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The winter game drop for Minecraft has touched down — and it includes the initial fresh armament added to the title since the heavy club made its debut. The spear is finally here and it has the potential to change how you play Minecraft, especially if you thrive on pandemonium.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

The Mayhem Mounts drop also adds several new features and enhancements related to riding animals in the game. That central theme made the spear the natural choice for this release, as the creators had long felt it was the moment to introduce a new weapon.

"We knew initially that we aimed for a fresh armament that would increase combat distance, and we wanted it to be fighting from atop a creature," explained a lead developer. "We prototyped a few different ideas, but the lance was the one that both felt great when we tested our prototypes and also was visually fitting for the use case."

If you're curious whether fighting from a saddle means you can joust against your allies on horseback, the answer is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an attack excellently designed for it.

"[Jousting on horses is a primary applications for the spear, and it's a blast," the lead continues. "The spear has a pair of offensive moves: You have the thrust, where you just stab your enemy. But you also have a sprinting strike where you couch your lance and get more damage [with] the more speed and velocity you have. So [it’s] ideal for jousting on horses."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The unruly pleasure doesn't have to stop there, though. If you're advanced sufficiently into the game that you've been to The End, the developers have an truly outlandish idea. "If you are very late, [spears are] perfect for strapping on the wings and taking to the skies and making some real mayhem," she suggests.

In other words: Sky jousting is now possible, and it needs to become an competitive event right away.

Another key feature in this fresh content is the underwater mount. This aquatic being, which is modeled after the seashells players have gathered for years, can be domesticated and ridden for deep-sea journeys. Not only will it transport you through the water more swiftly than swimming, it'll also maintain your air supply, so there's no need to surface for a breath.

The rest of the additions are mostly things that seek your demise, as is the way of Minecraft. As expected, there's also a zombie Nautilus spawning in the water, frequently with a Drowned on its back. If you are able to take care of the Drowned, though, you can tame the zombie Nautilus — or the regular one, for that matter — with a spiky fish.

"We've pondered this issue for some time, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it seemed like the ideal opportunity to also bring in something for aquatic environments," the developer explains. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a several proposals for aquatic rides that we wanted to test, but the Nautilus design sketches looked compelling, and we have the tie-in to the Nautilus shell that was found within the game."

She also adds that there are actually two different types of undead nautilus: regular and coral zombie Nautilus. "[The variants] provide diversity to what you discover underwater."

Parched Perils & Overdue Enhancements

Additional features include the sun-proof skeletons, biome-specific undead archers that can endure the sun, which means there's no refuge from them if you find yourself in that region. Sometimes you'll see them on desiccated dromedaries, another new mob. These passive, zombified camels have an excellent design that sees their skeletal frame exposed. The applies equally to undead steeds, who have a comparable rib-popping design and can sometimes be found at night with a spear-carrying undead rider on their back.

The remaining updates on the drop's list are refinements, including some highly requested tweaks to riding horses. Now, you can traverse waterways while atop a horse. Also, netherite horse armor is now obtainable at the workbench, so you can give your horse the ultimate protection it is worthy of.

A Fittingly Chaotic Finale

Overall, the year-end release of the year is a solid offering. The spear by itself — and the pandemonium it invites — would have seemed like a major improvement. Add in the Nautilus, and additional creatures seeking your end, and Minecraft's definitely getting a bit spicier.

The Mayhem Mounts update is out now for Java and Bedrock editions of Minecraft.