Minecraft 1.5, the Redstone Update, is out now

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It’s been a long time coming but, finally, version 1.5 of Minecraft is live. The Redstone Update is so named because it introduces a bunch of new redstone devices for you to play with, as well as improving the game’s lighting and even making Minecraft run a little smoother. You’ll also find quartz waiting for you in the Nether, hoppers and droppers that can shunt items around for you and and smarter, meaner monsters.

Your copy of Minecraft should start downloading the update straight away and it will only be a few moments until you have a newer, shinier version of the game that has lots more for you to tinker with. I’ve posted a comprehensive list of what the update brings below (I’ll add to it if the community uncovers any secret additions, though we’re not expecting any), but instead of just reading about them, you can see all of these new features in action by watching this excellent video by The Farlanders:

That’s a brilliant use of the daylight detector.

Here’s what you can expect to find in 1.5:

  • Newredstone comparators and daylight detectorsfor use in redstone logic.
  • A hopper, which collects items and moves them to containers.
  • A dropper, which is similar to a dispenser but always drops the item rather than firing it.
  • “Trapped” chests that send out a signal when opened.
  • Weight-sensitive pressure plates.
  • Blocks of pure redstone, which act as redstone power sources.
  • The activator rail, which triggers TNT minecarts.
  • Nether Quartz, Nether Ore and Nether Bricks have been added, with quartz blocks, half blocks and chiseled variants.
  • New /scoreboard and /effect commands, to better track how (and what) players are doing.
  • More detailed death messages, to better track how how players are dying.
  • Custom names for mobs and even containers.
  • Better inventory management.
  • Separate textures for each block and item, meaning a texture pack no longer has to be a total conversion.
  • The possibility for animated textures.
  • Dispensers now auto-equip armour.
  • Smooth lighting with three settings: none, minimum and maximum.
  • Some hostile mobs are tougher in Hard difficulty, with improved AI and behaviour.
  • You can now sprint up stairs (at last!).