How to Make a Minecraft Minigames Server (2026 Setup Guide)

How to Make a Minecraft Minigames Server (2026 Setup Guide)

Minigame servers are some of the most popular Minecraft server types. BedWars, SkyWars, TNT Run, Build Battle, and Spleef keep players coming back. Here is how to build your own.

Server Software

Use Paper or Purpur as your base. Both are optimized forks of Spigot with better performance and more configuration options. Do not use vanilla or Forge for minigame servers.

For a network with multiple game modes, you also need a proxy:

• Velocity (recommended) for connecting multiple servers
• BungeeCord as an alternative

Essential Plugins

Core

• BedWars1058 or BedWars by Andrex — Full BedWars implementation
• SkyWars by several developers — Multiple options available on SpigotMC
• TNTRun — Classic TNT Run minigame
• BuildBattle — Build competition game mode

Server Management

• LuckPerms — Permission management across all game modes
• Vault — Economy and permission API bridge
• PlaceholderAPI — Variable placeholders for scoreboards and messages

Player Experience

• NPC plugin (Citizens or ZNPCsPlus) — Clickable NPCs in the lobby for game selection
• HolographicDisplays or DecentHolograms — Floating text for stats and leaderboards
• Scoreboard plugin — Shows game stats, kills, and timer

Queue & Matchmaking

• BedWars and SkyWars plugins include built-in queue systems
• For custom games, plugins like GameAPI or custom development is needed

Server Architecture

A typical minigame network uses multiple servers:

[Proxy: Velocity]
    |
    |--- Lobby Server (Paper)
    |--- BedWars Server 1 (Paper)
    |--- BedWars Server 2 (Paper)
    |--- SkyWars Server (Paper)
    |--- TNT Run Server (Paper)

Players connect to the proxy. The lobby server acts as the hub. When they click a game NPC, the proxy sends them to the correct game server.

For small communities (under 30 players), you can run everything on a single server using a plugin like SlimeWorldManager for fast world loading.

Hardware Requirements

| Setup | RAM | CPU | |-------|-----|-----| | Single server, 1 to 2 games | 4 to 6 GB | Good single-thread | | Multi-server, 3 to 5 games | 8 to 16 GB | Strong single-thread | | Large network, 50+ players | 16 to 32 GB | Dedicated cores |

Minigame servers create and destroy worlds frequently. NVMe storage makes a noticeable difference in map loading speed.

Map Setup

Each minigame needs pre-built maps:

1. Build the map in creative mode
2. Save the world folder
3. Configure the plugin to load that map for the game mode
4. Most plugins support multiple maps per game mode with rotation

You can find free minigame maps on Planet Minecraft and various Minecraft build teams.

Configuration Tips

• Set player limits per game. BedWars typically runs 8 to 16 players. SkyWars runs 12 to 24.
• Use SlimeWorldManager for fast map resets between games
• Disable mob spawning in game worlds
• Set world borders to prevent players from leaving the play area
• Pre-generate chunks in game worlds to prevent lag during gameplay

Monetization

Minigame servers can be monetized through:

• Cosmetic items (hats, trails, kill effects)
• VIP perks (priority queue, exclusive kits)
• Ranks with non-gameplay advantages

Stay EULA-compliant. No pay-to-win. Mojang enforces this.

Hosting a Minigame Server

Minigame servers need fast storage for world loading and strong CPU for handling many players in combat. Space-Node uses NVMe SSDs and Ryzen 9 processors. Map loads are instant. PvP combat stays smooth.

---

Build your minigames network. View Minecraft Hosting Plans