The blocky sandboxMinecrafthas been something of a fluid, ever-shifting virtual world, with endless things to do and places to explore. Notch and Mojang Studios has released a steady stream of updates, additions, and tweaks dating all the way back to its “alpha” release in late 2011.
But there are few updates more significant than theCaves and Cliffsrelease in 2021, which fleshed out this already expansive romp with even more detail and revamped various parts of the game. This upgrade throws in everything from vast, moss-covered caves to strange new creatures like Glow Squid. On the heels of this addition comes another sizable update,1.18 (or Caves and Cliffs Part 2),whichbrings even more cool additions to the fold.
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While many of these 1.18 add-ons and changes are apparent, there are some interesting ones that may have slipped through the cracks for some.
8Can Cut Off Vine Growth
One of the most alluring additions in Caves and Cliffs is the smattering of vines and other growth strewn about the caves. In the initial release, vines would grow out of control and unchecked unless the player destroyed it from its source.
With this update, however, comes the ability to maintain and trim these plants with much more efficiency. Applying toKelp as well as Cave, Twisting, and Weeping Vines,players can now nip the growth of these in the bud by using shears on the tips of vines.
7Switch Off Lightning Flashes
Minecraftcan be a pretty spooky experience when venturing in the wilderness at night, particularly during those dark storms.Adding to this harsh weatherare the startling lightning flashes, which add even more of a movie thriller vibe to the experience.
With this update, however, players can dial back a little creepiness of the ambiance during these storms. With a simple tweak in the options menu, players can now disable the flashes emanated by lightning bolts, which removes those jarring sky flashes. The bolts, themselves, do still appear, however.
6Luminous Enchanting Tables
In keeping more in the spirit of their themes,the handy Enchanting Tableswill now emit a subtle, but noticeable light — which adds some neat decorative flair in dark areas in particular. Specifically, these will radiate alight level of “7.”
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It should be noted thatthe Bedrock Edition has already “been there, done that,“as it’s had this aesthetic feature for some time. But now, Java users will be able to enjoy the majestic glow of their Enchanting Tables as well.
5Habitable Snow Blocks For Some Mobs
Snow’s presence inMinecraftbrings with it unique traits in addition to some truly scenic backdrops. But up until the 1.18 update, it also marked a sort of “dead zone” for at least a few mobs types.
Once inhabitable for them, snow blocks now allow for Pillagers, rabbits, and wolves to spawn on them. It would seem that that chilly, snow-laden ground is no longer an issue for these mobs.
4More Liquid-Hot Magma
Magma inMinecraftcan paradoxically be alluring and treacherous, with its hypnotic glow and its ability to incinerate all that touch it. Aside fromthe ominous Nether, however, Magma isn’t exactly plentiful in the default biomes ofMinecraft.
This isn’t quite the case following the 1.18 update, as the frequency of underwater magma blocks has been dialed up. Now, these same blocks also generate at the floor of water-filled caves at times.
3Some Mobs Have A Bit More Humanity
The addition of the mobs like the Evoker, Pillager, and Ravagers adds some creepy moments into the mix. Though these hostile foes also bring some rather disturbing moments, as they would attack helpless baby villagers when near them.
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Not so anymore with the release of this update.Evokers, Pillagers, Vindicators, Illusioners, and ravagersno longer have it out for baby villagers. Of course, they still will not hesitate to go right for players and adult villagers, but at least they have the decency to leave the little ones be.
2More Dynamic Caves
Being a central focus of Caves and Cliffs, it’s only natural that Mojang would take even greater care in fleshing out and expanding on these caverns. Of course, the initial Caves and Cliffs release brought the bulk of these changes, but these wondrous biomes have since seen a few more tweaks.
Perhaps the biggest is the ability to find these Lush and Dripstone Caves generated naturally underground as well inside of hills or mountains. So players can now enjoy the detail of these awesome caves without opting for the “single biome” world type.
Not only this but the depth of these caverns has been extended toY=-64, and two different stone type layers are added, depending on the depth. The areaabove Y=8 yields regular stone,while this transitions todeepslate when hitting Y=8 and below.
1Taller And More Varied Mountains
Mountains inMinecraftmake for great scenery and often yield fun, intense areas to traverse. This is especially the case following their 1.18 revamp. Mountains are now divvied up into six sub-biomes, which include a grassyMeadow, Snowy Slopes and Groves, Jagged Peaks, stony Peaks, and icy Frozen Peaks.
The mountains have also been extended to be taller, making for an even more varied andscenic landscape when adventuring. In fact, the height limit itself has been lengthened, expanding all the way to384 blocks upwards.This is a sizable leap from pre-1.18, which stood at256 blocks.
Minecraftis available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Android, and iOS.
