What is a Minecraft SMP? 

Aakrit Sharma
Minecraft SMP server

In the past decade, the Minecraft community has come up with several ways to enjoy its favorite sandbox game, and joining an SMP server is one of them. If you do not know how this works, check out this guide on Minecraft SMP.

Back in 2011, who would’ve thought that within ten years, Minecraft will become one of the biggest games in history? The sandbox title currently rules the genre as it allows you to craft items as basic as beds and buckets and as complex as invisibility potions and elevators

However, survival is not the only way you can play Minecraft. In fact, the multiplayer aspects have become more popular over the years. Players can create their own games, host treasure hunts, defeat mobs, and do everything they can in a survival world with their friends. 

The first step for playing Minecraft with your friends is to create an SMP server, and here’s everything you need to know about it.

Minecraft SMP server named Minesuperior

What is a Minecraft SMP server?

SMP in Minecraft SMP stands for Survival Multiplayer and SMP servers are basically servers that allow numerous players to enjoy the game together. 

Minecraft SMP servers work like the Vanilla survival world. However, instead of one player, an entire group can collect resources, defeat mobs, farm items, and make mechanisms.

A Minecraft SMP server opens up countless new ways for players to interact with each other. While the goal of the single-player survival world is to defeat the Wither or the Ender Dragon, you can simply role-play with like-minded players in an SMP serve. Moreover, these servers often have unique themes, mini-games, custom mobs, and new maps.

This explains why prominent creators like Dream love making their own Minecraft SMP servers. Here, they interact with thousands of their fans and role-play with them.

Dream SMP server in Minecraft

Types of Minecraft SMP servers

Based on the kind of gameplay they support and the rules, these are some prominent types of Minecraft SMP servers:

  • Anarchy – These Minecraft SMP servers don’t have any rules and you won’t get kicked in any circumstance. 
  • Faction – These Minecraft SMP servers encourage players to work within factions that have their own land and resources. To claim more resources, the factions must solve disputes through diplomacy or PvP combat.
  • Modded – You can take part in these Minecraft SMP servers after downloading the mods specified by the devs. This is important if you want to enjoy all the features that the server has to the fullest. 
  • Peaceful – You cannot experience PvP combat in Peaceful Minecraft SMP servers. The goal is to form a harmonious community that progresses with peace.  
  • SkyBlock – You start your game on a floating block in the air in these Minecraft SMP servers. The goal is to progress with the resources you can find and also develop this block into a liveable place.
  • Vanilla – These are standard Minecraft SMP servers that do not alter any aspect of the original game.
  • Semi-Vanilla – These Minecraft SMP servers make minor changes to the game but the core mechanics remain the same.
Minecraft SMP server named McCentral

Best Minecraft SMP servers

The most popular Minecraft SMP servers in the world include:

  • Complex Gaming – sm.mc-complex.com
  • AKUMAMC – mc.akumamc.net
  • Vanilla Europe – play.vanillaeuropa.com
  • PlayFuse – topg.playfuse.net

How to join a Minecraft SMP server

Follow these steps to join your favorite Minecraft SMP servers:

  1. Find a reliable website to get the IP address of Minecraft SMP servers. Some of the most popular sources include topminecraftservers.org. Copy the IP address of the server you want to join.
  2. Launch Minecraft and from the main menu, click on Multiplayer. Click on Add Server and type the IP address of the desired server.
Minecraft SMP server with its own interface

Well, this was everything to know about a Minecraft SMP server and how you can join it. For more content on the renowned sandbox title, check out how to make a spylgass, how to make and use fireworks, and the best bow enchantments.

Image Credits: Mojang / MCCentral Server / JartexNetwork Server / MineSuperior Server

About The Author

Aakrit is a games writer with over 2000 published articles for EssentiallySports, Sportskeeda, FortniteINTEL, and CharlieINTEL. Currently, he writes guides on Minecraft, Roblox, Pokemon games, Genshin Impact, and Brawlhalla. Aakrit loves playing shooter games and in his free time, you can find him queued up in Valorant, Fortnite, Apex Legends, or Halo Infinite. You can contact Aakrit at [email protected].