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The seasonal game drop for Minecraft has landed — and it includes the first new weapon introduced into the game since the mace made its debut. The spear is now available and it has the potential to alter your gameplay in Minecraft, especially if you enjoy mayhem.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mounts of Mayhem update also adds a host of fresh elements and updates related to animal mounts in the game. That focus made the spear the perfect fit for this release, as the creators had already known it was time for a fresh combat tool.

"From the outset, we understood that we desired a fresh armament that would add some more range, and we envisioned it for mounted combat," stated a lead developer. "We prototyped a number of concepts, but the spear was the one that both played wonderfully when we ran our trials and also was visually fitting for the use case."

If you're curious whether mounted combat means you can tilt at your friends on horseback, the answer is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an combat move excellently designed for it.

"[Jousting on horses is a major applications for the spear, and it's a blast," the lead says. "The spear has a dual attack system: You have the jab attack, where you simply impale your enemy. But you also have a powerful lance where you couch your lance and get more damage [with] the more speed and velocity you have. So [it’s] tailor-made for knightly combat."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The chaotic fun can extend beyond there, though. If you're far enough into the game that you've visited The End, the developers have an delightfully absurd idea. "If you are in the end-game, [spears are] ideal for strapping on the wings and taking to the skies and creating genuine chaos," she suggests.

In other words: Aerial lance combat is now a reality, and it deserves to be an competitive event immediately.

Another significant inclusion in this new update is the underwater mount. This aquatic being, which is modeled after the nautilus shells found in-game for years, can be domesticated and mounted for underwater travel. Not only will it carry you through the water quicker than swimming, it'll also conserve your oxygen levels, so there's no requirement to surface for a breath.

The remaining new features are mostly things that want to kill you, as is the tradition of Minecraft. As expected, there's also a zombie Nautilus spawning in the water, sometimes with a Drowned on its back. If you are able to defeat the Drowned, though, you can tame the zombie Nautilus — or the standard version, for that matter — with a spiky fish.

"We've long considered this issue periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it felt like the ideal opportunity to also introduce something for aquatic environments," the developer explains. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a several proposals for aquatic rides that we wanted to experiment with, but the Nautilus initial artwork looked compelling, and we have the tie-in to the Nautilus shell that was already in the game."

She also notes that there are actually two different types of zombie Nautilus: standard and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] add variety to what you find underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Further inclusions include the Parched, desert-exclusive skeletons that can withstand the sun, which means there's no escape from them if you find yourself in that biome. Sometimes you'll see them on camel husks, another fresh creature. Camel husks have an striking appearance that sees their bones protruding. The applies equally to zombie horses, who have a comparable rib-popping design and can sometimes be found at night with a lance-wielding zombie on their back.

The remaining updates on the drop's list are minor quality-of-life improvements, including some long-overdue adjustments to riding horses. Now, you can cross rivers and lakes while atop a horse. Also, netherite horse armor is now available at the crafting table, so you can provide your steed with the top-tier safeguarding it is worthy of.

A Fittingly Chaotic Finale

All told, the year-end release of the year is a pretty good one. The spear on its own — and the mayhem it enables — would have constituted a considerable upgrade. Combine that with the Nautilus, and new threats seeking your end, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

The Mounts of Mayhem content drop is out now for all major editions of Minecraft.