Minecraft Caves & Cliffs Update Expands World Size and Adds Crazy New Features

The long-awaited part two of the Minecraft Caves & Cliffs update was released on November 30th. The first part of the update gave us many new mobs and creatures to explore among other things. But the players were waiting for the second part very eagerly as this is the update that brought the serious world changes with it.

The Minecraft worlds at one time were mostly on one level. Of course, you could mine down and find small caves here and there, but the game didn’t really feature too much underground exploring. As time has gone on the game wanted to add an entirely new way for players to use the map, by being able to explore underground much more. We saw many updates roll out that featured new underground expansions and things to do. With the release of this update, they are bringing even more changes, giving players almost an entirely new world layer to explore.

Noise Caves

To add new ways of generating cave systems and expand on the variety of cave types, Noise Caves came about. These cave generations are being classified into three different types: Cheese, Spaghetti, and Noodle. The way these food-named caves work is pretty simple. Cheese caves are large holes that lead to different formations and caves (like a block of swiss cheese). Spaghetti caves can cover a long distance and are pretty narrow just like a piece of spaghetti. Noodle caves are similar to Spaghetti caves but take lots more twists and turns and are even a bit smaller.

These cave types help make them all feel a little more unique and not copy cats of another cave. I am definitely glad to see some new cave types come out.

Lush & Dripstone Caves

Personally, I think the Lush caves are gorgeous. A welcoming sight while surrounded by darkness and mobs. These caves are filled with vines, fruits, and flowers hanging down from the walls and ceiling. The Glow Berries add light in these caves making it a bit safer of a place to hang out while underground. A great place to relax for a few minutes between mining runs. If you are on the surface keep a lookout for Azalea trees as these caves can often form under them.

Dripstone caves are really unique as well. They create huge formations that hang from the ceiling. While some of these caves are extremely grand with large formations that span many blocks, you can also find smaller variations of these around the cave systems as well. If you destroy a stalactite at the top it will cause the rest to come crashing down. However, do be careful of the Stalagmites that are around as they can be harmful.

Both these new cave types are super cool. Stumbling through a hole that leads you into one of these is like teleporting into a new world at times. You can really see some thought and effort put into these designs. It is worth exploring the world just to find these and see them for yourself.

Aquifers & Additional Biomes

Another cave addition that is worth mentioning is aquifers. This new feature is a body of water with its own water level not related to the sea level. These can be found as little ponds all the way to giant underground lakes that you almost need a boat to get across quickly. These are found in caves, mountains, and even the surface. If you go deep enough below y0 you can also find lava aquifers. Because who wouldn’t want to stumble upon a huge lava lake blocking their path?

The update has added a few more biomes as well, including:

• Grove biome
• Meadow biome
• Lofty Peaks biome
• Stony Peaks biome
• Snowy Slopes biome

While I believe most of these biomes are pretty self-explanatory as to what they include, it is worth noting them. They can be found on cliffsides and at the top of towering mountains. It gives players something to discover while hiking up the top of a mountain. You will run across groves and meadows of trees that scatter down parts of the mountain providing nice views, or you may discover deep snow and traps that require leather boots to make your way across.

The world has gotten bigger

To be able to host these huge cave systems and tall mountains the world had to be expanded vertically. The Y-axis was given another 64 blocks in each direction. Meaning taller mountains and deeper caves! The range is now 384 blocks as opposed to the previous 256 blocks. You can now go from y-64 to y320.

I think these added blocks really bring a new feeling to the game making it feel much bigger. Looking at a distant mountain range that is so high up really makes you want to go on an adventure to see what could be on the other side. This update has also pushed the clouds higher up to accommodate the new mountain peaks. Gazing up at them floating way above really makes you feel a bit smaller in this vast new world.

This update has really refreshed the game

Not saying this game was ever dull, but in a game that is all about exploration and mining, I think having a more complex underground world is fabulous. It has given us something new to explore and makes the underground feel more unique. We can find new cave types, blocks, and even huge lakes sitting below the surface. The cliffs towering high overhead make you feel like you are living in a truly giant world. I am excited to see what new cliff homes and cave dwellings people come up with to create.