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The seasonal game drop for the block-building phenomenon has landed — and it includes the initial fresh armament introduced into the game since the mace made its debut. The javelin is finally here and it might just revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, especially if you thrive on pandemonium.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mounts of Mayhem drop also introduces a host of fresh elements and updates related to riding animals in the game. That central theme made the spear the ideal addition for this release, as the development team had long felt it was the moment to introduce a fresh combat tool.

"From the outset, we understood that we desired a fresh armament that would provide extended reach, and we wanted it to be fighting from atop a creature," stated a senior product manager. "We prototyped a few different ideas, but the spear was the one that both handled superbly when we ran our trials and also was visually fitting for the use case."

If you're wondering whether fighting from a saddle means you can charge at your friends on steeds, the answer is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an attack excellently designed for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is one of the biggest use cases for the spear, and it's incredibly enjoyable," the lead adds. "The spear has two attacks: You have the thrust, where you just stab your enemy. But you also have a sprinting strike where you couch your lance and deal more damage [with] the more speed and velocity you have. So [it’s] ideal for jousting on horses."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The chaotic fun doesn't have to stop there, though. If you're deep enough into the game that you've been to The End, the developers have an truly outlandish idea. "If you are very late, [spears are] excellent for equipping the wings and taking to the skies and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she hints.

In other words: Sky jousting is now real, and it deserves to be an Olympic sport without delay.

Another significant inclusion in this latest drop is the underwater mount. This underwater creature, which is based on the nautilus shells we've all been collecting for years, can be domesticated and mounted for deep-sea journeys. Not only will it carry you through the water faster than swimming, it'll also maintain your air supply, so there's no necessity to return to the surface for oxygen.

The remaining new features are mostly things that are out to get you, as is the nature of Minecraft. As expected, there's also a undead nautilus spawning in the water, frequently with a zombie villager on its back. If you succeed in defeat the Drowned, though, you can befriend the zombie Nautilus — or the regular one, for that matter — with a blowfish.

"We've pondered this challenge periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it seemed like the ideal opportunity to also unveil something for underwater," the developer elaborates. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a several proposals for sea mounts that we wanted to experiment with, but the Nautilus initial artwork looked compelling, and we have the link to the Nautilus shell that was already in the game."

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

Parched Perils & Overdue Enhancements

Other additions include the sun-proof skeletons, biome-specific undead archers that can withstand the sun, which means there's no getting away from them if you venture in that region. Sometimes you'll see them on zombified camels, another new mob. Camel husks have an striking appearance that sees their bones protruding. The applies equally to zombie horses, who have a similar exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be found at night with a spear-carrying undead rider on their back.

The last two things on the drop's list are refinements, including some highly requested adjustments to riding horses. Now, you can traverse rivers and lakes while mounted on a horse. Also, high-tier barding is now obtainable at the workbench, so you can give your horse the best defense it deserves.

A Fittingly Chaotic Finale

Overall, the final game drop of the year is a solid offering. The spear alone — and the mayhem it enables — would have felt like a major improvement. Throw in the Nautilus, and new threats trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

The Mounts of Mayhem content drop is live for Java and Bedrock editions of Minecraft.