We invite you to take a short quiz dedicated to Minecraft Pocket Edition. What has been around for seven and a half years, is red in color, and often burns? The answer is right in the name—it’s Netherrack!
Experienced players of Minecraft PE know that Netherrack isn’t the most durable block; it can be broken with a simple wooden pickaxe in mere seconds, as if it were paper. However, its unique feature is its ability to burn indefinitely—just light it up, and it will keep burning forever.
A long time ago, in the update of Java Minecraft version Alpha 1.2.0, “Halloween Update”, this block was introduced. Alongside it, Minecraft PE also saw the addition of pumpkins, clocks, fishing, and of course, the Nether. It’s worth mentioning that the Nether is a realm filled with far more of this block than an average player would ever need in Minecraft PE. Initially called Nether Stone, it has since taken on the name “Bloodstone.”
A small survival tip for the Nether: if you run out of blocks to fend off attacks from creatures like Ghasts, it’s crucial to stock up on tougher blocks quickly. You can easily obtain these by carrying a furnace with you. Smelt some Netherrack in it, and you’ll be able to construct structures using Nether Brick, which is much sturdier.
Netherrack is also present in Minecraft Beta Edition. Although the Nether became accessible only from version 0.12.1 of Minecraft PE, players could still acquire Netherrack in version 0.6.0. How was this possible? This was due to Minecraft PE being referred to as a generator.
The generator was created when the edition was still known as Pocket Edition, and smartphones lacked the capabilities they have today. Worlds were limited to dimensions of 256 by 256 blocks, ensuring smooth operation and maximum speed.
One of the developers of Minecraft PE realized that players needed a final goal within such small levels, something that could signify the end of world development or serve as a starting point for endless construction.
The solution devised by the designer was the Nether Reactor—a large device crafted using “tears.” You can gather various resources, but beware, as there is a high risk of other entities invading soon after.
By simply clicking on the reactor, you can receive some nice bonuses. The reactor can easily produce quartz or glowstone dust, but remember that zombie pigmen will be lurking and may attack at any moment.
Playing Minecraft PE on mobile devices used to be quite challenging, but times have changed significantly since then. The team faced major issues with multitouch controls—oversized fingers made gameplay difficult. One of the first tests conducted by an editor involved zombie pigmen spawning for just 60 seconds before their numbers became unmanageable.
After 45 seconds of operation, the reactor would burn out and stop, allowing players to collect all necessary resources scattered around. Unfortunately, a bug was discovered—after the reactor’s operation, night would inevitably fall. Thus, the most skilled users managed to turn the world of Minecraft PE into an endless night.
And yes, we’ve reached a point where the reactor has long been removed from the game. But don’t be sad, as Minecraft PE continues to evolve, now featuring many more elements than before!
