Minecraft has had an active and growing community for over a decade that constantly builds upon and explores the best of the best content within the game. And, out of all the ways that users can create content, custom map making is by far the most prominent and influential in the Minecraft community.
Many of the most impactful maps have inspired content that is more popular or has stuck around since its inception and is still widely played. Additionally, some custom maps are less well-known than their popular counterparts. However, the fundamentals in redstone and command blocks used at the time make up for its lack in popularity and serve as an inspiration for other creators at the time.
10 The Temple Of Notch
The most well-known Minecraft map is undoubtedly the Temple of Notch. A single-player one-minute map where you walk down a path, enter a hidden door and look at the giant face of Minecraft’s creator, Markus Persson. Although there isn’t much to do here, it is a nostalgic map that the community still hasn’t forgotten.
Just one look at YouTube shows that people are still creating videos surrounding the map and different versions to either update it or explore its hidden history. Despite being twelve years old, you can still play the map with the original link on Planet Minecraft. But because it’s a java map, make sure you’re not trying to force bedrock to load it.
9 Jeoffrey's Chamber
Jeoffrey’s Chamber is a small map created by the Noxcrew to debut the, at the time, new 1.6 update. This update allowed resource packs to implement custom sounds and music that would be a precursor for adventure maps, survival maps, and custom packs for servers.
Although this map never exploded in popularity, it was popular with YouTubers such as Yogscast’s Simon & Lewis. It would give way for Noxcrew to create more maps, especially with the bedrock version of the game later on. The map can still be downloaded from the Noxcrew’s website and requires java to play.
8 Diversity
The most complex and challenging custom map created is the Diversity custom map series by qmagnet. Each map gives you various challenges and minigames to complete to finish. Upon completion, you’re given a colored wool block that will be used as a key to reach the very last level.
From parkour to island survival and adventure maps to trivia, there are many games for you to complete. Ultimately, at the end is a boss room where all your skills are tested to finish in an epic fight. Because of the resounding success of the first, there is also a second and third map, each increasing the difficulty and variety of challenges while introducing new functionality from updates.
7 The Islands Of Junara
After introducing Skyblock, people started creating maps combining adventure and survival elements to make custom maps like The Islands of Junara. Designed by cowmonkey, this custom map features dozens of islands, custom enemies, custom items, and challenging gameplay.
While this wasn’t the first sky survival map, it helped propagate the sky survival and adventure map genre the most. This map isn’t being updated anymore, but you can still download the map from the Minecraft forums for the java edition.
6 Cops And Robbers
One of the most popular custom maps is the most played map by YouTubers, Cops and Robbers. While many have yet to actually play this map by itself, it inspired millions of people to create their own prison-like game modes, which are still common in the most populated servers.
On top of all that, videos made from this map were an introduction to many people’s childhoods, with all of the most popular YouTubers playing it at the time. Since its creation by podcrash, it has been updated for five different versions with both java and the bedrock versions available.
5 The Dropper
The Dropper is one of the earliest Minecraft custom maps to have blown up with its unique concept in 2012 by bigre, who also created the popular puzzle/adventure map, The Dimension Jumper. All you need to do is stand at the top of each level and fall to the water pool located in hidden places at the bottom.
Because of its popularity, thousands of iterations are made from The Dropper, with some Minecraft servers entirely devoted to the minigame. Unfortunately, much of the redstone, water, and signs are entirely broken because it’s such an old map. So, if you plan on playing the map, it would be best to return to the 1.5 version of the game.
4 The Walls
The Minecraft PvP scene is vast, with many different game modes having been created for people to enjoy. And in 2012, one of the most popular games was known as The Walls, a survival PvP map where you spend 50 minutes gathering resources in a closed-off area. Once the time is up, the walls made of sand drop, and you can fight against other players.
Although you can still download and play this map, and most of the redstone works, it’s better to play it on the official Hypixel Minecraft server. Even different versions of The Walls are available, like quick and hardcore matches.
3 The Survival Games
At one point, The Survival Games was the most played Minecraft minigame and map, with YouTubers constantly promoting and playing it. Created in 2012 by TeamVareide, this map was centered around the popular book and movie, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
The original map, which can no longer be downloaded, starts you off in a giant forest with various chests in the middle. Once the game begins, the platforms you’re on will rise, and you can officially fight in a battle-royale-type game. Because of its popularity, entire servers are dedicated to this minigame, with hundreds of maps specially made for it.
2 Herobrine's Mansion
Hypixel is well-known in the Minecraft community for being one of the best map creators and owner of the famous Hypixel Minecraft server that boasts tens of thousands of daily users. However, before his server was created, he made redstone and adventure maps, his most influential being Herobrine’s Mansion.
Herobrine’s Mansion was incredible when it was first released for being an adventure map with RPG mechanics and a story like any big game. And it’s only one in a series of maps that can still be downloaded and played. However, because they’re so old, they only work in java, and much of the redstone is outdated.
1 Skyblock
Undoubtedly the most influential map to have been created was Skyblock by noobcrew in 2011. It’s become so synonymous with Minecraft that thousands of servers offer some Skyblock world to play on, as well as thousands of inspired custom maps and mods revolving around it.
And, if you’re looking to play on the official Skyblock Minecraft server, it’s still up and running years later with an active community. Their website also has all the links and updates to the original Skyblock map, so you won’t have to search for it anywhere else.