ive been playing this game since 2011 when i was in middle school and im still coming back to it. im sinking hours into it after work while my puppy sleeps next to my desk and my gf is working evening shift. its such a cozy game and reminds me of when i spent all day after school playing MC and other games w friends. its not just nostalgia tho, its just such a cute game that can be whatever the player wants. after all this time, i still derive so much joy from exploring a new world, building a sprawling estate, spelunking, and even just mining. even tho MC doesnt track ur hours played, im certain its my most played game
just wanted to share that i love this game 
Do nether portals still work? Escaping hell seems like an interesting goal that might technically be possible with loot chests.
yeah they work but they just take you to the actual nether. Basically you make a new map with "single biome" setting and you set that biome to "nether wastes" so it makes the overworld into a sort of nether/overworld hybrid where the fortresses and mobs spawn but there's still water and grass and stuff. Then if you actually manage to build a portal it takes you to the real nether.
Ah, I see. That's also neat.