Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
1.2
1.2.1 came out on 1 March 2012. It raised the world height from 128 to 256 blocks with the new Anvil world format, and added jungle biomes, ocelots and cats, iron golems, zombie sieges, redstone lamps, bottles o' enchanting, fire charges and desert wells.
Why was 1.2 such a big change?
The Anvil file format doubled the build height to 256 blocks, and stored worlds more efficiently. It stayed the limit until Caves and Cliffs moved it to Y=-64 and 320 in 1.18. See Caves and Cliffs Part II.
What did 1.2 add to the world?
- Jungle biomes with jungle trees and vines.
- Ocelots, which could be tamed into cats at the time; see cats and ocelots.
- Iron golems that guard villages and can be built by players; see golems.
- Wooden bridges in mineshafts and desert wells.
What items and blocks came in 1.2?
The redstone lamp, bottle o' enchanting (creative only at first), fire charges, chiseled stone bricks (Creative only at first), and an ocelot spawn egg. See XP bottles.
What were zombie sieges?
A night event where a large group of zombies spawns inside a village, even in lit areas, to attack the villagers. Villages also got their own iron golem guards in the same update, which made sieges a fair fight for the first time. Doors and walls still matter: zombies can break wooden doors on Hard difficulty.
Can you use 1.2 on ArtemisPvP?
Frequently asked questions
When were iron golems added?
In 1.2.1, on 1 March 2012.
When did the world height become 256?
In 1.2.1, with the Anvil world format.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.