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Minecraft: Java Edition has eclipsed its 15th anniversary and is currently being celebrated by players and developers alike. Given this auspicious occasion, it can be fun to boot up older versions of the game and take a walk down memory lane, realizing just how far Mojang's flagship sandbox title has come since its early developmental days dating back to 2009.
If players are itching to look back into the game's yesteryear, there are a few versions of Java Edition that might be worth a look first and foremost. Every player might have their preferences, but these versions signify developmental milestones that can be fun to revisit.
Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer
5 old Minecraft versions worth revisiting during the game's 15th anniversary
1) Version 1.5 (The Redstone Update)
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Redstone machinery may have existed in Minecraft before the Redstone Update, but Java 1.5 truly changed the game forever. It introduced, among other things, redstone comparators, hoppers, daylight sensors, weighted pressure plates, and redstone blocks. This vastly increased the utility of redstone in general and allowed players to come up with even more innovative machines.
Plus, back in 1.5, the zero-ticking bug hadn't quite been addressed yet, allowing players to come up with farms that are no longer a possibility in the modern game.
2) Beta 1.8 Pre-Release 1
A precursor to the Minecraft 1.8 Adventure Update, 1.8 Pre-Release 1 made several substantial changes and countless introductions. These included the (originally green-eyed) endermen, the return of Creative Mode, the arrival of villages, mineshafts, and strongholds, as well as the debut of Eyes of Ender. The Far Lands were also removed in lieu of a vast and virtually endless ocean.
While plenty of changes in this pre-release would ultimately be tweaked again, it's an interesting window into the game's early development and some of the more interesting decisions that were made before ultimately being tweaked.
3) Rd-132211
For a real blast from the past, rd-132211 is the oldest version of the game (when it was still known as Cave Game) accessible from the Minecraft Launcher client. It doesn't have many frills, as it existed well before even the Classic version of the title. Instead, it exists as a test build to try out core functions.
In rd-132211, players can place and remove blocks, but there simply isn't much else to do. While this isn't the most entertaining version to revisit, it does give fans insight into the game's earliest days well before the many modern staples players have come to know and love were implemented.
4) Alpha 1.0.15
Interestingly enough, Alpha 1.0.15 continues to be played to this day despite it having some pretty substantial gameplay bugs. This may be due to the fact that this alpha version was the first to introduce survival multiplayer gameplay, now known as SMP in most player circles. Dedicated fans have run with this version and continue to operate Alpha 1.0.15 servers 14 years after its debut.
While this iteration of the game is still pretty bare bones, it's far from something like rd-132211, where nothing but the most core gameplay elements are present.
5) Version 1.9 (The Combat Update)
Many fans have grown a bit disillusioned with the current state of Minecraft's combat, but many servers still exist for Version 1.9, the self-titled Combat Update. The update introduced dual-wielding weapons, elytra, the ability to restart the Ender Dragon fight, the beloved Mending enchantment, and much more.
Even though players were less than thrilled with the concept of the attack cooldown introduced in Version 1.9, it remains popular on many multiplayer servers. It can be an interesting way to view how in-game combat has evolved over the years.
