5 best Minecraft 1.18 additions that returning players should try out

Players who have seen a lull in playing Minecraft may not be actively keeping up with the new updates being released, but the versions 1.18 Caves & Cliffs Part II update may present enough new features to have these players reconsider.

Expanding on the improvements made to world generation, specifically the titular caves and cliffs, in Minecraft 1.17, version 1.18 introduces even more new features that may just entice players who have spent some time away. In the event that curious players are looking to return to Minecraft after a break, there are five great features in 1.18 that may rekindle their spirit for the game.

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Minecraft: The best features in 1.18 for returning players to enjoy

5) Upgrading of old worlds

Old worlds created before version 1.18 will now be blended with new generation chunks encouraged by the update (Image via Mojang)

For players who have older worlds that they're attached to for whatever reason, Minecraft 1.18 allows players to keep the worlds relatively intact while updating them at the same time. In an effort to reduce the hard-cut borders that previous updates caused, 1.18 allows existing biomes of a world to blend with newly-generated chunks.

This means that player structures and creations should remain as they were before (though there are exceptions), but the newly-added world generation features will still be present as players explore.

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4) Increased height limit

With an increased height limit, players can dig deeper and build higher (Image via Mojang)

Increasing by 64 blocks vertically in each direction, Mojang has increased Minecraft's height limit in version 1.18. The height limit is now 384 blocks, allowing players to build high into the sky until they hit altitude level 320 while also being able to dig down to level -64.

This not only allows for much larger buildings and creations, but also provides players even deeper avenues of exploration underground. The game's new ore distribution has also been accounted for in version 1.18, placing ores and new ore veins in different altitudes, compared to where they were previously found.

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3) Optimized mob spawning and behavior

Most standard hostile mobs now require a light level of zero to spawn (Image via Mojang)

Mobs in Minecraft have been somewhat reworked, and this applies to both hostile and non-hostile mobs. Players should see some increased animal activity in snowy biomes specifically, as animals such as rabbits and foxes are now capable of spawning on blocks of snow.

Mobs like goats have been relocated to mountain peak biomes, and axolotls can now be found squarely within lush cave biomes.

For hostile mobs, the biggest change involves the light level needed to spawn them. As of Minecraft 1.18, standard hostile mobs require a light level of zero to spawn. This means that players lighting areas they wish to keep safe is even more useful, as an absence of light is required for mobs to spawn in an area now.

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2) Lush cave and dripstone cave biomes

Lush and dripstone caves have finally been released in Minecraft 1.18 (Image via Mojang)

After being teased in certain world types in Minecraft 1.17, lush and dripstone cave biomes now naturally generate in standard worlds. Although they are vastly different biomes, both can now be found underground and feature different goodies for players to take advantage of; be it exotic plant life or water-funneling dripstones.

Caves in general feel much more lively compared to previous Minecraft versions, and players that enjoy spelunking may want to get digging to find these new cave biomes.

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1) New-look mountain biomes

Minecraft's new world generation allows for much more sweeping and massive mountains (Image via Mojang)

They put the "Cliffs" in Caves * Cliffs, and the new world generation mechanics in Minecraft allow for much larger mountains than ever before. Mountains can be so large that they are capable of containing two biomes, one on their slopes and one at their peak.

These biomes also both carry many variations with their own set of blocks, plant life, and mob spawns. This increases biodiversity significantly for large mountain ranges, and what player wouldn't enjoy having a mountaintop hideaway?

Returning players should definitely take a look at the new and improved mountain biomes in Minecraft 1.18, because they're one of the major focuses of the update and it shows.