The good and the bad of Minecraft snapshot 25w02a

Mojang recently released the new Minecraft Java Edition snapshot 25w02a, adding loads of new features that will officially be released in the game's next drop. The developers revealed features like falling leaves from every Overworld tree, leaf litter, two new pig variants, wildflowers, and a new lodestone crafting recipe.

While these will be quite exciting for players, an argument can be made that some of them may not. Here's why.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinion.

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Reasons why Minecraft snapshot 25w02a introduced both great and slightly underwhelming features

The good - lodestone's new recipe, wildflower, and falling leaves

Most features introduced in the latest snapshot are great (Image via Mojang Studios)

One of the best features that was introduced in the Minecraft snapshot 25w02a is the change in the lodestone's crafting recipe. As of now, the block is extremely tough and expensive to craft since it requires a netherite ingot. Said item can either be crafted by finding rare ancient debris blocks in the Nether, or from a treasure loot chest in Bastion Remnants.

In the latest snapshot, however, Mojang decided to replace the netherite ingot with an iron ingot as a necessary crafting ingredient. This makes the lodestone extremely easy to craft, helping new players navigate through the world more easily.

The other two welcome changes are falling leaves and wildflowers growing in birch forests. After testing falling leaves in Cherry Grove and Pale Garden biomes, Mojang decided to implement the feature on every single tree in the Overworld. Previously, the forest biomes looked static and lifeless at times. Now, however, they will have leaves falling from each tree, massively uplifting the ambiance.

Wildflowers will also enhance birch forests, old-growth birch forests, and meadows. Since many in the community were craving new features for the birch forests, these new flowers may quickly become quite popular.

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The bad - leaf litter will visually clutter forests

Leaf litter can visually clutter all the forests in Minecraft (Image via Mojang Studios)

While the leaf litter is overall a great addition to Minecraft, the frequency and color should be slightly altered. When players enter a forest, dark forest, and wooded badlands, they will notice that there is a bit too much leaf litter scattered around the ground. It is safe to say that the overall simpler look is slightly hampered due to this feature. Leaf litter can look much better if the frequency is slightly decreased.

Furthermore, an argument can be made that leaf litter's color does not go well with grass blocks in various biomes. Their color should be more in line with the grass block that is below it. Furthermore, there can be variants of leaf litter with some being greener than others.

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Check out other latest Minecraft articles:

• 5 best changes in Minecraft snapshot 25w02a
• Minecraft pigs are getting an update, but a fan-favorite variant is missing
• Upcoming Minecraft game drop update is going to change the Overworld for the better