Minecraft update 1.3.1 has gone live, and we're going to level with you: it sounds pretty awesome. This is easily one of the biggest Minecraft updates we've had since the game officially launched ...

With 4 new blocks, 2 new craftable items and a new rendering engine, the Minecraft Beta 1.3 update brings a lot to the table. Here's a guide to help you figure out what's new and what's changed.

The Minecraft 1.3 update launches on 1st August 2012, Mojang has announced. It includes a "huge" number of changes, the developer said, some to the "fundamental game engine".