5 best features and changes in Minecraft 1.21 pre-release 1

Mojang Studios has released Minecraft 1.21's first pre-release version. This means the developer is finished with the snapshot phase of the update and that its launch is imminent. With the first pre-release, the studio has made many interesting changes to new and existing features. Some can drastically change how players travel in the world, while others change how they use weapons.

Here is a list of five major changes introduced by Minecraft 1.21 pre-release 1.

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List of 5 major features changed in Minecraft 1.21 pre-release 1

1) Ender pearls work through the Nether portal

Ender pearls can teleport players between Nether and Overworld through portals. (Image via Mojang Studios)

An ender pearl in Minecraft would previously pass through a Nether portal and land on the other side in the Overworld when players threw it. As a result, players were unable to use them to directly teleport into the Nether.

With the 1.21 update's first pre-release, Mojang Studios introduced the ability for ender pearls to pass through the Nether portal and instantly teleport players to the other dimension.

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2) Horses and minecarts can be ridden through Nether portals

Horses and minecarts can be ridden between Nether and Overworld through portals. (Image via Mojang Studios)

Previously, players had to get off their horses for the mob to pass through the Nether portal. With the latest Minecraft 1.21 update pre-release, this has changed. Now, players do not need to get off their horses to teleport to the Nether world. Furthermore, when they ride the horse, there is no wait before teleporting both to the Nether.

Additionally, players can ride minecarts while going through a Nether portal and enter a different dimension without dismounting. This will allow players to create railway systems with minecarts between Overworld and Nether through the portal.

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3) Mace attack speed decreased

Mace's attack speed has been slightly increased (Image via Mojang Studios)

Mace is a new weapon coming with Minecraft 1.21 Tricky Trials update. It is a hammer-like weapon that players can craft with a heavy core and breeze rods. When it was first released, its attack speed was 1.6, which was decent enough. In snapshot 24w18a, the developer drastically reduced its attack speed and brought it down to 0.5, making it the slowest weapon in the game.

With the first 1.21 update pre-release, however, Mojang Studios has slightly increased mace's attack speed to 0.6, which is still the slowest compared to other weapons.

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4) Doors of different materials can form double doors

Doors of different materials can now be joined as double doors (Image via Mojang Studios)

With Minecraft 1.21 update pre-release 1, Mojang Studios has made changes to how different doors work.

Previously, doors made of different materials couldn't become part of a double-door system. This has been made possible with the latest pre-release, allowing players to make unique kinds of double doors with different materials.

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5) Trial spawner converting to Ominous state's mechanics changed

Mobs drop picked items when being removed by trial spawners converting into ominous (Image via Mojang Studios)

Trial spawners are new blocks that spawn hostile mobs in the trial chamber. They have a special feature that alters the number of creatures based on the number of players approaching them. If a player with a bad omen status effect arrives near the trial spawner, it will convert into an ominous trial spawner and summon more powerful hostile creatures.

The first Minecraft 1.21 update pre-release brings a slight change to the trial spawner. Mobs that get removed by a trial spawner that is converting into an ominous variant will now drop any items that they have previously picked up from the ground.

This means that hostile mobs coming from regular trial spawners will not despawn with an item they picked after the spawner block converts into an ominous state.