration from with this build challenge, so be sure to explore all of the options.
Pirate ship
Pirates are cool. That is why you and your friends should design your own pirate ship and claim the sea for yourselves. Make sure to include cannons, a captain’s quarters, and the basic amenities below deck. You can go even further with this idea and make a hideaway or cove for your treasure.
Pixel art
Pixel art has been popular in Minecraft for about as long as the game has been around. This can be inspired by sprites of retro video game character designs like Mario or Sonic, or a current video game can be made pixelated. Minecraft’s blocky nature fits pixelated art perfectly from a distance and can lead to some of the best pieces of art in your seed.
Pyramid
There can be extensive desert land in any Minecraft world, but unfortunately, never any pyramids. You can run into a desert temple, but that is not nearly the kind of structure we are looking for. While the outside should have a normal appearance any pyramid has, what lies inside gives you tons of room to design. What would the Egyptians have hidden away in here? This is also a great chance to practice designing traps in the pyramid for any explorers.
Roller coaster
Roller coasters are exciting thrill rides that can be made easily in Minecraft with minecart tracks. While you will not be able to make any loops, you can create many tunnels around the track with exciting designs or locations that will provide a treat for whoever is riding. Be sure to also incorporate underground and high-in-the-air ideas with your ride.
Statue
Statues can show a great deal of respect for an individual or idea, so why not try and make the best looking statue possible in Minecraft? You can use traditional rocky resources in your sculpture’s construction or switch it up with gold, iron, or diamond blocks. Wool also works brilliantly as a simple way to incorporate color into your design. Regardless of what you use, you have a lot of freedom to build whatever you want.
Temple
Have a particular entity you want to praise? Build a temple in their glory and worship them within. You can find plenty of temple designs on YouTube, and there are lots of different ways you can go on the inside to pay tribute to your idol. Many temples have been made throughout every culture in human history. Do some research and find something that you think is very interesting.
Treehouse
Treehouses are some of our favorite buildings to make in Minecraft. There is a lot you can do with the idea. You can grow trees on top of each other to the roof of the world or design your own tree with wooden blocks to build around. Be sure to include vines to climb up and down and find plenty of jungle-based items to have in your build. Create the ultimate house for Tarzan to reside in.
