Minecraft 1.16 has permanently transformed the way we view the Nether. With this update, the dark and fiery dimension underwent numerous changes; previously, it featured only a single biome made up of voids, vast seas of lava, limited gravel, soul sand, and underground fortresses that could be glimpsed through the darkness.
In the latest update, the Nether has introduced four distinct biomes, each with its unique characteristics: the Warped Forest, Soul Sand Valley, Basalt Deltas, and this week’s featured biome—the Crimson Forest. The Crimson Forest appears to be quite vibrant, which may confuse players since the Nether has always been portrayed as lifeless and extremely gloomy. The ground in the Crimson Forest is composed of crimson nilium adorned with warped fungi, massive distorted mushrooms, glowstone mushrooms, and weeping vines that blanket the terrain. Agnes Larsson, the lead gameplay developer for Minecraft, shares insights into the creation of this biome: “It was really fascinating to experiment with the shape of the large warped mushrooms. In earlier versions, the caps resembled flat surfaces, while before that they were too cubic. Ultimately, we added droplet-like features to the underside of the caps, which truly enhanced the appeal of the warped mushrooms.”
The vegetation of the Crimson Forest provides sustenance and shelter for hoglins and striders. Additionally, there exists another group known as piglins. They hunt hoglins and utilize them for their own purposes. For an inexperienced player, encountering them can be quite perilous. However, piglins have a fondness for gold, and possessing a few ingots may just save your life. We’ve covered the piglins, but what about the hoglins? Let’s just say they are not fans of warped fungi, so carrying a few with you can help avoid unwanted confrontations with these creatures. In addition to organic materials, the Crimson Forest also contains inorganic resources. In Minecraft Bedrock, you’ll find typical Nether resources such as glowstone, magma blocks, and lava sources. Beyond those, you can also discover gold ore, Nether quartz, ancient debris, and random remnants of fortresses and bastions. Agnes mentions that it was essential to blend new resources with the existing ones: “When working on new biomes, our goal was to maintain the unique atmosphere of the Nether while ensuring that each biome had its distinct characteristics. For instance, the Crimson Forest appears vibrant and lively, whereas the Soul Sand Valley is barren and eerie. The vivid appearance of the Crimson Forest is actually due to swirling particles we added by hacking the code—quite brutally, I might add. But don’t worry, the code is now cleaned up!”
