Minecraft Snapshot 12w49a New Features - Fireworks, Netherbrick Slabs

After another amazing Minecon, we've got our first snapshot of December. 12w49a will be with us on 6th December and it comes with two excellent new features. They are; fireworks and netherbrick slabs. Fireworks are a marvellous new feature which will be with us just in time for new year celebrations!

Let's take a look at each of the new features in detail..

Fireworks

Yes, fireworks! Probably one of the most requested features to be added to Minecraft. These entertaining little rockets of light will be fully customisable and craftable. Jeb has confirmed that fireworks can be tweaked right down to choosing the actual colours, fade duration, flight height, effects and even shapes.

Just take a look at his posted image and you'll see that these fireworks can go tremendously high and explode in a shower of light.

How to craft fireworks?

The exact crafting recipe for fireworks hasn't been revealed yet but it's likely to contain a stick, gunpowder and possibly paper. Once we know what the ingredients are we'll let you know straight away.

Netherbrick slabs

Similar in many ways to your normal slab except that it's made from the highly robust Netherbrick material, which is only found in the Nether. Netherbrick is immune to Ghast fireballs (otherwise the Nether would be destroyed quite quickly!) which makes Netherbrick slabs a great item for building solid constructions. It also won't burn continuously like Netherrack.

Currently, you can only collect Netherbrick from the Nether because there's no crafting recipe for the item. However, this may change in 12w49a since Jeb hinted that a new crafting recipe would be introduced.

Keep your eyes open for the 12w49a Mojang announcement and get your hands on these great new features..