What Is Matchbox?
Matchbox brings the thrill of social deduction games directly into your Minecraft server. Inspired by popular titles where trust is fragile and deception runs deep, this plugin transforms a group of 2 to 20 players into Sparks, Medics, and Innocents locked in a battle of wits. The twist? Every mechanic is designed to be recording-proof, so stream snipers and screen peekers lose their unfair advantage. Whether you run a private SMP or a bustling minigame network, Matchbox adds a fresh layer of psychological gameplay that fits right into the blocky world.
How the Game Unfolds
Each match cycles through three distinct phases, keeping tension high and communication critical. The plugin handles all teleportation, role assignment, and ability management automatically, so players can focus on reading each other rather than wrestling with commands.
1. Swipe Phase (3 minutes)
Players roam the map freely. The Spark secretly infects one target per round, while the Medic races to cure infected players before the phase ends. Abilities like Hunter Vision and Healing Sight add layers of strategy, and all chat appears as floating holograms, preserving anonymity.
2. Discussion Phase (30 seconds)
Everyone is teleported to assigned seats. Infected players who weren't cured are eliminated, and the survivors must share observations. Skins stay applied and nametags remain hidden, so you can't rely on visual recognition alone.
3. Voting Phase (15 seconds)
Voting papers appear in your inventory. Right-click or left-click to cast a vote, or abstain entirely. A dynamic threshold system scales the required votes based on how many players are still alive — from 20% at 20 players down to 50% at 3 players. If the threshold isn't met, no one is eliminated, and a penalty gradually lowers the bar in future rounds to keep the game moving.
Installation and Setup
Getting Matchbox running is straightforward. You'll need a Paper server running version 1.21.10 and Java 21 or newer. Start by downloading Matchbox.jar and ProtocolLib-5.4.0.jar, then place both files into your server's plugins/ folder. Next, grab the official M4tchbox map from Planet Minecraft and drop it into your server directory. After a restart, the plugin auto-generates a default configuration perfectly tuned for that map, complete with 11 spawn points and 8 discussion seats. You can literally start playing immediately without tweaking a single coordinate. For server administrators who want an even smoother experience, the foxygame.net launcher offers a convenient, flexible, and modern Minecraft launcher where you can download mods and plugins right from the menu, making it easy to keep everything up to date.
Commands at Your Fingertips
Matchbox provides a clean set of commands for both players and admins, with handy aliases like /mb and /mbox.
Player Commands
/matchbox join <session>— Join a game session/matchbox leave— Leave your current session/matchbox list— List all active sessions
Admin Commands
/matchbox start <session>— Create a new game session/matchbox setspawn— Add a spawn location to config/matchbox setseat <number>— Set a seat location/matchbox setdiscussion <session>— Set discussion area location/matchbox listspawns/listseatspawns— View configured locations/matchbox removespawn <index>/removeseat <number>— Remove specific locations/matchbox clearspawns/clearseats— Reset all locations (requires confirmation)/matchbox begin <session>— Start the game/matchbox debugstart <session>— Force-start with fewer players (debug override)/matchbox stop <session>— Stop and remove a session/matchbox skip— Skip current phase/matchbox debug— Show debug info
Deep Configuration Options
All settings live in plugins/Matchbox/config.yml, created automatically on first run. The default config is ready for the M4tchbox map, but you can customize nearly every aspect of gameplay.
Customizing Locations In-Game
Stand where you want a spawn point and run /matchbox setspawn. For seats, use /matchbox setseat <number>. These coordinates save instantly and persist across sessions. The plugin even flags entries whose worlds are missing or not loaded, so you can fix issues quickly.
Adjustable Game Settings
- Phase durations: Swipe (default 180s), Discussion (30s), Voting (15s)
- Player limits: Min 2, Max up to 20
- Random skins: Toggle on/off; optionally force Steve skins for all players
- Spark secondary ability: Choose from random, hunter_vision, spark_swap, or delusion
- Dynamic voting thresholds: Set percentages for 20, 7, and 3 players
- Voting penalty system: Configure per-phase penalty, max phases, and max reduction
Roles and Abilities
Every match assigns one of three roles, each with unique mechanics that keep the game unpredictable.
Spark (Impostor)
Your goal is to eliminate all players without being caught. Each round you infect one target, and you also roll a random secondary ability: Hunter Vision reveals all players with particles for 15 seconds, Spark Swap teleports you invisibly with a random player while preserving velocity and look direction, and Delusion applies a fake infection that the Medic can see but doesn't cause elimination.
Medic
You're the only one who can cure infected players. Use your cure wisely each round, and activate Healing Sight once per match to gain critical information. Your job is to identify the Spark and keep the Innocents alive.
Innocent
Survive, observe, and work with others to vote out the Spark. You have no special abilities, but your voice in discussion and your voting power are the backbone of the team.
Why Matchbox Stands Out
Beyond the core loop, Matchbox packs several features that make it a standout addition to any server. Parallel sessions let multiple games run simultaneously, so you never have to wait. The recording-proof design ensures that inventories, abilities, and skins are identical for all players, thwarting stream cheaters. Damage and block interaction are protected during games, preventing griefing. A nickname-friendly UI uses display names in titles, voting papers, and holograms, so even players with custom nicknames feel fully integrated. New players receive a welcome message with plugin info and support details, and the developer maintains an active Discord community for bug reports and suggestions.
Conclusion
Matchbox injects the social deduction genre into Minecraft with a polished, server-friendly plugin that respects both casual and competitive play. The out-of-the-box default configuration means you can host a game within minutes of installation, while the deep customization options let you tailor every phase and ability to your community's taste. Whether you're looking to break up the routine of survival building or add a dedicated minigame, Matchbox delivers tense, memorable rounds that keep players coming back. Grab the plugin, set up the map, and let the accusations fly.