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The seasonal game drop for Minecraft has touched down — and it brings with it the initial fresh armament introduced into the title since the heavy club made its debut. The lance is finally here and it could very well change how you play Minecraft, especially if you enjoy mayhem.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mounts of Mayhem update also incorporates a host of fresh elements and enhancements centered around riding animals in the game. That central theme made the spear the perfect fit for this release, as the creators had already known it was time for a fresh combat tool.

"From the outset, we understood that we aimed for a fresh armament that would increase combat distance, and we envisioned it for mounted combat," stated a senior product manager. "We prototyped a few different ideas, but the spear was the one that both felt great when we ran our trials and also looked good for the use case."

If you're wondering whether mounted combat means you can charge at your allies on steeds, the response is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an combat move perfectly suited for it.

"[Jousting on horses is a major functions for the spear, and it's a blast," the lead continues. "The spear has two attacks: You have the jab attack, where you pierce your enemy. But you also have a charge attack where you couch your lance and deal increased harm [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] perfect for jousting on horses."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The wild enjoyment can extend beyond there, though. If you're advanced sufficiently into the game that you've explored The End, the developers have an truly outlandish idea. "If you are in the end-game, [spears are] perfect for strapping on the wings and going out and making some real mayhem," she suggests.

In other words: Sky jousting is now a reality, and it deserves to be an Olympic sport immediately.

Another key feature in this new update is the underwater mount. This sea-dwelling mob, which is based on the seashells we've all been collecting for years, can be tamed and mounted for submarine exploration. Not only will it carry you through the water faster than swimming, it'll also maintain your oxygen levels, so there's no requirement to come up for air for oxygen.

The other inclusions are mostly things that want to kill you, as is the nature of Minecraft. Unsurprisingly, there's also a zombie Nautilus popping up in the water, frequently with a Drowned on its back. If you succeed in defeat the Drowned, though, you can befriend the zombie Nautilus — or the standard version, for that matter — with a blowfish.

"We've long considered this problem periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it seemed like the right time to also unveil something for underwater," the developer elaborates. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a number of concepts for sea mounts that we wanted to test, but the Nautilus initial artwork looked striking, and we have the connection to the Nautilus shell that was found within the game."

She also adds that there are actually a pair of variants of undead nautilus: standard and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] add variety to what you encounter underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Additional features include the Parched, biome-specific undead archers that can survive in the sun, which means there's no refuge from them if you venture in that environment. Sometimes you'll see them on desiccated dromedaries, another fresh creature. Camel husks have an excellent design that sees their skeletal frame exposed. The same goes for undead steeds, who have a similar exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be found at night with a spear-carrying zombie on their back.

The remaining updates on the drop's list are smaller gameplay updates, including some highly requested adjustments to riding horses. Now, you can cross rivers and lakes while atop a horse. Furthermore, high-tier barding is now obtainable at the workbench, so you can give your horse the top-tier safeguarding it deserves.

A Fittingly Chaotic Finale

All told, the year-end release of the year is a notable addition. The spear on its own — and the mayhem it enables — would have seemed like a considerable upgrade. Combine that with the Nautilus, and more things trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

The Mayhem Mounts update is available for Java and Bedrock editions of Minecraft.