The latest Minecraft: Java Edition snapshot previews new noodle caves

Behold the glorious noodle caves!

What you need to know

• Today, Minecraft players are being treated to a new Minecraft: Java Edition snapshot in 21w17a, which includes new experimental features.
• Alongside tweaks to textures, copper, and more, Snapshot 21w17a includes brand-new noodle cave generations.
• Smaller and more claustrophobic than spaghetti caves, noodle caves can be tested with the new experimental datapack.
• Players can now hope into Minecraft: Java Edition Snapshot 21w17a to test more 'Caves and Cliffs Update' features.

It's Minecraft day for Minecraft insiders again, as Minecraft: Java Edition Snapshot 21w17a rolls out to any players who are interested in Minecraft: Java Edition snapshots. The latest snapshot includes more tweaks for existing features like ore textures, copper, and more. However, players can also try out a new experimental feature in noodle caves, which come through the experimental datapacks introduced in Snapshot 21w15a.

Experimental datapacks were introduced alongside the Caves and Cliffs Update for Minecraft is now being split into two parts and delayed. We recently explored why Mojang Studios still sometimes feels like an underfunded indie studio, which we published right before the delay announcement.

Players who are still interested in testing delayed features can install new datapacks to get a sneak peek, which now includes noodle caves. These new cave generations are smaller and more claustrophobic and chaotic than the already tiny spaghetti caves. They connect existing cave systems together and add even more variety to Minecraft's underground.

It looks like it's going to be a while before see the entire Caves and Cliffs Update release, with the second part now planned to launch in Winter 2021. In the meantime, you can peruse our list of best Minecraft merch, toys, and gifts for some great gift and collectible ideas.

The full changelog for Minecraft: Java Edition Snapshot 21w17a includes:

Changes

• Small Dripleaves can now also be placed on Moss Blocks
• Copper Ore drops 2-3 raw Copper when mined, or more when using a tool enchanted with Fortune
• Copper Blocks are now crafted from 9 Copper Ingots
• Tweaked the texture of raw Metal blocks

Caves & Cliffs Update preview

• Download the new datapack
• Large Ore Veins have been tweaked
• Added noodle caves – thinner, squigglier, and more claustrophobic variant of spaghetti caves

Large ore veins

• Ore veins are now slightly rarer and slightly smaller (but they are still large!)
• The ores in the vein are clumpier and less evenly distributed
• If you are lucky you may find a raw ore block in the vein

Bug fixes

• Banner copying recipe ignores existence of other items in crafting grid
• World border uses float to determine its size, making some border sizes inaccessible, and cannot be set to 30 million or beyond
• Constantly teleporting player to a phantom crashes the game/kicks the player
• Candles aren't grouped in the recipe book
• Repeated teleport between dimensions causes the entity to duplicate on the client
• Waxed Cut Copper (any level of weathered) have two separate recipes in the recipe book
• Void platform generates multiple times
• Horse disappears when dying while riding it and reloading the world while it's unloaded
• Big dripleaf stem remains after breaking a stem or leaf above it
• Floating islands world type generates extreme terrain
• Fishing line only starts on half distance between the fishing rod and bobber (Apple M1 only)
• You cannot unlock the recipe for Mossy Stone Bricks
• Recipes for mossy cobblestone and mossy stone bricks aren't grouped
• (Parity issue) Hanging Roots can't be waterlogged
• Copper / Coal Ore in Deepslate Patches aren't Deepslate Ores
• Empty / missing template pool error grammar mistake
• Raw and Ore smelting previews aren't grouped together
• Amethyst buds and cluster have an unused blockstate
• Shrinking world border with center past x / z 29999983 crashes the game