The beginning of the summer months is always exciting for Minecraft players, as a new update usually awaits us! After several months of snapshots, the latest version 1.21.6 has finally been released, known as the “Chase the Skies” update. Soar to new heights with the new Happy Ghast, finally craft an item available in the game for 15 years, and enjoy numerous visual tweaks that give Minecraft a slightly different look.
Happy Ghast as a New Flying Experience
The biggest innovation is, of course, the Happy Ghast, which you can use as a new means of transportation. It is the first mob that allows you to soar high into the sky, giving you a whole new perspective on your world. We’ll take a closer look at the exact mechanics in a following article, but the Happy Ghast is a wonderful way to cover great distances, build at high places, or even transport animals, boats, or chests in minecarts! All you need is a harness, and you’re ready to go.
One of the best things about the flying Ghast is that you can use it with up to three other players. For multiplayer, it’s an extremely practical solution if you want to travel together from point A to B. The player who mounts the Ghast first also controls it. The others sit on the three other sides and can enjoy the view.
Adjustments in Animal Taming and Transport
There have also been some exciting updates for interacting with animals, making it easier to transport and handle them. Firstly, the recipe and usage for leads have been adjusted. You no longer need a slimeball to craft them. Great for the early hours of the game! Leads can now be attached to two animals, and the range is longer, with improved physics. You can detach the lead with scissors instead of a right-click. As previously mentioned, you can also use leads to transport animals and boats via the Happy Ghast.
For seasoned players, this innovation will be surprising, but yes, we can now finally craft a saddle! You’ll need three leather and one iron for this. This feature has been long-awaited, and now it’s finally officially available in Minecraft. Previously, saddles could only be found in structures, which was cumbersome. Accordingly, they have been removed from all loot tables and replaced with leather. It’s a shame you can’t find saddles in dungeons anymore, but it’s cool that they finally have their own recipe after over 15 years! Like leads, you can now remove saddles with scissors, making them twice as good!
There has also been a small change for taming horses, donkeys, and mules, as they can now be tamed with carrots in addition to apples. Something that really should have been in the game from the start.
New Music and Audio Settings
The update doesn’t lack new music either. In line with the theme of the version, there’s now a new record, directly linked to the Ghast. To obtain it, you must kill it with its own fireball, similar to the “Return to Sender” achievement. The white record “Tears” (created by Amos Roddy) plays an ominous melody mixed with Ghast sounds and hip-hop.
Additionally, five more background tracks have been added, also composed by Amos Roddy. These play in some of the new biomes from recent updates. You can now also set the frequency of the music in the options, so you don’t have to wait forever for the lovely tunes to start. You can also enable an option to display the corresponding song directly, making it easier to search online.
Graphical Improvements and Visual Updates
Minecraft’s graphics are also being refined to get the best out of the game and incorporate small improvements. You’ll likely notice the new menu panorama first, which now features the new update and the Happy Ghasts.
In the game, you might notice the clouds first, as they have received a new pattern. This is a change that updates a feature over 15 years old and will be new, especially for older players. The cloud pattern is now more realistic and might hold a few Easter eggs.
Both versions have received a graphical improvement:
Fog (Java): Minecraft has always had some fog to mask the transition between rendered and non-rendered chunks. Now, the fog has been adjusted and better integrated, reminiscent of the fog from the beta era. It also gets foggier during precipitation, another great adjustment!
Vibrant Visuals (Bedrock): With 1.21.6, Bedrock has received perhaps the better graphical updates, as you can now activate shaders directly implemented into the game! These “Vibrant Visuals” enhance the graphics for most Bedrock versions, but not yet for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. Java is also expected to receive this update eventually, but you can always install unofficial shader packs (How to Install and Use the Best Minecraft Shaders) .
Other Improvements and Changes
Finally, let’s look at some smaller adjustments that don’t fit anywhere else. This includes the new locator bar, which shows you in the XP bar’s bottom direction where other players are located. This feature is super practical for servers to avoid losing sight of each other. You can hide by crouching or wearing a pumpkin on your head!
Lastly, there’s a change for the effect of splash potions. The duration of each effect now depends on the distance from the center of the throw. The farther you stand in the cloud, the longer the effect lasts.
Conclusion
With “Chase the Skies,” Minecraft has received surprisingly many new features that don’t fundamentally change the gameplay but bring noticeable adjustments. Multiplayer players particularly benefit from the improvements, such as the Ghast for four players or the new locator bar. Rent your own Minecraft server with us and try out some of these cool new features! And crafting a saddle alone makes the update absolutely worthwhile; it’s still a surprise for longtime players that this is now possible.
