Start a Bridge server in Minecraft

The Bridge is a team minigame, and the plugin of that name describes itself as a Hypixel-style version of it. This guide installs that plugin from Modrinth on a Paper server, builds one arena and starts a match. It needs no database, because the plugin keeps scores in a local file by default.

Checked against The Bridge 4.0.0 on Paper 26.2, October 2026.

What you need

• A Paper server on Minecraft 26.2. The plugin's page lists Minecraft versions from 1.8.9 up to 26.2.
• Plugins need Paper, Purpur or Folia. A Vanilla server has no Plugins tab.
• A built, symmetrical map. The plugin says only one side needs setting up, because the game is symmetrical and the other teams are set up automatically.

Switch to Paper

Open JAR Manager, pick Paper as the server software and 26.2 as the Minecraft version, then press Apply change. Leave Take a backup first ticked and press Confirm & reinstall. Change your Minecraft version or mod loader covers the screen in full.

Install the plugin

1. Open the Plugins tab and stay on Store.
2. In the source chip row at the top of the tab, choose Modrinth and search for The Bridge. Pick the result by Mipcraft, since a search for "bridge" also lists unrelated plugins such as Voice Bridge and Discord Bridge.
3. Press Install, then restart from the Console tab. The plugin only loads after a restart.

Install Minecraft plugins on Paper or Purpur has more on the tab.

Set the lobby and match rules

Start the server once so the plugin writes its files, then open File Manager and find config.yml in the plugin's folder under plugins. The settings you are most likely to change:

• lobby holds the world, x, y and z where players wait. It defaults to the world named world at 0.5, 100.0, 0.5.
• Winning_Score is the score a team needs to win a match. It defaults to 5.
• Waiting_In_Lobby is the lobby countdown in seconds. It defaults to 30.
• Fall_damage defaults to false.
• database.use_local_file defaults to true, which stores stats in a local file. Leave it on, because our servers do not include a MySQL database.

Save the file, then reload with /tb reload or restart.

Build an arena

Stand in the world with your map and run:

/tb create <arena_name>

This opens the interactive setup editor. Use the hotbar wands to set the lobby spawn, the first team's spawn and goal portal, and the build boundaries. Open the setup dashboard in slot 8 and check that every marker is green, then click Save & Exit in slot 9. Run /tb edit <game> to change the arena later.

The plugin lists Multiverse-Core as a soft dependency, so it loads after Multiverse if you use it. Set up Multiverse-Core shows how to add worlds.

Play a match

• /tb play opens the match picker.
• /tb join <game> joins one arena directly.
• /tb leave leaves the match or lobby.
• /tb list (staff) shows every arena with its status and player count.

Matches run 1v1 up to 4v4, with two or four teams.

If something goes wrong

• Players cannot join the server. Check the whitelist switch on the Players tab. Whitelist players and set operators has the steps.
• Players cannot use /tb play. need_permission_to_join in config.yml is false by default, which lets players use /tb play, /tb join and /tb leave without a permission. If you set it to true, players need TheBridge.play. Staff commands need TheBridge.admin. Grant the node with LuckPerms.
• Builders cannot place blocks near spawn. In the Config Editor, lower Spawn protection (blocks). It is the radius around spawn that only operators can build in.