A new version of Minecraft for Nintendo Switch is now available that features cross-platform play between consoles. Only the PS4 version is incompatible.

Friends playing on PC, Xbox One or mobile can now join forces with Switch owners to build and explore Minecraft worlds together. However, thanks to Sony's walled garden approach to online gaming, players with a PlayStation 4 will not be able to hook up to their buddies' Switch sessions.

Those with the existing Minecraft for Nintendo Switch game will need to download an entirely new version from the Nintendo eShop, simply called Minecraft. But it is completely free to all those that own the older game.

Otherwise, it is £19.99 on the eShop itself, or you can buy a physical copy - the Bedrock Edition with included Super Mario Mash-up skins, etc - for £24.95 from Amazon.co.uk and other retailers.

You will need a Nintendo Switch Online account to play the game with your chums over the internet. This is currently free but will become a paid subscription service from September. You can find out more about the service, including pricing, here: What is Nintendo Switch Online, how much does it cost and when is it coming?

Minecraft isn't the first cross-platform game for the Switch that Sony does not support; the recently-released Fortnite also features cross-play with other formats bar PS4.