Terraria vs Minecraft - Which game is better?

Terraria and Minecraft are two popular sandbox survival games, packed with content. If you're new to both games, you might be wondering which one is better. Fortunately, we're here to provide you with a guide. Here, we will take a look at which one is superior: Minecraft or Terraria.

It is important to note that the final decision is up to you. Additionally, if you are interested in both games, simply play both of them! Both games are regularly updated and provide you with new content to play through. Now, let's dive into the first category and take a look at how these two games can be compared.

Updated on August 31, 2023, by Jacqueline Zalace: Minecraft vs Terraria; the endless debate. While both games are great, it is completely acceptable to prefer one over the other. To assist you in your decision, we have updated this list with even more categories to provide you with ample information.

12 Building - Minecraft

Firstly, we have the realm of building. Both games allow you to construct anything you desire, from small starting huts to magnificent castles. While Terraria offers a wide variety of blocks, the 2D nature of the world can sometimes constrain building. Instead of having a 3D structure with twists and turns, your imagination needs to fit within a flat surface.

In Minecraft, you can create buildings that feel more "real." Instead of having a flat house with doors on both sides that you can pass through, Minecraft allows for the construction of bases and houses that feel realistic and inhabited.

11 Gear And Item Variety - Terraria

By far, Terraria has a better selection of equipment and items than Minecraft. Minecraft players use a few different weapons: the sword, the axe, the bow, or the crossbow. In Terraria, there are too many weapons and items to list, giving players a wide variety of options to choose from.

Furthermore, Terraria boasts an impressive array of armors and accessories. Instead of using Netherite armor as in Minecraft, you can tailor your armor specifically to your needs. For instance, if you enjoy playing with a focus on magic, you can acquire robes that increase your mana regeneration. There is even a complex system for crafting accessories that allow you to thrive in the world.

10 Farms - Minecraft

Nothing compares to farming in Minecraft, and we don't just mean a simple wheat or carrot farm. In Minecraft, you can create a farm for just about anything, from an automatic cobblestone generator to a gold farm on top of the Nether. A quick search for Minecraft farms on YouTube yields thousands of farming options.

Terraria doesn't place as much emphasis on creating farms as Minecraft does. That's completely fine, but if you're a fan of automation, then Minecraft is superior. In Terraria, you gather your items through exploration and trading, rather than constructing large and efficient farms.

9 Combat - Terraria

As sandbox survival games, you don't have to focus as much on combat as in other games. Sure, you have to fend off zombies in both games, but you can also create a peaceful area without monsters and build a base without worrying about combat. However, if you want to focus on combat, Terraria has the upper hand.

In Minecraft, you simply need to strike (or hit) enemies. The combat is relatively straightforward and easy to learn. Terraria's selection of weapons allows for a more complex combat system, as well as a greater variety of enemies.

8 World - Minecraft

Both Terraria and Minecraft have expansive worlds, but nothing surpasses the sheer vastness of Minecraft. The Overworld in Minecraft is so immense that reaching the "end of the world" is not an easy task. Moreover, there are two additional dimensions that you can endlessly explore.

Terraria has a large map, but it's relatively easy to reach the end, especially since both sides are bounded by a beach and an ocean. Although you can slightly expand the map when creating the world, it doesn't come close to the scale of Minecraft by any means.

7 Story Direction - Terraria

Terraria doesn't have a story per se, but it is still somewhat more structured than Minecraft. If you easily get discouraged in games because you're not sure what to do, Terraria fares better than Minecraft. Minecraft has two bosses: the Ender Dragon and the Wither. You can also fight the Guardian, but it is not considered a boss like the other two.

On the other hand, Terraria is filled with bosses and NPCs that guide you. Your initial task could be to obtain every NPC and place them in their preferred biome. To do this, you can explore specific areas and defeat the required bosses. Once you have every NPC, your next goal could be to defeat all the bosses and transition the world into Hardmode, where even more bosses await.

6 Multiplayer Friendliness - Minecraft

Both Terraria and Minecraft have multiplayer modes that allow you to play with friends. Since the world in Terraria is limited, it is possible to run out of space if you have too many people playing together. Additionally, after a certain amount of time, everything can be fully explored, even reaching the Underworld.

The vastness of Minecraft enables a better multiplayer experience, supporting a multitude of players. These servers are called SMPs, which stands for Survival Multiplayer Servers. You can gather a group of friends on an SMP, but there are also many well-known SMPs that you can follow on YouTube.

5 Villagers - Terraria

If you have ever played Minecraft and tried to organize villagers, then you know how painful this experience can be. Villagers are essential for obtaining rare items, but they cannot be simply moved and placed wherever you want. You will likely need a minecart to transport them. Along the way, hostile creatures can attack your villagers and cause their death.

In Terraria, villagers are immensely better. Firstly, they have weapons and can attack hostile creatures that come near them. If a villager dies, they will simply respawn. Many villagers offer helpful items, such as pylons for teleportation and bombs to clear the land. If you want to relocate a villager, you just need to build a new house and assign the villager to it.

4 Crafting Non-Accessories - Terraria

Above, we mentioned that Terraria has a more complex crafting system for armor, weapons, and accessories. In addition to that, Terraria offers a wider variety of craftable decorations that you can make.

For example, in Terraria, you can design highly decorated houses by crafting unique items such as bathtubs, dressers, dishes, and various other furniture pieces. In Minecraft, on the other hand, you have to be a bit more creative. Instead of simply crafting a chair, you may need to use a slab or a staircase and imagine it as a chair.

3 Mod Compatibility - Minecraft

Although both Terraria and Minecraft have mods, Minecraft is better in terms of mod compatibility. There are more options to choose from, and you are likely to find the mod you are looking for. Some mods can completely change the game and provide you with a whole new gaming experience.

Terraria has great mods to choose from, but it is simply not as popular as Minecraft when it comes to user-created mods. Additionally, Minecraft offers a variety of mods that can alter the lighting and texture of the world around you.

2 Mob Variation - Terraria

Lastly, let's talk about the variation of creatures. There are dozens of creature types in Terraria, ranging from harmless insects to deadly nymphs. With creatures around every corner, the world feels alive and somewhat more dangerous.

The creatures in Minecraft are classic, but there aren't as many you encounter. Sure, Minecraft updates occasionally add new creatures, but it's still not as much as in Terraria. Overall, Terraria has more passive and hostile creatures that populate the world.

1 Conclusion

So, which game is better? That may seem like the easy way out, but it still depends on your playstyle. In the table below, you can see the key points for each game.

Game	Key Points
Minecraft	World Exploration Building Creativity Playing With Others Modded Communities
Terraria	Guided Progression Complex Crafting Trees For Armor, Weapons, and Decoration Fighting a wide range of Bosses and Mobs

Overall, Minecraft is excellent for expressing your creativity, while Terraria excels in combat and crafting unique equipment.