Java Edition Alpha v1.2.0

Alpha v1.2.0, also known as the Halloween Update, was released with server 0.2.2 on October 30, 2010, adding the Nether along with new Nether-exclusive mobs and blocks. It also added fishing, a new terrain generator, and other changes and fixes. This version is listed in the launcher, but attempting to play it downloads Alpha v1.2.0_02 instead.

Blocks

 * Netherrack JE1.png Netherrack
 * Soul Sand JE1 BE1.png Soul Sand
 * Glowstone JE1.png Glowstone
 * Carved Pumpkin JE1 BE1.png Carved Pumpkin
 * Jack o'Lantern JE1 BE1.png Jack o'Lantern
 * Nether Portal JE1.png Nether Portal

Items

 * Clock.png Clock
 * Craftable item that tells the time


 * Glowstone Dust JE1 BE1.png Glowstone Dust
 * Cooked Cod JE1 BE1.png Cooked Fish
 * Raw Cod JE1 BE1.png Raw Fish

Mobs

 * Ghast Revision 1.png Ghast
 * Large white mobs that float around in the Nether.
 * Shoots fireballs at the player.


 * Zombified Piglin JE2.png Zombie Pigmen
 * When one pigman is attacked all nearby pigmen will retaliate and attack the player.
 * Hold gold swords.

World generation

 * New terrain generator, featuring biomes
 * The Nether
 * A dimension with lava, ghast and zombie pigmen.
 * Deserts
 * A biome that has sand and a lot of water.
 * Tundra
 * A biome that has snow and ice. Earlier there was Winter mode but that was removed in this version.
 * Plains
 * Very small-few trees.
 * Swampland
 * Spawns in hills.
 * Rain Forest
 * Spawns in forests. It was later removed in Beta 1.8 along with most of the biomes added in this version, but was later changed Jungles in 1.2.
 * Seasonal Forest
 * Similar biome to Rain Forest as they both get a lot of rain and like many other biomes added in this version they are very small.
 * Savannah
 * A very small biome that has similar grass to the nowadays Savannah as the older Savannah was removed in Beta 1.8 which was of course changed to the nowadays Savannah in 1.7 in 2013.
 * Shrubland
 * Like many others it was a very small biome. But it barely had any trees and no shrubs.

Gameplay

 * Fishing

General

 * Added new music tracks and sound effects.


 * Splash
 * Added new splashes:
 * Slow acting portals!
 * Try the Nether!
 * Don't look directly at the bugs!
 * Oh, ok, Pigmen!
 * Finally with ladders!
 * Scary!

Blocks

 * Stairs and furnaces
 * Now face the same direction as the player when placed.


 * Grass Block and Leaves
 * Are now darker in shade, and their color is now dependent on temperature/precipitation values.

Mobs

 * Mobs
 * Higher lighting values are required the deeper they are to keep mobs from spawning.


 * Creepers
 * Now have new sounds.


 * Skeleton Revision 2.png Skeletons
 * Now hold bows.


 * Slimes
 * Completely removed from mob spawning code.

World Generation

 * Fake chunks generate in the Far Lands.
 * Removed Winter Mode.

Gameplay

 * Sunrise
 * Sunrise now creates a red glow at the horizon.
 * Heads-up display
 * Pressing hides the HUD and the view-model from the person's view. In third person mode, pressing  will create a view looking back at the player's own face.

General

 * Menu screen
 * Changed Minecraft logo from Java Edition 5.png to Java Edition 6.png.