Minecraft Update Tests New Biomes

By Tanner Dedmon

After testing out some changes in Minecraft's Experimental Snapshots, Mojang has now released some new content in the first bit Snapshot of the game's next update. This means new biomes and more are now available for players to test out in Snapshot 21W37A for those who are playing on the Java version in addition to some content added to the Bedrock edition. The fact that this content is being previewed in a Snapshot means it's nearing release, so those interested in what's to come will want to check out the preview of the content even if they don't plan on testing it out themselves pre-release.

New biomes are the highlight of the new Snapshot as Mojang continues to expand on its Caves & Cliffs work. We've gotten Part 1 of that big update already with the second part coming later.

Until that releases, you can check out what's planned for the newest Snapshot below as far as the biomes are concerned. We've pulled the relevant biome bits from the patch notes, but if you want to see the full changelog, you can do so here.

New Features in 21W37A

  • Added noise caves and aquifers
  • Added Dripstone Caves underground biome
  • Added Grove biome
  • Added Lofty peaks biome
  • Added Lush Caves underground biome
  • Added Meadow biome
  • Added Snowcapped peaks biome
  • Added Snowy slopes biome
  • Added Stony peaks biome
  • New ore distribution and large ore veins
  • Overworld build and generation limits have been expanded

Dripstone Caves Biome

  • Contains plenty of Pointed Dripstone and Dripstone Block on the floors and ceilings, and small pools of water
  • In some places, you'll find larger stalagmites, stalactites, and columns built from Dripstone Blocks
  • Contains extra copper ore

Grove

  • Snowy terrain with big spruce trees and powder snow traps. Might want to wear leather boots!
  • Tends to generate on high-altitude terrain beneath mountain peaks or on hilltops.
  • Spawns wolfs, rabbits, and foxes.

Lofty Peaks

  • Dramatic jagged mountain peaks with snow and stone
  • Spawns goats

Lush Caves Biome

  • Moss covers the floors and ceilings
  • Spore Blossoms grow from the ceiling and drip particles
  • Contains Clay pools with Dripleaf plants growing out of them
  • Contains Azalea Bushes and Flowering Azalea Bushes
  • The Azalea Tree loves to have its roots in Lush Caves, so if you find an Azalea Tree (either overground or in a cave) you know there is a Lush Cave beneath you
  • Cave Vines with Glow Berries grow from the ceiling and light up the caves

Meadow Biome

  • Large grassy and flowery biome that tends to generate high up on plateaus or next to large mountain ranges.
  • Sometimes contains a lone tall oak or birch tree, often with a bee nest.
  • Think Sound of Music!
  • Spawns donkeys, rabbits, and sheep.

Snowcapped Peaks

  • Smooth mountain peaks with ice and snow
  • Spawns goats and yeti. No actually just goats.

Snowy Slopes

  • Very snowy terrain that can hide powder snow traps. Might want to wear leather boots!
  • Tends to generate on high-altitude terrain beneath mountain peaks or on hilltops.
  • Spawns rabbits and goats.

Stony Peaks

  • Stony mountain peaks that may be jagged or smooth
  • Spawns goats
  • Contains strips of calcite sometimes

Minecraft's newest Snapshot is now available to download and preview for Java Edition players.

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