5 hidden block features in Minecraft you may not know

Blocks are essentially units in Minecraft. The entire world of the game is made up of various kinds of blocks. They can be mined, crafted, and used in countless ways. Some of them are quite basic, and most players know how to use them, while others are rare and have special features. However, several blocks have some kind of hidden feature that new players will notice from the get-go.

Of course, experienced players who have been exploring Minecraft for years might know about all the hidden features of each block, but newbies might be surprised to find out about them. Here are some fascinating hidden features in certain blocks.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinion. Furthermore, this article is targeted at new players, as some of these features might be obvious to experienced players.

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Top 5 hidden block features in Minecraft

1) Prismarine block changes color

Prismarine blocks gradually change color from green to blue and back in Minecraft (Image via Mojang)

Not a lot of players might have noticed this, but the prismarine blocks have an animated texture. The cracks in the prismarine block gradually change color from light blue to green, purple, dark blue, and back.

It essentially changes its color 22 times in about 5 minutes and 30 seconds. Hence, it is considered one of the most beautiful blocks for decoration and building structures. The color variations are even more noticeable when shaders are active.

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2) Food can be cooked over a campfire

Campfires can also be used to simultaneously cook four food items in Minecraft (Image via Mojang)

Though new players always use the furnace to cook food, there are other blocks that can cook it as well. Apart from smokers, campfires can also cook four food items simultaneously.

When players craft the campfire and place it, they can right-click on it while holding a raw food item to cook it on the campfire. It will be kept on one edge of the block. Since a campfire can cook four food items simultaneously, it is slightly faster than a furnace.

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3) Crimson stem veins glow

The veins in the crimson stem have an animated texture that looks like flowing red liquid in Minecraft (Image via Mojang)

This might not be a dedicated feature, but the red veins on the crimson stem have an animated texture. It looks like a flowing red liquid inside the block, which is quite fascinating to witness once noticed.

Hence, these blocks can be used to decorate walls as well. The red veins of the block look even better when shaders are applied, as they start glowing.

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4) Entities stick to the honey block

Entities' falling speed slows down when they are stuck to a honey block in Minecraft (Image via Mojang)

Honey blocks are fascinating as they have several uses in the game. However, one of their somewhat hidden features is that any entity can stick to its vertical facet as well.

This means that if players or any other entity comes into contact with the honey block while falling, their falling speed will drastically decrease. The falling speed is somewhat similar to the speed at which players climb down from a ladder. Hence, they are used in several parkour maps as well.

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5) Coral blocks turn gray when placed outside the water

Coral blocks die and turn gray soon after they are placed away from water in Minecraft (Image via Mojang)

Coral blocks are extremely beautiful blocks that form in coral reefs in warm oceans. However, if players obtain them and place them away from the water, they will soon lose their vibrant color and turn gray.

They are essentially plants that cannot stay alive away from water. Hence, if players want to keep them intact and colorful, they need to keep them near water.