A new update for Minecraft has added more underground anxiety with a new cave variety called "noodle caves." The survival sandbox title launched as a paid public alpha in 2009 before its full official release in 2011. The game has become one of the most successful and iconic video games in history, and developer Mojang continues to support the title with updates.
The next big update for Minecraft, titled the Caves & Cliffs Update, is expected to overhaul the game's terrain generation system. The update will reportedly add a large variety of new cave types, making the game's traditional mining experience more interesting, while also making mountains more diverse and exciting. While originally intended to be a single update, Caves & Cliffs was recently split into two parts to ensure the quality of the new mechanics being introduced. The first part of the update is expected to release this summer, while the second part will hopefully be released by the 2021 holiday season.
The most recent Minecraft snapshot, 21w17a, was recently revealed by Mojang via the Minecraft blog. The experimental update includes a number of minor additions and adjustments to the game, such as changing how copper ore functions. Changes to the Caves & Cliffs preview are more substantial, with the addition of noddle caves to the game's world generation system. Noodle caves are very thin and claustrophobic caves which wind chaotically underground, a far cry from the game's original often large and spacious cave systems. The snapshot can be downloaded right from the Minecraft blog post.
Alongside official updates, Minecraft continues to receive support in the form of fan-made mods. A particularly extensive mod, titled the Create Mod, allowed one Reddit user to turn an in-game house into a fully functional elevator. The mod provides players with a variety of tools, allowing them to build impressive feats of mechanical ingenuity. The elevator creation allows the player's entire Minecraft home to slide underground and connect to a secret underground location. Another Reddit user recently shared a resource pack for the game which allows the iconic and destructive Creepers to blend into the environment. This makes the deadly enemy even more powerful, likely resulting in a ton of property damage.
Mojang's continued support of Minecraft is a testament to both the game's popularity and the developer's dedication. While the game is already immensely popular, new updates continue to tweak the weaker aspects of the game and make the strong parts even stronger. While the Caves & Cliffs update may be delayed, players can get a taste of the update's additions by trying out the brand new snapshot.
Minecraft is available now on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Source: Minecraft, slicedlime