Biome
Jungle
A new biome with its own tree, which brings Jungle Logs, Jungle Leaves and Jungle Saplings. Ocelots spawn there.
Minecraft 1.2.1
Released on 1 March 2012, Minecraft Java Edition 1.2.1 doubles the world height limit from 128 to 256 blocks with the new Anvil world format. It adds the Jungle biome, Ocelots that can be tamed into cats, Iron Golems that defend villages, the Redstone Lamp and reworked mob AI.
Released 01 Mar 2012
Key takeaways
- Taller worlds: the height limit rises from 128 to 256 blocks with the Anvil format, and older worlds must be converted.
- New biome: the Jungle, with Jungle Logs, Jungle Leaves and Jungle Saplings.
- New mobs: Ocelots, which can be tamed into cats, and Iron Golems, which protect villages.
- Breeding: villagers have children if their village has room, and tamed Wolves can have puppies.
- New items: the Redstone Lamp and the Fire Charge, plus the Bottle o' Enchanting in Creative mode only.
Headline features
The changes you will notice first, with the pages that go deeper.
Mob
Iron Golems and Ocelots
Iron Golems are neutral mobs that defend villages. Ocelots can be tamed and become cats.
Blocks
Redstone Lamp and Fire Charge
The Redstone Lamp is a light source switched by redstone. The Fire Charge and the Creative-only Bottle o' Enchanting are also new.
Official video
Published by Mojang on the official Minecraft YouTube channel.
Clicking loads the video from YouTube (youtube-nocookie.com).
What changed
TechnicalNew Anvil world format: worlds created before 1.2 show a "Must be converted!" message and are converted.
MobsMob AI was reworked.
WorldAbandoned mineshafts get wooden bridges, and deserts generate sandstone wells with water in the middle.
RedstoneDouble doors work better with redstone.
LauncherOn Mac, the launcher can now select a 64-bit Java installation.
ServersBiome data is saved in chunks, so servers no longer send the world seed to clients.
How to play 1.2.1
- 01
Open the Minecraft Launcher and select Minecraft: Java Edition.
- 02
Go to Installations, create a new installation and choose version 1.2.1.
- 03
Back up your worlds before opening them in a new version.
Minecraft 1.2.1 FAQ
When was Minecraft 1.2.1 released?
On 1 March 2012. It is the first release of the 1.2 update, followed by the 1.2.2 hotfix the same day, 1.2.3 on 2 March, 1.2.4 on 22 March and 1.2.5 on 4 April 2012.
Why did the world height change in 1.2?
1.2 introduced the Anvil world format, which raises the height limit from 128 to 256 blocks. Worlds from earlier versions are converted when you open them.
How do you get a cat in 1.2.1?
Tame an Ocelot, a new mob from the Jungle biome. A tamed Ocelot becomes a cat.
Which 1.2 version should I play?
1.2.5, the final 1.2 release from 4 April 2012. It contains all of 1.2.1 plus the later bug fixes.