The Minecraft 1.21.80 Update has officially rolled out, bringing a wide range of changes to both core gameplay and experimental features. Whether you’re a casual player or a dedicated adventurer, this update enhances your experience with bug fixes, improved parity with Java Edition, and exciting new mobs and mechanics under experimental toggles.
What’s New in the Minecraft 1.21.80 Update?
This update focuses on performance improvements, gameplay balance, and experimental content under the new “Update 2 Drop 2” toggle. Let’s break down the major additions in the Minecraft 1.21.80 Update.
Flat World Presets
The Minecraft 1.21.80 Update introduces new Flat World Presets to give players more creative control when starting a world:
- Classic Flat
- Tunnelers’ Dream
- Water World
- Overworld
- Snowy Kingdom
- Bottomless Pit
- Desert
- Redstone Ready
These presets are now easily selectable under the “Advanced” tab.
Key Fixes & Improvements
Accessibility & Audio
- Text to Speech now works correctly on Fire Tablets.
- Ambient sounds added for Sand, Terracotta, and Dead Bush blocks.
- Music and sound effects now stop correctly when exiting to the main menu.
Visual & Block Updates
- Ambient occlusion issues for partial blocks (e.g., fences, stairs) fixed.
- Plant offset rendering matches Java Edition more closely.
- Mangrove roots can now be used as furnace fuel.
Gameplay Adjustments
- Elytra mechanics and collision bugs resolved.
- Improved mob behavior and AI for Wither Skeletons, Camels, and Piglins.
- Trail Ruins now generate properly.
- Respawn bugs and gliding state glitches have been fixed.
Vanilla Parity Improvements
One of the main focuses of the Minecraft 1.21.80 Update is bringing Bedrock Edition closer to Java:
- Shields now block explosions correctly and take durability damage.
- Totem of Undying behavior adjusted to match Java’s healing time.
- Magic crit particles now appear when using enchanted weapons.
- Mob drop rates (like Raw Rabbit with Looting) are now consistent.
Experimental Features (Drop 2 Toggle)
With the “Update 2 Drop 2” toggle enabled, players can access early previews of future content. The Minecraft 1.21.80 Update introduces the following under experimental features:
New Mob: Ghastling
- Spawns from the new Dried Ghast block.
- Can be grown into a Happy Ghast by feeding it Snowballs.
New Mob: Happy Ghast
- A tameable and rideable version of the Nether Ghast.
- Carries up to four players.
- Requires a Harness to ride and steer.
New Block: Dried Ghast
- Found in Nether Fossils or crafted using Bone Blocks and Ghast Tears.
- Spawns Ghastlings when waterlogged.
New Item: Harness
- Crafted using Leather, Glass, and Wool.
- Used to equip the Happy Ghast.
- Can be dyed and removed with Shears.
These additions hint at a more adventurous and whimsical future for Minecraft’s Nether dimension.
Realms Update
The Minecraft 1.21.80 Update also adds a preferred server region setting to Realms:
- Players can now select their preferred region.
- Improves connection quality and latency.
- Displays server region when joining a Realm.
Stability & Technical Fixes
- Resolved crashes related to chunk generation and world loading.
- Improved performance for devices with limited storage.
- Fixed UI bugs, touch control layouts, and main menu behavior.
- Enhanced memory and download cache management.