Java Edition 1.1

1.1 is an update that added new languages, superflat world type, beaches and spawn eggs.

General

 * Language
 * 56 new translations
 * Includes fictional languages, such as Pirate Speak, Klingon, and Quenya
 * Server.properties
 * New settings

World Generation

 * Superflat
 * World type option
 * Generates completely flat worlds composed of grass blocks, dirt and bedrock
 * Beach
 * Re-added beaches
 * Are now separate biomes instead of Generated Structures

Blocks & Items

 * Spawn Eggs
 * Spawns mobs when right-clicked on a block
 * 20 types of spawn eggs, each spawning their respective mob:
 * The types were mooshroom, creeper, skeleton, spider, zombie, slime, ghast, villager, zombie pigman, enderman, pig, cave spider, sheep, silverfish, cow, blaze, chicken, magma cube, squid and wolf.
 * Creative-exclusive item

General

 * Server
 * Non-operator users are auto-kicked in multiplayer servers if they spam in chat too much
 * Operators are not notified of the kick; they must assume that the user was auto-kicked

Gameplay

 * Brewing
 * Reduced brewing time from 30 seconds to 20 seconds
 * Enchanting
 * Narrowed the various possibility of enchantment levels
 * The Void
 * Removed the void fog in Creative mode

World Generation

 * Biomes
 * Biomes have more varied elevations of land in previously flatter biomes
 * Smoothed color transitions between biomes
 * Swampland grass, foliage and water smoothly transition into other biomes
 * Taigas now contain snow and ice
 * Villages
 * Blacksmith buildings in villages now have a chest that contains loot.

Blocks & Items

 * Bow
 * Bows are now enchantable, with four new possible enchantments specific to bows: Power, Punch, Infinity, and Flame
 * Arrow
 * Arrows that are burning now set entities on fire upon hit
 * Golden apple
 * Golden apple recipe changed to use gold nuggets instead of gold blocks
 * Golden apples now restore and provide Regeneration I for 5 seconds
 * Ladder
 * Removed collision box from ladders
 * Fence gate
 * The collision box on fence gates now matches that of fences
 * Fence gates can now be opened and closed with redstone
 * Oak leaves
 * Oak leaves now have a 1/200 chance of dropping apples
 * Melon & pumpkin
 * Melons and pumpkins can now grow on dirt instead of only farmland
 * Wheat
 * The distance that wheat attracts mobs has increased from 2–3 blocks to 8–9 blocks
 * Music disc
 * All music discs except for 11 can now be dropped when a creeper is shot and killed by a skeleton

Mobs

 * Mob AI
 * Added the infrastructure for improved mob AI
 * Allows for more complicated behavior than before
 * These behaviors themselves have not been implemented yet
 * Sheep
 * Sheep now can eat grass and tall grass, which regrow their wool
 * Sheep now drop 1–3 wool per shearing
 * Magma cubes
 * Magma cubes can now drop magma cream upon death

Fixes
3 bugs fixed


 * Fixed "Sniper Duel" achievement not working.
 * Fixed powered rails not depowering
 * Fixed powered rails not updating when placed

Official Video
A official video documenting some of the 1.1's major features was released on Mojang's official YouTube channel on January 12, 2012. The video was made by Hat Films, who have made update trailers and videos for Mojang in the past.

Trivia

 * This is the first update were villages became useful
 * This is the first update to begin using snapshots, not including the pre-releases for Beta 1.8 and 1.0.0.
 * The update had no pre-releases.
 * The update had no smaller versions.