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Minecraft's redstone ore has plenty of uses – both practical and for pure enjoyment. Here's 10 Minecraft creations that show just how versatile the game truly is!

10 awesome (and practical) Minecraft redstone devices

Minecraft's redstone ore has plenty of uses - both practical and for pure enjoyment. Here's 10 Minecraft creations that show just how versatile the game truly is!
This article is over 8 years old and may contain outdated information

If there is one item in Minecraft that truly separates it from other open world sandbox games, it's got to be redstone. While some players simply use the ore to make in-game pre-made tools, others have taken the liberty of using redstone mechanisms to create truly amazing creations.

Today we'll be looking at some of these creations - both big and small and in no particular order - to see what players have made over the years. So what are we waiting for? Let's dig in!

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Hidden Chest System

Simply labeled "hidden chest" by its creator, Sune3867, this simple redstone piston system is both a practical and compact enough for use by anyone looking to hide a single-space item or block. The device runs using a torch key, but a few modifications can be made to replace the torch key system with a lever.

You can download the map for reference here.


Hidden Automatic Portal

This 3x3 block portal is the perfect add-on to any base or lair. While it doesn't look like much from this image alone, this Hidden Automatic Portal created by Planet Minecraft user Euclides has the ability to use any block to hide its portal to the Nether. The redstone device is quite speedy as well, taking less than a second.

If you'd like to try out the portal yourself, or study it so you can build your own, you can download the world save here.


Redstone: Mini TNT Shotgun

So far we've only looked at redstone devices designed to hide things or protect your home bases. But what if you wanted to go on the offensive? With this redstone mini TNT shotgun designed by Dodejoga, you can do just that! In fact, the tutorial video provided can help you design a shotgun that can fire upward of 12 TNT blocks at once. Truly a testament to destructive power! But is it worth using on creepers?

You can also find a Minecraft world save for studying the device here or watch the video above.


Redstone Intruder Alarm System

This build is certainly among the more complex of the home-defense systems in Minecraft, albeit one with very little practical use outside of themed dungeons. This redstone intruder alarm system created by MrCrayfish supports an interesting item-key system that activates whenever someone opens the iron door and walks past a stone switch on the floor.

In order to prevent the door from sounding the alarm, the player must throw an item in the direction of a hidden chest. If they fail to comply, an alarm will go off, causing a light and sound system to alert the owner of the alarm system that something has gone wrong.

It's certainly a neat redstone device, but probably not one that many people will use. If you'd like to learn how to improve the design (by maybe adding the previously mentioned TNT shotgun) you can watch the tutorial for this device first by following this link or simply watching the video in the header above.


Fully Functional 5x5 Vault Door

Maybe the whole bells-and-whistles approach to home security isn't your thing, but on the other hand maybe futuristic vault doors are. If that's the case, then this fully functional 5x5 vault door created by Zet_Pro is right up your alley. The best part? Despite its bulk, this vault door closes in a miraculous 1.21 seconds!

While it certainly needs some block-work to make it a little easier on the eyes, this vault door can be used to blend into your dream science fiction base. If you'd like to check out the inner workings of this door for yourself, you can find it here.


Advanced Block Creator

Moving away from base defense, the Advanced Block Creator made by tesla_block is a dream device for those wanting to play adventure mode, but still want access to an unlimited supply of blocks. In fact, the device can even be used to spawn numerous in-game items without needing to go through the effort of crafting them for yourself!

While this somewhat defeats the purpose of playing the game outside of Creative mode, it is certainly fun to spoil yourself with a good ol' cheat device now and then.

If you'd like to try it out for yourself, you can find the map download here.


Random Maze Generator

Another redstone device that takes imagination to be used to its full potential, this redstone-powered random maze generator uses an absurd amount of doors and redstone wires to generate...well...random mazes. Like many of the other devices in this list, this maze is the perfect fit for someone who really wants to torment a Minecraft dungeon runner. For those feeling adventurous enough to tweak the map a bit, there's no telling what possibilities one could come up with!

I suggest adding more TNT shotguns.

If you'd like to use this random maze generator in your own creations, you can find the map here!


Mega Redstone House

Last but not least, we have the ultimate survival den for those who simply can't be bothered to actually build anything for themselves. The Mega Redstone House by Euclides features numerous facilities ranging from a fully furnished kitchen, forging station, block supplier, defensive barricade switches, and more! With over 90 redstone creations, this is truly the redstone enthusiast's paradise.

It is worth visiting for the sake of taking in the sights alone. The attention to detail that the map's creator put in is much easier to appreciate in-game than in the video (above) provided. That said, the main disadvantage here is that the Mega Redstone House lacks room for improvement. If taking things into your own hands is a must, then this map is a must-not.

Unless, of course, you want to add TNT shotguns to it. This redstone house/fortress combo could certainly use more TNT shotguns...

If you are interested in this map, however, you can find it here.


Item Sorter with Silo Indicator

If you're anything like me, you like to keep things organized. The problem? Minecraft doesn't have an auto-sort button. Thankfully, yet another device designed by Euclides can help us with that problem! While many players have developed item sorting systems in the past, this is perhaps one of the most robust sorters out there.

Unlike simple sorting devices, this item sorter includes silo indicators that tell you how much of each food item you have stored. If you have reached a certain amount, a glowstone will activate, and when depleted they will deactivate. It's an impressive device that shows just how much can be done in Minecraft with enough know-how.

Don't believe me? Check it out yourself!


RC Helicopter for Minecraft!

One problem for those working with Minecraft is that the game doesn't really leave much room for methods of travel. While some players have gone to great lengths to create redstone robots, this RC Helicopter is perhaps one of the most impressive feats of Minecraft ingenuity that surprisingly does not require mods to use!

Some might wonder how such a device could be practical, and in some circles they would be right... But it's an RC Helicopter armed with missiles and an on-board camera! This means no more running into the Nether and dying from hordes of Pigmen and Withers! Also, it's just plain cool.

You can download the RC Helicopter here for all your aerial assault needs.

What redstone creations have you fallen in love with in the past? Got any practical devices in mind that weren't listed here? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!


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David Fisher
Author, GameSkinny columnist, and part-time childhood destroyer. David W. Fisher (otherwise known as RR-sama) is a no B.S. reviewer and journalist who will ensure that you get as close to the facts as humanly possible!