5 best features in Minecraft snapshot 25w16a

Mojang recently released Minecraft Java snapshot 25w16a, bringing some major changes to several existing features. Most of the changes were related to lead, while elytra fireworks and clouds also received some updates. These tweaks will be officially released to Minecraft's second game drop of 2025.

Here is a list of some of the best changes Mojang brought to Minecraft snapshot 25w16a.

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List of 5 best features introduced in Minecraft snapshot 25w16a

1) Two entities can be tied together with a leash

Two entities can now be linked to one another via a lead (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

Previously, players had to connect each leash between them and an entity. If they wanted to leash another entity, they had to bring out a second leash and connect it to the entity again.

With Minecraft snapshot 25w16a, Mojang added a new feature that let players connect two entities with a leash. Through this method, players can only have one entity connected to them, but that first entity can be connected to the second one, and so on, creating a chain of entities.

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2) Happy ghasts can lift entities with a leash

Larger entities can be connected to a happy ghast in a special way (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

In order to transport larger entities like boats, or larger mobs such as sniffers, horses, camels, and more, Mojang decided to make leashes equippable to happy ghasts.

A four-leash arrangement will appear, linking the happy ghast to any large entity, when the player leashes the entity and then links the leash to the flying creature. The picture attached above depicts the new leash mechanics on happy ghasts.

Happy ghasts can lift boats with chests or any other non-player mob in a boat. Since players will be able to easily transfer entities or resources with this method, it can be considered a massive change.

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3) Leash snapping distance increased

Leash snapping distance has been slightly increased (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

If players use a lead on an entity and then take them around the world, there is a threshold distance after which the rope will simply snap. The maximum leash snapping distance in Minecraft was 10 blocks.

With the latest lead changes, Mojang has increased the snapping distance to 12 blocks. This will allow players to pull entities from a longer distance without the fear of the rope snapping. For happy ghasts, a special leash snapping distance of 16 blocks has been set, mainly because these creatures can fly and are large in size.

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4) Firework rockets used on the block will act as a boost for the elytra

Firework rockets act as elytra boosts even when they are placed on the ground (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

When players fly with elytra using firework rockets, the rockets never work if they are placed on a block while flying. This mechanic changed in snapshot 25w16a.

From now on, even if players are using a firework rocket on a block while flying with elytra, it will act as an elytra boost rather than a regular rocket. This mechanic applies when players place a firework rocket on any face of a block.

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5) Clouds render till the world's horizon

Clouds rendering till the horizon increases the overall visual appeal of the game (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

In snapshot 25w16a, Mojang made clouds render till the horizon of the world. In simple terms, the cloud's render distance has massively increased, so much so that they will be visible till the edge of the world.

Previously, clouds' render distance was connected to the chunk render distance. Now, the render distances have been delinked, making clouds visible till the horizon irrespective of chunk render distance.

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