Ender pearls are getting a new feature in Minecraft 1.21 update 

With its snapshots and beta releases, the Minecraft 1.21 update continues to surprise players with game-changing additions and features. As the expected release date for the Tricky Trials update approached, and players anticipated the upcoming snapshots to only include bug fixes, the developers once again surprised everyone with a new ender pearl feature.

Ender pearls have remained unchanged for a long time, leading to a decline in their use for teleportation, as there was nothing new or exciting about them. However, the 1.21 update will allow players to do more with this unique teleportation item.

In this article, we delve into the new ender pearl feature released with the first pre-release for the Tricky Trials update and discuss other portal changes.

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Minecraft 1.21 introduces new ender pearl and Nether portal feature

A player throwing an ender pearl toward a Nether portal. (Image via Mojang)

Ender pearls are items that can be thrown into the air, teleporting the player to the spot where they land. This movement feature has been a core technique for speedrunners, allowing them to avoid terrain dangers and save considerable time.

In the Minecraft 1.21 Tricky Trials update, players will be able to throw an ender pearl through a Nether portal to teleport directly into the Nether dimension. This change, while seemingly small, can be extremely useful in speedruns, saving time when returning to the Overworld after gathering ender pearls and blaze rods.

However, this new trick for entering the Nether in style, though highly reliable, does not always work perfectly. During testing, players were sometimes teleported to the other side of the portal instead of entering the Nether. This issue could be optimized in the future, either before or with the release of the Minecraft 1.21 update.

A player sends a villager through a Nether portal. (Image via Mojang)

Pre-release 1 for the Tricky Trials update includes another Nether portal change. Entering the Nether portal while riding an entity, such as a horse or a minecart, is now allowed by default, and the game rule previously required for this has been removed.

This change simplifies using the Nether to transport villagers over long distances, as they will now enter the Nether more quickly.

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How to get Minecraft pre-releases and snapshots

A player throwing an ender pearl toward a Nether portal. (Image via Mojang)

Major Minecraft updates are released after the features have been tested in snapshots and pre-release versions.

To access these features early, players can follow these steps to install the test versions in the Java Edition:

Step 1: Open the official game launcher.

Step 2: Navigate to the "Installations" tab.

Step 3: Enable the "Snapshots" option in the "Versions" section.

Step 4: Create a new installation and select the latest snapshot or pre-release available.

The launcher will then download the necessary files. Once the download is complete, players can enjoy the selected snapshot.