The End is near…in Minecraft, that is. 4J Studios has been hard at work on the game’s ninth title update, which will feature a long list of changes and fixes. No addition is bigger than that of The End, a new dimension that is home to the deadly Ender Dragon. Official Xbox Magazine has received some details on how the game’s final boss will differ from the PC version. For starters, the dragon’s healing crystals are now enclosed by iron bars, making them a lot harder to take out with arrows. The dragon also has a new attack in which it spits up purple acid. The boss fight is designed to be harder on XBLA than PC, so be sure to bring some spare armor and plenty of pork chops.
Not all new features will be huge, as evidenced by a cluster of screenshots tweeted by 4J. There’s a lot of changes hidden within these screens, but here’s what we spotted: wood plank varieties, item frames, stackable buckets, wooden buttons, smelting nether brick, a potion menu in creative mode and a new gravel texture. There’s obviously a lot to look forward to in the next update, with more to be announced as the release draws nearer. Speaking of which, TU9 currently does not have a launch date but is not expected to drop this month.
If you can’t stand the wait, maybe some new Minecraft-themed avatar items will make it more bearable. Eleven new items have been added to the Minecraft collection, including new heads, shirts and props based on creatures both friendly and foul. Head inside to take a look at all of the new items and check out PlayXBLA for more information.
