Ranking every major Minecraft update, from worst to best

Minecraft's history is illustrious as far as free and constant updates are concerned. In over a decade since the sandbox game emerged from beta, Mojang has implemented several major content updates with their own identities and themes. However, some of these releases remain more memorable and impactful in the minds of fans than others.

While some updates implemented small changes and content additions, others reshaped the identity of Minecraft and the way it was played. From the Adventure Update to Trails & Tales, every player has a favorite they remember fondly.

Since Trails & Tales debuted not so long ago, it may not be a bad time to rank the best and worst updates that Minecraft has seen since it launched beyond its Alpha, Beta, and InDev stages.

Note: This ranking is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

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Each major Minecraft update ranked from worst to best

17) The Frostburn Update

All in all, the 1.10 Frostburn Update didn't get much accomplished for Minecraft. It added highlights such as fossils, polar bear/stray/husk mobs, the auto-jump feature, and new sound effects and ambient sounds. Nether wart, bone, and magma blocks were also added.

One of the most impactful aspects of this update may end up being the addition of the /teleport command, which remains incredibly useful to this day.

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16) The Horse Update

Also known as Minecraft 1.6, the Horse Update added the titular four-legged animals to serve as a mode of transportation. Resource packs replaced texture packs, the /gamerule command got a few new variations, and new status effects arrived in the form of Health Boost, Absorption, and Saturation.

Other than that, the addition of the name tag item was a nice touch for Minecraft players, and adding leads made corraling mobs a much simpler task in Survival Mode.

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15) The Exploration Update

As the name implies, Minecraft 1.11 focused heavily on exploring new locations and battling new foes. Woodland mansions were introduced, complete with vex, vindicator, and evoker mobs. Llamas also arrived to round out the roster of new entities. The /locate command made its first appearance to help players find biomes and structures.

Cartographer and nitwit professions were added to villagers, and a few extra goodies like Totems of Undying and shulker boxes certainly helped Minecraft players explore their world and stash their items and blocks.

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14) Buzzy Bees

One of Minecraft's more polarizing updates, Buzzy Bees ended up with its fair share of memes but didn't exactly overwhelm players with content. Bees were introduced as a new mob, complete with new items and blocks connected to them, like hives, nests, honey blocks, honeycombs, and bottles of honey.

The update admittedly was light on additions, but bees have proven to be surprisingly useful for Minecraft players in 2023. This is particularly true while players are attempting to grow crops on their farms.

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13) World of Color

Minecraft is undoubtedly a game full of color, but the World of Color Update is significant for just how much it contributed to the game's magnificent palette. Update 1.12 allowed players to dye bed blocks, and it also tossed in colorful blocks like glazed terracotta and concrete/concrete powder.

Parrots debuted in various colors, the recipe book made its way to Minecraft, and Mojang finally implemented the narrator feature that fans had been asking for.

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12) The Combat Update

The Combat Update for Minecraft may be known as one of the most derided in the community. However, even though it overhauled the combat in ways that many players considered a net negative, the changes went beyond simple combat mechanics, and it deserves a little credit in that regard.

Methods to restart the Ender Dragon fight made their way to Minecraft in this update. Players could soar the skies in Elytra, check out igloos in snowy biomes, capture the Ender Dragon's breath, farm beetroots, and enjoy over 13 new block types. The combat changes may be what players remember, but The Combat Update wasn't all bad.

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11) The Pretty Scary Update

Minecraft version 1.4 was all about horrific mobs but had some extra goodies thrown in for good measure. The Wither, wither skeletons, witches, bats, and zombie villagers arrived in this update, but one of the most overlooked aspects of the update was its new commands.

Five total commands debuted, including /difficulty, /spawnpoint, and /gamerule. Even better, this update has the honor of introducing command blocks, beacons, anvils, mob heads, and item frames, among other things.

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10) The Wild Update

Although it had plenty of hype riding on it, Minecraft's 1.19 update didn't quite impress the way that the Caves & Cliffs update before it had. This doesn't mean it didn't have merits, but it could've been better in some respects. Nonetheless, the addition of the deep dark biome, ancient cities, the Warden, and mangrove swamps was a plus.

Mud blocks introduced a new earthy way to build, while frogs and allay mobs were welcome additions to Minecraft's roster. Sculk blocks also introduced new ways to farm experience or work with redstone.

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9) The Bountiful Update

Minecraft 1.8 took its namesake "The Bountiful Update" to heart, introducing dozens of blocks, new mobs, and 12 new in-game commands. Although players likely don't take much stock in andesite, diorite, and granite, The Bountiful Update also brought us great blocks like slime blocks, iron trapdoors, and banners.

If that wasn't enough, the ocean monument made its grand appearance complete with guardians and elder guardians. Endermites and rabbits were thrown in for good measure, and the Spectator Mode tied everything up nicely.

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8) Trails & Tales

Minecraft's most recent major update certainly had a lot to like. The long-awaited arrival of archeology was praised by players, and mobs like the sniffer added even more dimensions to the focus of ancient bygone places and creatures. Camels also provided a new way to travel, especially due to their ability to saddle up to two players on their backs.

The new cherry grove biome was praised along with the new cherry and bamboo wood types. Armor trimming was a huge addition for customization, though some fans weren't thrilled with the alterations made to the process of upgrading gear to netherite quality.

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7) The Update That Changed The World

Biome diversity has been one of Minecraft's strengths in recent years, and The Update That Changed the World may be one of the biggest reasons for this. 20 new biomes arrived with notable inclusions like mesa, extreme hills+, deep ocean, and birch forest locales among others.

Even better, Minecraft 1.7.2 added new fish types, dark oak and acacia wood, the AMPLIFIED world type, and even Potions of Water Breathing to round out the content debuts.

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6) The Adventure Update

The Minecraft update that transitioned the game out of its beta stages, The Adventure Update is to thank for iconic additions like the enderman as well as the return of Creative Mode. The terrain generator became capable for the first time to create villages, strongholds, ravines, and abandoned mineshafts.

A new fractal-based biome code also vastly improved existing biomes. The code allowed rivers to run through biomes, oceans became deeper, and mountains were larger than ever before. Critical hits being added to combat were also a welcome addition.

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5) Update Aquatic

The first major update after Microsoft's acquisition of Mojang and Minecraft, players were apprehensive about Update Aquatic since it took quite some time to release. However, many certainly weren't disappointed with the results, as Update Aquatic reimagined oceans into what they've become today.

Kelp, sea grass, turtles, dolphins, coral blocks, and much more made their way into the sea in Update Aquatic. Before this release, oceans weren't all that appealing to explore or build within.

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4) The Redstone Update

Redstone machinery existed before Minecraft 1.5, but the release titled "The Redstone Update" changed what players could do with the technology forever. Activator rails, redstone blocks, hoppers, daylight sensors, redstone comparators, droppers, weighted pressure plates, and more all made their way to the game in this single update.

Name a redstone-compatible block that a player has used in an automated project, and it likely utilized multiple blocks introduced in The Redstone Update. Put plainly, this update was one of the most impactful in the game's history, especially for content creators like MumboJumbo and Ilmango.

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3) Village & Pillage

Villages had been useful in Minecraft before, but the Village & Pillage Update breathed new life into them that players will always be thankful for. Dozens of new blocks like scaffolding, composters, and villager work blocks made their way to the game. Banner patterns provided new customization options, and cats, pandas, and the Wandering Trader were a huge win.

This update wasn't all sunshine and roses though; version 1.14 also added pillagers and ravagers aiming to destroy villages and their inhabitants. Fortunately, the introduction of pillagers also meant players could wield their very own crossbows against them.

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2) The Nether Update

The Nether was always a fun place to explore. However, it often felt a little empty before The Nether Update hit the scene. From top to bottom, version 1.16 not only introduced new dangers and locales but also plenty of rewards. Piglins, hoglins, and zoglins began their time in the realm, but there were additions to help players combat them.

Specifically, The Nether Update is responsible for the debut of ancient debris and netherite gear, providing a new and powerful set of tools, weapons, and armor. This is good because players had four new biomes to explore as well as bastion remnants and ruined Nether portals to loot.

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1) Caves & Cliffs

The Caves & Cliffs Update was so major that it couldn't be contained in two parts. This massive release encompassed versions 1.17 and 1.18. It overhauled the way that terrain was generated in the game. New algorithms allowed for massive mountain ranges and even deeper and more complex cave systems.

Copper ore and its accompanying blocks arrived along with lush and dripstone cave biomes. Axolotls could be found and bred, amethyst clusters began to dot the underground, and goats even made a new home on the frosty mountain peaks. In terms of pure content and enjoyment, Caves & Cliffs blew players away.