Why PvP lives on 1.8
1.8 was released in September 2014. The main thing about it is for servers, a fight that's no longer in new versions. 1.9 recharged impact, shield and second arm. You hit 1.8 as fast as you click, the sword can be blocked, and the end of the fight is decided by the clicks, the compo and the rod.
Along with the reload in 1.9, the balance of the weapon changed: the ax began to hit harder than the sword, but slower. At 1.8 the main weapon is the sword.
So the Minecraft 1.8 servers are PvP and mini-games: BedWars, SkyWars, duels, practical weapons. The mini-game networks hold on to the old fight, because both players and regimes grew up under it. That's what Hypixel does.
There is also a technical reason: 1.8 is lightweight, works on weak computers and produces high FPS, and this is important for PvP.
Is it possible to log in from a different version
Usually, yes. Most of these servers put up the ViaVersion and allow customers to be newer, with a range specified in their monitoring, such as "1.8–1.21. But the fighter stays the one that's set on the server, and it's best to play with 1.8.9, the last version of the branch.
You can install 1.8.9 through the launcher. The site has its own - JuxLauncher itself downloads any version of Java Edition.
From the new client you will see the world 1.8: there are no blocks, mobs and items from later versions on such a server.
How to select a server and log in
For minigames, it's important online: there's no match without people. On the server page, you can see now, a 24-hour and weekly schedule, a peak and a record. Online monitoring measures itself, ping, is not a number with the owner's words. The filter will leave the PvP or the mini game immediately.
Look and uptime by day 90 days: a network that often lies quickly loses players.
Click “Copy address”, open “Network game” in the game → “Add” and paste the address. Instructions are in the “How to Login” block.
You can vote once a day for an attractive server. The voice moves it in the "Voices" tab, and some servers give it an award in the game -- you have to put your name on it.