Hytale SMP vs Minecraft SMP: Key Differences

If you're coming from Minecraft, you'll feel at home in Hytale pretty quickly. Both games share DNA: voxel worlds, resource gathering, building, survival. But dig a little deeper and some real differences emerge.

Here's how Hytale SMPs compare to what you're used to in Minecraft.

Combat is Completely Different

This is the biggest shift. Minecraft combat is simple: click to attack, maybe time your hits for the cooldown. Hytale treats combat as a core system.

Every weapon has weight and timing. Enemies telegraph their attacks with animations, so you need to read patterns and react. Stamina matters for blocking. You can't just spam attacks and tank damage.

On an SMP, this changes PvP completely. Fights feel more like actual duels. Skill matters more than gear (though gear still helps). If you're used to Minecraft PvP, expect a learning curve.

Mods Work Differently

Here's something Minecraft players will love: Hytale mods are server-side only.

What does that mean? When you join a modded Hytale server, you don't need to download anything. The server handles all the mod content and sends it to your client automatically. No more matching mod versions, no more downloading sketchy files, no more troubleshooting why your modpack won't load.

You just join and play. The mods are already there.

This is huge for SMPs. Server owners can add custom content without creating barriers for new players. Everyone can join the same way regardless of what mods the server runs.

Crafting Has Progression

Minecraft crafting is pretty flat. You learn the recipes, you make the items, done. Hytale adds a tier system to crafting stations.

Your workbench, armorer's bench, and other stations can be upgraded. Higher tier stations unlock better recipes. This creates a sense of progression that Minecraft doesn't really have outside of the enchanting system.

It feels more like Valheim or Terraria in that way. You're always working toward the next upgrade.

World Generation is More Structured

Minecraft worlds are fully procedural. Hytale uses a mix of procedural generation and handcrafted elements.

The world has distinct zones with different biomes, enemies, and challenges. There's more structure to exploration. You'll find prefab buildings and dungeons placed intentionally rather than purely randomly generated.

Some players prefer Minecraft's pure randomness. Others like having more curated content to discover. It's a matter of taste.

No Hunger Bar

Hytale doesn't have a hunger system. You don't need to constantly eat to survive.

Food still exists and heals you, but it's not a constant maintenance task. Some players will miss the survival pressure. Others will be glad to stop farming wheat.

Horses Just Work

Small thing, but worth mentioning: you can ride horses in Hytale by just walking up to them and pressing a button. No taming process, no saddles required.

Fast travel around the map is easier from the start.

The Community is Smaller (For Now)

Minecraft has 15 years of history and millions of players. Hytale just launched. The community is smaller, which has pros and cons.

Fewer players means fewer servers to choose from. But it also means tighter communities where people actually recognize each other. Early adopters often form lasting connections.

Which is Better for SMP?

Neither is objectively better. They're different experiences.

Minecraft SMPs have mature ecosystems with tons of plugins, established communities, and predictable gameplay. If you want something proven, Minecraft delivers.

Hytale SMPs are new territory. The game is still in early access, so things will change. But the foundation is solid, and some of the design choices (especially around mods) make multiplayer smoother.

If you're curious about Hytale multiplayer, now is actually a good time to try it. Communities are forming and there's something exciting about being part of a game's early days.

We're running TaleSMP as a straightforward survival experience. If you want to see how Hytale multiplayer feels without any fuss, come check it out.