Top products from r/MCPE

Since you’re just getting started, let’s cover some info needed to actually play together.

Xbox Live

Minecraft online multiplayer features are powered by Xbox Live. All players will need an Xbox Live account for joining multiplayer worlds via Xbox Live and Realms, accessing servers, and purchasing content from the Marketplace.

Xbox Live Accounts

If you already have a Microsoft account or Xbox Live account, you can just sign in to your account in the game. If you do not have an account, you can create one at xbox.com.

If your child does not have a Microsoft or Xbox Live account, it is recommended you create a Microsoft child account using Microsoft Family. For info about creating a child account and adding them to your family, see this Microsoft Support article.

Xbox Live Privacy & Online Safety Settings

Xbox Live Privacy & Online Safety settings let you manage which features the account can access and with whom they can play with. You can review these settings at account.xbox.com/settings. By default, certain settings for child accounts are restricted and will need to be managed by the parent account.

The following settings may need to be enabled to use certain features in Minecraft.

Xbox One/Windows 10 Online Safety tab:

• Add Friends must be set to Allow to add other players as an Xbox Live friend.
  
  
• Join Multiplayer Games must be set to Allow to join multiplayer worlds, Realms, and servers.
  
  
• You can create and join Clubs must be set to Allow to create or join Realms and Realms Clubs.
  
  Privacy tab:
  
  
• Others can communicate with voice, text, or invites must be set to Friends or Everybody to send/receive in-game chat messages and game invites.
  
  • Friends: Only send/receive chat messages and game invites from players who are Xbox Live friends.
    
  • Everybody: Send/receive messages and game invites from all Xbox Live players.
    
    

    Xbox Live Friends
    

    Adding each other as Xbox Live friends will make it easier to play together and/or invite each other to worlds or Realms.
    
    You can add friends from within Minecraft by navigating to the Friends tab and selecting Add Friend. Then, type in the Xbox Live gamertag you wish to add.
    
    You can also add friends via the Xbox App or on xbox.com.
    
    

    Multiplayer Options
    

    
    

    Locally Hosted Multiplayer World
    

    Any world can be a locally hosted multiplayer world. One player will create the world and act as the host, and the other players can join the world via Xbox Live or LAN.
    
    Host Player:
    
    

1. Create a new world or locate an existing one in the Worlds tab.
   
2. Select World Settings (pencil icon) → Multiplayer → Multiplayer Game.
   
   • If all players are on the same local network, you may also toggle on Visible to LAN Players.
     
3. Load the world.
   
   Other Player(s):
   
   
4. Navigate to the Friends tab.
   
5. Select the host’s multiplayer world.
   
   The host player can also send a game invite to other players by loading the world and selecting Pause → Invite to Game.
   
   

   Realms
   

   Realms is a paid subscription service for a private, always online world. Once the Realm owner has invited players to join the Realm, it will appear in the Friends tab for them to join whenever they like.
   
   If you have not already used it, there is a free 30 day trial available for new subscribers. Realms subscriptions are purchased and managed by the device’s app store account.
   
   Realm Owner:
   
   

6. Navigate to the Worlds tab.
   
7. Select Create New → New Realm → Create New Realm.
   
8. Invite other players in Realm Settings (pencil icon) → Members.
   
   Invited Player(s):
   
   
9. Navigate to the Friends tab.
   
10. Select the small envelope icon.
    
11. Select the checkmark icon to accept the invite.
    
    

    Voice Chat
    

    Since the Discord app is not available on Amazon Fire devices, an alternative option may be to use Skype.
    
    In the future, the Xbox App will likely gain party chat functionality on mobile devices, as they’ve been beta testing it on Android and iOS, but that feature is not yet publicly available. UPDATE: Feb. 14 — An update for the Xbox app has been released and includes support for party chat. The Xbox app is available for Amazon devices and can be downloaded from the Amazon Appstore.

Finding cheap tablets that run Minecraft well is a bit tricky, and finding cheap tablets that may continue to work well for the next few years makes things a bit more difficult. I would only look for devices made after 2014 if possible. Anything before then would likely be worse than your current Samsung Galaxy Tab 3, or may not keep up with the ever more demanding games and apps in the coming years.

It's worth mentioning that there aren't many kid-friendly tablets that would be a significant upgrade from your current device. For example, the Kindle-Fire kids edition, while an excellent first tablet for kids, performs similarly to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 and thus wouldn't be much of an upgrade. The devices I list are meant to be possible upgrade suggestions that utilize better hardware than cheaper tablets geared towards kids. However, some of the tablets I list can make for a great family tablet, and you can find accessories and cases for some of the options that make them more durable from inevitable drops and other accidents that may occur.

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I currently have 6 tablets listed in three different price ranges that may be slightly or significantly better than your current device. Prices are in USD and may or may not include shipping in the cost. Also, with Black Friday and other holiday deals coming up, I would keep an eye out for other good deals and price drops as well.

Under $200:

• Amazon Fire HD 8 (2016) - $90 for "Special Offers" version (essentially advertisements), $105 for version without Special Offers. While considerably cheap, it isn't too much of an upgrade over the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3, though it's still a good option. However, one major drawback is that this tablet does not come with the Google Play store, but instead uses the Amazon app store meaning all apps will have to be repurchased. It is possible to install and use the Google Play Store or Play Store apps on this tablet if you're willing to follow some technical guides.
  
  
• Lenovo TAB 2 A10 (2015) - $150 for lowest tier model on manufacturer's site. Despite being released in 2015, this may not perform a whole lot better than your current Samsung Galaxy Tab 3.
  
  $200 - $300 range:
  
  
• NVIDIA Shield Tablet K1 (2015) - $200 on manufacturer's site and Amazon. This device is comparable to the Galaxy Tab S2 in terms of performance, and is overall a very good tablet for its price.
  
  $300 - $400 range:
  
  
• Huawei MediaPad M3 (2016) - Currently $300 on Amazon. Based on performance benchmarks, this is the best device on this list using some of the latest hardware for a fairly competitive price. Note that it won't ship in the US until November 21st.
  
  
• ASUS ZenPad S 8 4GB RAM model (2015) - $300 on Amazon. While there is a $160 version with 2GB of RAM and a slower processor, reviews say the cheaper model is not great for gaming and tends to lag.
  
  
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8-inch (2015) - $350 on Amazon. Samsung previously had deals on the more expensive 9.7 inch version going for as low as $300, so it may be worth watching. This tablet is featured in some review sites as a good tablet for kids in-part because of Samsung's kids-mode feature.
  
  Edit 1: added Asus ZenPad and Nvidia Shield tablet recommendations.
  
  Edit 2: updated the link for the Samsung Galaxy Tab A to include the price-cut model.
  
  Edit 3: added Amazon Fire HD 8.
  
  Edit 4: Removed the Samsung Galaxy Tab A as nearly every device in the list outperforms it for the same price or less, making it a poor deal.
  
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  Sorry if this is an overwhelming amount of information to take in. If you have any other questions, feel free to reply! Also, if any other users have good deals or devices they want to mention, please do!

I've used a Steelseries Nimbus on iOS and it works well. My only gripe is how Apple MFi certified controllers are not allowed to have the thumb stick buttons. This messes with sprint controls for me.

Android should be OK with most bluetooth controllers. The only issues I've run into is with some oddball controllers from overseas with incompatible button mappings.

The only other recommendation I'd make is to try and get a controller that has a built in clip for your phone like this one (note, this controller is just an example, I'm not recommending it), or that a clip like this can support.

The clip in the second link is what I'm using with a Nimbus and an iPhone 6s in a slim Otterbox case.

I use the Matricom g-pad BX https://www.amazon.com/Matricom-Wireless-Rechargeable-Bluetooth-Compatible/dp/B015YF3YZ8

The buttons feel great, it has a matte coating, it's Bluetooth. You can use it on your PC as well. It's well worth the money!

We're using whatever is being hosted on the Amazon App Store. The version number on the main menu reports as: 0.16.2. With respect to Classic v. Pocket, I wasn't aware there were multiple flavors of Minecraft for Android. By Classic, do you mean the PC version?

Here's a direct link to the MCPE version at the Amazon App Store that we're using: Link to Amazon App Store

UPDATE On the App Store page, the version is displayed as "0.16.2.2"

Here is the link to amazon showing what looks like rain http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/B00992CF6W/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_1?ie=UTF8&index=1&isremote=0

Whatever the one that comes with the pixel 2 XL is one I tried that works with us thumb drives and my mouse. And also this one off Amazon:

AUKEY USB C to USB 3.0 Adapter, [2 Pack, 0.5ft] USB Type C OTG Cable Adapter for MacBook Pro, Samsung Note8 S8 S8+, Google Pixel 2XL, Nexus 6P 5X, LG G5 (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074DRG8RR

According to Amazon:

What's new in 0.15.9:

• MINECON Skin Pack
  
• Various bug fixes
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Mojang-Minecraft-Pocket-Edition/dp/B00992CF6W

Alright, here you go?

I just found it doing a quick search: https://www.amazon.com/Mojang-Minecraft-for-Fire-TV/dp/B01NCJDPER

But it doesn't show compatible with the fire sticks we have so not sure if it is still supported or not.

Thanks! Maybe it is because the pendant and cube run FireOS 6.x and the older devices are running 5.x? Are you publishing builds for FireOS 6.x? When I go to the link that /u/sirhugobigdog has posted below and check compatibility on the Minecraft for Fire TV it is showing that it is not compatible with my Fire TV pendant.

Update: If you read the comments/reviews on the app page (https://www.amazon.com/Mojang-Minecraft-for-Fire-TV/dp/B01NCJDPER) it seems there are lots of other people reporting that it is unavailable on their new Fire TV devices - please fix!!