There has never been a better time to start playing Minecraft. In 2020 the game managed to have 131 concurrent users so there will always be someone to pal around with for players logging on. Players can build massive structures, take down mobs of enemies, and even speedrun the game to have fun

Like many other games, enemies, allies, and NPCs of all kinds have hitboxes. These hitboxes show exactly how much space an entity takes up which can be useful for many reasons. Players wanting to get the most out of their Minecraft experience will want to know how to see them in the game.

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Updated May 19, 2021 by Russ Boswell: The methods and rules surrounding hitboxes in Minecraft haven't changed much over the years but players are constantly finding new and interesting ways to utilize (and manipulate) them. Although the Java Edition still remains the only version capable of showcasing hitboxes, it's still important to know all you can about them. Crafty gamers are making suffocation traps, creating powerful farming methods, and defeating enemies faster than ever thanks to the updated knowledge concerning these ever-important "zones."

It's actually quite easy to see hitboxes in the Java Edition of the game: simply press F3 and B on the keyboard at the same time. That's it! This key combo can be used to toggle hitboxes on and off for when players want them to be out of sight once more. Unfortunately, this method only works in the Java Edition.

With hitboxes turned on, a white line that forms a box is shown around whatever entity players are looking at. These boxes do not always match up with the exact shape of entities either, sometimes various body parts will stick out. This is especially important to recognize as even if players hit an entity with a sword in an area they don't have a hitbox, no damage will take place.

Hitboxes will also show an entity's lines of sight. This is the large red rectangle that surrounds the entire head. This is why players can't sneak up on mobs, they are programmed to have the literal equivalent of having eyes on the back of their head. Players can still know which way an entity is facing by looking at the blue line that extends away from the eyes.

Hitboxes are also responsible for whether or not a player or mob is suffocating. Suffocation damage is taken whenever a solid block enters the "headspace of a player or NPC." This space is denoted by a thin red rectangle.

The Ender Dragon has a unique hitbox that features three separate colors. Its entire form is outlined by a massive white box, which indicates its "contact area" but doing damage to the boss is different from most mobs. The green boxes sprinkled all around its body are where players can technically damage the dragon and knowing where these areas are can make it much easier to defeat the boss. It also features a massive line of sight, encompassing the creature from all sides. It's no wonder why players are easily sought out by the flying beast.

There are several ways that seeing hitboxes can be especially useful for players:

• Dealing Damage: Hitboxes are most useful for seeing where enemies can be damaged. There are some enemies, like a ghast, that don't have hitboxes in places players might expect. There's no reason to waste time hacking and slashing away when it does nothing!
• Tactical Retreats: Let's be real, sometimes mobs are just too much to take on and players will need to run away. The best way to do this is to break the mob's line of sight on the player. It can be difficult to run away as some mobs have a massive range. It can be easier to use blocks to make it so enemies can no longer see if players build a large enough wall.
• Fast Farming: Players love to make contraptions to farm animals, enemies, and mobs in general. It can be a speedy way to get tons of drops quickly. Players can see smaller blocks for baby animals against the larger ones for those fully grown making it easier to make an automatic farm for example.
• Breaking Objects: Objects have their own hitboxes and knowing exactly where they are and how they interact with players is valuable information. It's even possible to destroy a mob, NPC, or player's transportation by only hitting the hitbox of the object while avoiding any other hitboxes that may be near it.

Minecraft is available now on Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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