When Minecraft 1.0 was released there was much consternation that the fast paced development that had characterized the game throughout Alpha and Beta might grind to a halt. However Mojang has yet again proved that the trust of its customers is well placed with a 1.1 release under their belt and a 1.2 release on the horizon. At this stage the main features are jungle biomes, sweeping dense swathes of wood and foliage that tower into the skies, dwarfing everything we've seen in Minecraft to date, and wolf puppies, which are just about the most adorable things I've ever seen.

Jungle Biomes

Jungle biomes are breathtaking. There is a new kind of tree, a tiger striped jungle tree that grows far larger than any other type of tree and forms a canopy in sufficient numbers. Jungle trees provide far more wood than ordinary trees because their trunks are much thicker, being made of four square blocks rather than a single tower.

Other changes coming for 1.2 include climbable vines that make it possible to scale large distances with ease and style. In other words, you can now climb trees quite naturally, indeed the screenshot at the head of this article was taken after climbing a large tree's naturally occuring vine ladders.

In addition to the towering trees and climbable vines (parkour maps are sure to benefit) there are additional leaf types and dense foliage that covers the jungle floor. You'll be hacking through a great deal of it in your jungle explorations.

Wolf Breeding | How To Make Minecraft Puppies

It is now possible to breed your very own tame wolves! To get your pet wolves in the mood for breeding, you simply feed them meat. Once you see red hearts rising from them, they are ready for puppies. If they are not in a sitting position, they will naturally create an adorable little Minecraft puppy.

The puppy is naturally tame and will follow you everywhere. It will also hunt for you if you strike another mob. If you right click the puppy, it will sit. Puppies can also be fed meat. (And if they jump in water, they will shake themselves when they get out, which is super adorable.)

1.2 includes an AI update for wolves in an effort to make them better able to find you and avoid hazards. However they will still bathe in lava if given the chance, and once on fire seem reluctant to put themselves out by jumping in water. I am only playing the 12 w 3d snapshot however, so perhaps the AI will have a boost by the time the official 1.2 version is released.