Many updates have steadily released for Minecraft, improving the base game and giving players more to do while playing without mods. The original content for Minecraft's Vanilla mode quickly became dull for players, leading to the creation of large mod-packs built by the community, many of which improved the overall playability of the game. Minecraft developers have taken notes from some of the more popular mod packs, creating similar update content that allows players variety without having to install anything extra to their game. Of all the updates, one stands out as the best for improving a player's overall experience in Vanilla.
While the addition of Minecraft's "Buzzy Bees" update in 1.15 introduced bee keeping, and many fans are excited for the "Caves and Cliffs" 1.17 update that is slotted for release during 2021, the best update to be added to Minecraft is 1.13. "The Update Aquatic" added new mobs, items, blocks and redesigned oceans biomes, which were primarily barren before the release of 1.13, and largely uninteresting for players to explore unless they wanted to locate Prismarine shards in ocean monuments.
One of the best mobs added through Minecraft's 1.13 update were dolphins. Players can feed dolphins fish to befriend them, and then will have a chance to be led to shipwrecks and ocean ruins deep under the murky waters. They are a neutral mob, but will attack if the player hits one. 1.13 also adds several different fish that spawn in the overworld, as well as sea turtles, which players can find washed up on sandy beaches. These sea turtles will lay their eggs in the sand, and players can watch them hatch to see little sea turtles make their way make to the ocean.
Minecraft's 1.13 Update Makes Vanilla More Vibrant
Minecraft's 1.13 update added a helpful item that changes early gameplay for Vanilla mode. Players can now find kelp growing in most areas with deeper water. Kelp can be harvested and put in a furnace to receive dried kelp, which is a quick and easy food source available almost immediately after starting the game. For some Minecraft players, this easy-to-get food item could mean the difference between life and death before they establish a Minecraft farm with crops and livestock to harvest. Dried kelp also works well as a way to heal during combat, as it can be eaten quickly.
While updates are rarely as extensive as the mod packs made by Minecraft's dedicated community of fans, the updates do improve on the overall base game experience. With each new addition, mod packs can be altered to include Minecraft's new base content, expanding the things that players can do while exploring. Because Minecraft is always working to make the game better for its players, it has stayed widely popular for the past decade, and with more new content expected, will likely remain a fan favorite in coming years.