200+ Minecraft Challenges

*This post is intended for PS3-era Minecrafters only, and may contain spoilers for those who are fairly new to the game.*

 How quickly did you manage to pop all trophies/achievements in Minecraft once you sat down and got hooked? If you’re anything like me, then it didn’t take long at all. And, while it was definitely a fun run toward reaching that finish line, many of the core points of the game’s wow factor were left unaccounted for. So…

The following list of various things to try in Minecraft is meant to satisfy some of that continuing hunger for a tail to chase. If ever a secondary set of objectives is released for the console version of this game, these are the things I would hope for. But there are more than advanced goals for dedicated Minecrafters here. The list also contains some basics that the average player may have missed, as well as pointless entries which are the result of my own terrible sense of humor. I apologize in advance for the bad jokes, and things you may already be fully aware of your ability to experience within the game.

I highly recommend playing in Survival to accomplish these tasks, unless the list specifically demands that you play in Creative. Otherwise, what’s the point? Also, understand that a great many of these things were either meant to kill you, or could easily get you killed. So please back up your saves before going all cowboy/cowgirl on my little list. I’m not responsible for you. I’m just trying to add to your enjoyment of the game. That doesn’t mean I want you crying at me if this does the opposite for you. That’s your bad, not mine.

Anyway, I’ll likely continue adding to this list as time goes on. Feel free to comment your own thoughts on things to do or try. Please attempt to verify that these things can actually be done first though; as no one wants this turning into a “You can’t even do that!” sort of post. I could tell you that a handful of cool things, which don’t appear to be doable, came to mind for me; such as riding on top of a Ghast, or activating a nether portal in the End. And I left most of the REALLY complicated stuff off of here on purpose (things like building a functioning clock). Hopefully there’s still plenty to love about this list though. Enough talk. Let’s play!

1. WHAT ARE THE ODDS?
Witness a Skeleton riding a Spider.

2. FOR THE FIREPLACE
Start an unending fire by igniting a block of Netherrack.

3. NO HARNESS FOR YOU
Build a ladder which stretches from Bedrock to the top level of a map.

4. LAZY YET CONVENIENT
Make a door which opens via pressure plate.

5. SOMEONE CALL PETA
Bury an animal alive, with no room to move.

6. HOPES DASHED
Pour water out of a bucket while in the Nether.

7. EGYPTIAN WANNABE
Construct a pyramid 20 blocks tall using only Chiseled Sandstone.

8. ETERNAL SLUMBER
Attempt to sleep in a bed while in the Nether or the End.

9. IT’S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD
Kill a Sheep using Wool.

10. SHORTCUT
Leave the Nether in a portal other than the one you used to enter the Nether.

11. MARRY ME
Give a Diamond to another player.

12. BAD TRIP
Go to sleep while high on Zombie Flesh.

13. YOU’RE A CHICKEN!
Hit a friend with a thrown Egg.

14. SKELLY NINJA
Defeat 30 Skeletons which fail to shoot you.

15. WELCOME HOME
Destroy all Nether portal exits while in the Nether, leaving death as your only option for escape.

16. I'M RICK JAMES, BITCH
Hit an Enderman with an Ender Pearl.

17. CURIOSITY KILLER
Reach Bedrock on all 6 sides of the Nether (includes bottom and top).

18. CURSED RAILS
Loot 100 Rails from abandoned mine shafts.

19. WATCH THE WORLD BURN
Start a fire which burns down at least 10 trees.

20. FEELING CREATIVE
Fly (creative mode).

21. HEAT OF THE MOMENT
Kill a Zombie Pigman while on fire thanks to a Blaze.

22. WHO’S THE MONSTER NOW?
Create a trap which kills monsters for you.

23. LOOKING SUPER
Wear a fully mismatched set of armor.

24. DOORS EVERYWHERE
Create a Villager village from scratch, extensive enough to call for an Iron Golem that you don't have to make yourself.

25. JOINING THE BAND
Create five Note Blocks which each play a different instrument.

26. SWIM FAN
Encase an island in a glass dome, with no entrance on the sides or top.

27. THE OBSIDIAN SUMMER
Destroy lava using a TNT explosion.

28. WORKING ON THE RAILROAD
Activate a Nether portal prior to constructing a Diamond pickaxe.

29. SUN MEET HOLE
Expose 50 blocks of connecting Bedrock to direct sunlight.

30. FOR THE LOVE OF BOOKS
Use Torches around an Enchantment Table to lower maximum enchantment levels offered.

31. SPEEDS MAY VARY
Use water to travel more than 100 blocks vertically at once.

32. FIREFIGHTER
Put out 50 fires.

33. RED THUMB
Plant trees in the Nether.

34. WE HAVE BUSH
Sheer leaves off of a tree and place them around a dwelling.

35. BIG BOOM
Detonate 10 or more blocks of TNT simultaneously.

36. NO MORE SWIMMING
Mine 30 blocks of Obsidian in the End.

37. ENDED, AND THEN SOME
Obtain a level 80 with regard to experience.

38. WHAT DRAGON?
Defeat 20 Endermen in the End.

39. I GOT SOME TIME
Play for 8 or more hours straight.

40. YOU GO TO HELL, AND YOU DIE
Drop a Magma Cube into lava.

41. MORE THAN A WEED
Plant a flower in a Flower Pot.

42. BLOOP
Survive a 200 block fall.

43. GOT A LIGHT?
Place 150 Torches.

44. TOTALLY A CHEMIST
Brew 10 different kinds of Potions.

45. SHEEP FASHION
Create each type of colored Wool.

46. NETHER DECORATOR
Activate a Redstone Lamp.

47. TRANSPORT
Build a 100 block railroad in the Nether.

48. WHO NEEDS SHEEP?
Make 20 blocks of Wool using Spider Web.

49. BOO TO REALITY
Attempt (and fail, obviously) to create an Aether Portal.

50. NAUGHTY WOOD
Write a curse word on a wooden sign.

51. I NEVER FALL
Place 500 blocks using sneak.

52. NAKED SHEEP
Shave 5 wild Sheep in one day.

53. CREEPER-BE-GONE
Befriend an Ocelot.

54. MY INNER LIGHT IS WARM
Use Glowstone to melt Ice.

55. SHINY
Collect 50 Diamonds.

56. LET’S GET STICKY
Create a Slime spawn area.

57. THAT’S NO DEER
Hit a monster with a Minecart.

58. CAVEMAN STYLE
Defeat the Ender Dragon without using a single projectile.

59. WEEEEE…
Make a waterslide of 30 blocks or more in length.

60. THAT JUST HAPPENED
Kill a Ghast with your bare hands.

61. SWORD FREE
Kill 1 of each monster type in the normal world without using weapons (tools allowed).

62. NO FRIENDS FOR YOU
Kill a Nether monster in the normal world.

63. HEADS ARE AN ILLUSION
Ride through a 1 block wall on a Minecart.

64. LANDSCAPER
Break 100 tools.

65. SLIMER
Defeat a full size Slime.

66. FEAR MY FEATHER
Defeat a Silverfish with a Feather.

67. CHILDHOOD REVIVAL
Kill the Ender Dragon using only Snowballs.

68. VOLCANO BEAST
Survive a swim in lava without using water.

69. SEXY TIME
Witness every type of animal baby being born.

70. WHY SO SLOW?
Place Ice beneath a path of Soul Sand.

71. YELLOW ROADY
Build a 20 block long and 3 block wide road using yellow Wool.

72. LUCY
Place a free floating Diamond block at the cloud level of a world.

73. GUNPOWDER FARM
Defeat 30 Creepers without them exploding.

74. OH…
Drop a normal monster into an End Portal.

75. KISS THE LIGHT GOODBYE
Mine 100 Glowstone blocks.

76. BARBARIC BARBECUE
Set an animal on fire.

77. OH YEAH, HE MAD
Make a wooden sign which says "u mad bro?" on the second text line.

78. DANG OL’ FARMER
Grow one of each type of crop available in the game.

79. ART COLLECTOR
Have every Painting in the game placed on world walls at the same time.

80. SANDY CLAWS
Wear a Pumpkin as a helmet.

81. GONE NETHERIN’
Bring 1,000 blocks of material from the Nether into the normal world (or vice versa).

82. JUST CALL ME MEATY
Be a vegetarian for 4 hours of play (peaceful mode not allowed).

83. IGLOO-ER
Construct a shelter from Snow and start a fire within it without melting any part of it.

84. THAT’LL DO, PIG
Guide a saddled Pig while riding it, using a Carrot on a stick.

85. WAKING TO NIGHTMARES
Sleep in a Bed surrounded by lava.

86. WATERWORLD
Build an underwater shelter surrounded by Glass, complete with a Door and Bed (no Glass on bottom).

87. EASY UP
Construct a staircase at least 50 blocks tall.

88. CARNIVOROUS PLANT
Be suffocated by a newly grown tree.

89. KARMA CALLING
Kill a Creeper with TNT.

90. THAT’S BETTER
Combine two storage Chests into one large Chest.

91. ORGANIZER
Have 30 Chests placed in a single shelter.

92. POOL OF THE UNDEAD
Drop a Zombie into lava.

93. STARGATE
Destroy 1 Nether portal in the Nether once you have 2 active. Exit the active one, then re-enter the Nether using the 'broken' portal.

94. SPOTTING THE NEWBS
Finish off 10 trees left incompletely demolished by other players.

95. I'M BACK! WELL, MAYBE…
Create a four sided, square-like section of Nether portals.

96. THAT’LL NEVER- WHAT?!
Place a bucket of water or lava, which is open to the elements on 5 sides, without it spilling onto any nearby blocks.

97. BLAZE MAKE FIRE
Activate a Nether portal without use of Flint and Steel.

98. BATTLE SCARRED
Survive 10 attempts on your life with ‘Player vs Player’ active.

99. LIGHTWEIGHT
Acquire a "Feather Falling" enchantment on Boots.

100. IT TICKLES
Defeat the Ender Dragon using TNT.

101. NOW YOU SEE ME…
Use an Ender Pearl to transport yourself.

102. DIRT REQUIRED?
Grow a tree on top of a tree.

103. BREATHTAKING
Build an underwater railway system encased in Glass.

104. CAMPBELL’S ORIGINAL RECIPE
Milk a Mooshroom.

105. THUS SPOKE HEROBRINE
Toss a piece of End stone into lava within the Nether.

106. LIKE A DOLPHIN
Swim fast by running and jumping through the water.

107. FML
Mine Glowstone over lava in the Nether.

108. ROASTED GOO
Light a Slime on fire.

109. DARE I DIVE IN?
Expose the End portal to direct sunlight.

110. WHICH WAY IS UP?
Construct a pool with a base made of Lapiz Lazuli blocks where the water is at least 5 blocks deep.

111. TOO RICH TO DIE
Kill a Skeleton with a Diamond while playing on hard.

112. WHO CHECKS THE WIKI?
Create Brick using a furnace.

113. NOW TO CONNECT THE DOTS
Open 4 Nether portals within the Nether.

114. WHAT YOU MAKE IT
Spend 2 hours playing in Creative mode.

115. VALET PARKING
Call a Minecart to your location using a Button.

116. GRAVEL HATERS ANONYMOUS
Harvest Flint from a collected piece of Gravel.

117. "odinSdub" RECOMMENDED
Type in a specific world-map seed.

118. OUR LITTLE SECRET ROOM
Walk through a Painting without knocking it down.

119. THIRST OF THE GODS
Build a free floating home beneath the entire End structure.

120. HUNTING LANDMINES
Detonate 5 Creepers in a single day (while the sun is up).

121. INHUMANE
Put a pet down.

122. MINECRAFT, THE MUSICAL!
Use Note Blocks and Rails to create a song at least 10 seconds in length.

123. TAKE THAT, SQUIDWARD
Trap a Villager in a cage made of Iron Bars.

124. HERE LIE 5
Create 5 graves for things you kill.

125. OVERPRICED
Use an Anvil to restore a used item to its original strength.

126. THE ART OF WAR
Dodge 10 Arrows shot by the same Skeleton.

127. JUNGLE FEVER
Convince a Cow and a Mooshroom to go half on a baby.

128. I MEANT TO DO THAT
Throw your Map on the ground.

129. ENDER DON’T WANT NONE
Pour lava in the End.

130. SPICY SUSHI
Snag a Ghast with a Fishing Pole, then run away until the line breaks.

131. CAN YOU SAY MARIO?
Grow a giant Mushroom.

132. THE SAFE WAY
Mine an underwater Obsidian block.

133. SATISFACTION
Watch the sun or moon rise while on a single block atop the map.

134. BOTTOM DWELLER
Make a 500 block long tunnel at the Bedrock level of the world.

135. THAT WAS LUCKY
Have a Creeper mine a block of Gold for you.

136. ONE ARROW WILL SUFFICE
Place an "Infinity" enchantment on a Bow.

137. CAN I BOIL THIS?
Witness a Chicken lay an Egg.

138. NO LONGER CHALLENGING
Run out of air while 10 blocks or further beneath the water's surface, and survive.

139. JUST FOR SHOW
Create a waterfall of water and lava running side by side.

140. BEAUTIFUL DOOM
Fall through the bottom of the End.

141. DANCIN’ A JIG
Play a Record in a Jukebox.

142. INFECTED EARTH
Grow grass where none previously existed.

143. WHO’S HUNGRY?
Collect the Ender Dragon Egg.

144. I'M SO LONELY
Have 10 or more animals in a single Fence.

145. CRAZY CONVENIENT
Place more than one Ender Chest in your world.

146. IF YOU BUILD IT…
Create 3 Herobrine shrines (a leaveless tree, a small pyramid on the ocean, and a lightless 2x2 tunnel stretching at least 100 blocks).

147. MUSICAL ARROWS
Collect all 12 Records.

148. A THING OF BEAUTY
Construct a 16x16 checkerboard made of Glowstone and Obsidian.

149. LIVE MONSTER DISPLAY
Trap 3 different monster types in a single pit.

150. GOOD FOR MY GRILL
Place a normal Golden Apple in an Item Frame.

151. "MESSAGE"
Place 5 wooden signs.

152. MINESHAFT ADVENTURER
Locate 5 different mob spawners on a single map.

153. NIGHT AND DAY
Check a Clock within the Nether.

154. DON’T FORGET TO SAVE
Place a level 30 enchantment on a Diamond item.

155. ALL THE RAGE
Dye a Sheep purple.

156. THE PIXIE STICK
Create a 20 block tall stalk of Sugar Cane.

157. I GOT JOKES
Play Survival in a Superflat World, and don't die of boredom.

158. NEVER LOST
Make every part of your world Map visible.

159. THE BEACON
Construct a lighthouse with lava (contained in Glass) as the light source.

160. THE GAMBLER
Unlock and obtain the final trade item of any Villager.

161. GAMMA TIME
Tunnel all the way to Bedrock and back up in a different location without use of lighting tools.

162. PLAYING DRESS UP
Change your character Skin.

163. PISTON FIRING
Create a Redstone circuit which automatically powers itself off and back on.

164. AND THEN..?
Place a Boat atop lava.

165. AM I DYING?
Create an underwater Nether portal.

166. HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?
Enchant a Book.

167. SWORD SWINGIN'
Destroy a Spider spawner on hard.

168. RAINBOW RANCHER
Breed a Sheep using 2 different colored Sheep.

169. THE EVENT HORIZON
Pour water out of a Bucket in the End so that it flows over an edge and into the nothing.

170. HOT POTATO
Make a Skeleton kill a Creeper.

171. I MISS SHARKS
Hook a Squid with a Fishing Pole while in the water or on a Boat.

172. PUMPKINHEAD
Create an Iron Golem.

173. DR. NEVILLE
Cure a Zombie Villager.

174. FUNGUS FANATIC
Mine a Mycelium block using a pickaxe with the "Silk Touch" enchantment.

175. NETHER TRAINING
Stand at “X” and “Z” Map coordinates opposite of those which you originally spawn at when beginning a new game.

176. DOUBLE BOOM
Kill a Creeper using another Creeper.

177. MY THOUGHTFUL SPOT
Create a 10x10 freestanding platform in the sky at least 100 “Y” high.

178. BABY CHRISTMAS TREES
Harvest a Fern.

179. CALLING SLENDERMAN
Use Flint and Steel or the "Fire Aspect" enchantment to light an Enderman on fire.

180. THE JIHAD BOX
Build a shelter out of TNT.

181. WHAT GOES UP…
Hit yourself with your own Arrow (no damage will be registered).

182. LOVE YOU LONG TIME
Use lava to smelt something in a Furnace.

183. SCARY BUT HARMLESS
Kill 10 Squid.

184. SEED HAPPY
Check out at least 10 different world-map seeds.

185. FROSTFIRE
Kill a Blaze using Snowballs.

186. BYE BYE DANGER
Build an Obsidian generator.

187. THAT WAS FAST
Find a Diamond on your first day in a new world (tutorial map not allowed).

188. LONG DISTANCE CONNECTION
Make a 100 block long line of connecting Redstone.

189. I MAKES BEER NOW?
Build a Brewing Stand.

190. THE NUDE NIGHT
Survive a night without shelter, armor, weapons, food, tools, or light sources (peaceful not allowed).

191. I HUNGRY
Starve to death while playing on hard.

192. THE NETHER GOD
Brew a "Fire Resistance" potion which lasts for 8 minutes.

193. STOP LOSING YOUR MAPS
Make a Map and give it to a another player.

194. SOLVE OR DIE
Create a maze using Bedrock blocks (creative mode).

195. MOOOVE
Commit suicide by falling onto a Cow.

196. STINKY STICKY
Repel a block which doesn't return to its original position using a Sticky Piston.

197. SWAMP JESUS
Create a walkway on top of the water using at least 20 Lily Pads.

198. A GAME WITHIN A GAME
Play “Tic-Tac-Toe” with a friend (using whatever strikes your fancy).

199. COASTER FROM HELL
Go over lava and under water while riding a single railroad.

200. FLIP THE SWITCH
Build a Redstone circuit with Sticky Pistons which moves two solid blocks to reveal a hidden room whenever a lever is flipped.

201. BURIED BRIGHTS
Light a room without any visible light source.

202. LAWNMOWER
Knock down at least 10 pieces of grass at once by emptying a bucket of water.

203. LIGHT BREATHER
Refill your air supply while underwater by placing a torch near your head.

204. TORCH IN A BOX
Create the appearance of a torch in a stone holder on a wall using a torch, a piece of stone, and an item frame.

205. ADVENTURE TIME
Create an adventure map in Creative mode which consists of at least 20 collectibles for any player to obtain and place in item frames in order to complete. The adventure map must be completed in Survival once playable (peaceful difficulty is encouraged).