Here’s what to expect with Caves and Cliffs Part 2, along with the latest news on the Minecraft 1.18 release date.
Minecraft 1.18 release date
Minecraft 1.18 will be released on November 30th for both Java and Bedrock editions, as announced on Minecraft.net. This release will form part 2 of the Caves and Cliffs update, which was originally intended to be released as a whole with 1.17. But Mojang decided to split up Caves and Cliffs across two major updates, to give themselves more time to work on the monumental changes these releases will bring to Minecraft. And I really do mean monumental. Caves and Cliffs part 1 added over 90 new block types; new creatures such as Glow Squid, Goats, and Axolotls; and new tools such as Lightning Rods and Spyglasses. Caves and Cliffs part 2 will fundamentally change terrain generation in Minecraft and populate the deepest levels of the world with all sorts of new resources and oddities. Let’s take a look at the highlights of the Minecraft 1.18 update feature list.
Terrain changes: exploring below Y=0
In Minecraft 1.18, world generation is being overhauled and for the first time you’ll be able to dig below Y-Level 0. The new lowest depth is -64, and below Y=0 you’ll enter the so-called “Deepslate layer”, where stone-type blocks turn into deepslate blocks. This is also true for ore veins: you’ll find copper, gold, iron, redstone, and so on in deepslate veins when you’re below Y=0. You’ll find all sorts of fascinating new cave structures in 1.18 thanks to the new underground terrain generation changes. The all-new Deep Dark biome was going to be part of the Caves and Cliffs changes, but this biome has been delayed - along with its dangerous denizen, the Warden - to the release of Minecraft 1.19: the Wild Update. The terrain changes also mean you’ll need to start looking elsewhere for Diamonds. Find out more with our guide on how to find Diamonds in Minecraft.
Towering mountains
Mountains in Minecraft 1.18 are being overhauled, and now are generated in a new way. Instead of just having one or two “extreme hills” or “mountain” type biomes, there are now five new sub-biomes which make up the different layers of each mountain:
Mountain Meadow (Y=100-140): home to flowers and sweet berry bushes Mountain Grove (Y=110-140): snowy, home to rabbits and polar bears. Snowy Slopes (Y=140-170): snowy and icy, home to goats. Lofty Peaks (Y=170+): peaks of stone, snow, and ice. Snow Capped Peaks (Y=170+): same as Lofty Peaks but cold enough for Packed Ice as well.
If you’re paying attention to those Y-Levels you’ll see that 1.18 is increasing the maximum heights of mountains. Before they capped off at around Y=140, but now they can stretch all the way up to the height limit of Y=255. That sounds perfect for some mountaintop castles and towers. Not all mountains will be this tall, however, and only the tallest mountains will sport the new Lofty Peaks and Snow Capped Peaks biomes. Still, these terrain changes are sure to bring a new sense of exploration and discovery to the peaks of any 1.18 Minecraft world. You can bet I’ll be working hard to update our list of the best Minecraft seeds once part 2 of Caves and Cliffs drops!
Lush Cave and Dripstone Cave biomes
Dipping back down below ground again, Caves and Cliffs part 2 is bringing two more cave types: the Lush Cave and the Dripstone Cave. Lush Caves are temperate caves filled with vines, moss, and more exotic flora such as Glow Berries, Spore Blossoms, Azalea trees and roots, and dripleaf: a new block type which can only carry a player’s weight for a short time before tipping and letting the player fall. Sounds like Lush Caves are gonna be great environments for some parkour. I can’t wait to see what these gorgeous caves look like with the best Minecraft shader packs. Dripstone Caves are, predictably, home to the new Dripstone blocks, which naturally grow through the process of dripping to create organic-looking stalactites and stalagmites. Besides this fascinating terrain feature, Dripstone Caves are functionally identical to any other cave, but they’ll no doubt be highly sought after just for the dripstone.
What about the other features that were promised in Caves and Cliffs Part 2?
Several notable additions that were planned to be released with Minecraft 1.18 have since been delayed, and will now reach us at the earliest in Minecraft 1.19, which will likely drop sometime in 2022. These delays include the new Deep Dark biome, Sculk Blocks, and the Warden. It’s been further confirmed that at least three of the delayed features (namely: Bundles, Archaeology, and Goat Horns) won’t be included in the Wild Update either, though the Minecraft team are at pains to assure us that none of these features are cancelled. Still, it’s sad news for those of us who have been most excited about these changes, but at least we’ll soon get to explore the vast new terrain changes that Minecraft 1.18 will bring. That’s a wrap on the main features and details of Minecraft’s upcoming 1.18 update. Until then, the best way to change up the look of your world and inject that sense of discovery back into the game is to install one of the best Minecraft texture packs. Or, if you want an entirely different experience from your regular singleplayer world, why not check out one of the many great Minecraft servers available right now?
