Released in 2011, Minecraft is a sandbox survival game that allows players almost unlimited freedom of action, from completing quests and exploring to building, crafting, animal breeding, simulating life, and meeting friends in a blocky world.

The game is continuously evolving thanks to both its creators and players, as well as a vast modding community, resulting in a constantly changing and ever-exciting world with new discoveries.

So-called biomes, which are the surface world areas, play a significant role in the gameplay. What are biomes, and what is their significance for players? What can you find in them, and which is the rarest Minecraft biome? Read on to find answers to these questions!

The Basics: What is a Biome?

The Minecraft world is diverse and comprehensive, featuring green fields, forests, mountain ranges, oceans, deserts and much more. Depending on where you go, you’ll encounter entirely different landscapes, unique terrain structure, as well as various types of plants, animals, and resources. These unique, distinct areas are called biomes, and there are approximately 61 in the Java version of the game and a whopping 84 in Bedrock.

Biomes add diversity to the Minecraft world and are a crucial element of gameplay. They not only enable exploration and the discovery of the world’s mysteries but also provide opportunities to obtain unique items and resources not found elsewhere, which can be used to craft unique items or utilised as valuable products for trading.

The Allure of Rare Biomes

Why are players so fascinated by different biomes? Well, when you start your Minecraft adventure, you’ll encounter a rather ordinary, green landscape full of trees and various grasses. You might come across a few animals like sheep or pigs, and the basic materials you can mine and build with, which include dirt, wood, and stone etc.

Of course, this “basic” part of the world and its possibilities offer hours of gameplay, but players always expect more. And you can find that “more” in specific biomes, filled with entirely new vegetation and animals, where the ground is made of different materials than usual, and unique mineral deposits can be found nearby.

It’s essential to note that specific conditions are required for the creation of particular biomes. Some may only develop in cold, snowy regions, while others need frequent rainfall or a dry, warm climate. The size of the terrain they occupy also matters. What is the most rare Minecraft biome, and which ones are a bit easier to find but equally fascinating? Here is a list of 10 rarest biomes, along with the resources, animals, and plants you can find in them!

  • Modified Jungle Edge

While travelling through the Minecraft world, you will often come across various forests, but this unique tropical jungle biome occupies only 0.0001% of the world’s surface. Its uniqueness lies in the combination of dense, green jungle with swampy hills. Unlike other biomes, Modified Jungle Edge is not as rich in mobs as other forests or jungles. Nevertheless, you can find there jungle trees, cocoa, bamboo, and melons. You might also encounter ocelots, parrots, and sometimes even pandas.

  • Bamboo Jungle and Bamboo Jungle Hills

If you love forests but prefer more Asian climates, you must embark on a quest to find Bamboo Jungle. However, this task won’t be easy because biomes of this type occupy only 0.026% of the world. Bamboo Jungle Hills are even rarer, at 0.009%. Interestingly, these biomes are usually located near or within other jungle biomes. The terrain in these regions is almost entirely made of podzol, and the predominant vegetation is bamboo. As you might guess, you’ll find adorable, cuddly pandas in such jungles. However, meeting them in Bamboo Jungle Hills can be quite a challenge.

  • Mushroom Fields and Mushroom Field Shore

Finding individual small mushrooms is not a significant challenge, and neither is setting up a mushroom farm. But have you ever encountered a biome entirely made up of mushrooms on a massive scale? Mushroom Fields (covering 0.011% of the world) and Mushroom Field Shores (covering 0.0079%) are such biomes. Instead of grass, these regions are covered in mycelium, and instead of trees, you’ll find massive red and brown mushrooms. How to find them? Mushroom biomes are typically located on small islands surrounded by the ocean and are excellent places to build your home. The main feature of these biomes is the absence of hostile mobs respawning in the area. The obvious resource you can mine here is… mycelium.

  • Shattered Savanna

While “classic” savannas, like taigas, are not very rare, the chance of finding a Shattered variant is much lower. These biomes occupy approximately 0.04% of the world. These regions are not very friendly for walking due to their very high and steep mountains, hills, craters, waterfalls with water and lava, and huge trees. However, it’s worth finding and visiting these biomes because of the unique views, including floating islands and abundant resources such as coarse dirt and acacia trees.

  • Ice Spikes

Biomes filled with plants and animals are undoubtedly appealing, but in the world of Minecraft, you can also find very harsh and desolate places like Ice Spikes biomes, covering 0.052% of the world. Covered in snow and ice, this region is an excellent place to obtain packed ice. What else can you find or encounter here? You might occasionally come across small igloos or pillager outposts, as well as various creatures that enjoy cold regions, such as polar bears, white rabbits, and glowing squids.

  • Snowy Taiga Mountains

The mountainous, cold, Snowy Taiga Mountains are not the most welcoming places. Unlike Snowy Taiga biomes, you won’t find any villages, outposts, or igloos here. The fauna is limited to wolves, foxes, and rabbits, with various types of dogs occasionally appearing. The terrain is quite challenging to traverse, with icy waters, lots of snow, and a few mobs, which don’t encourage settling down. However, you can find some useful resources here. These biomes cover about 0.076% of the world.

  • Badlands Plateau

Veteran Minecraft players might remember these biomes as “Mesas,” but regardless of the name you choose, you’ll encounter a similar landscape: vast red sand and terracotta blocks. No trees or flowers grow in these areas, with only occasional small plants that can be collected. However, it’s worth going here due to the unique building blocks mentioned earlier, as well as the presence of abandoned mines where you can find gold and treasures. These biomes cover about 0.140% of the world.

  • The Flower Forest

This beautiful biome covers 0.146% of the Minecraft world. In addition to grass and trees, this location features a wide variety of plants, making it not only useful but also visually appealing. Almost all types and species of flowers, which can be a valuable resource, can be generated here. Additionally, it’s the only place where you can find the very rare pretty pink alliums. This biome is also a spawning location for bees, which are difficult to find elsewhere in such quantities.

  • Sunflower Plains

Occupying about 0.18% of the world, Sunflower Plains is a variant of regular plains biomes but with a horizon filled with beautiful sunflower fields. These sunflowers can be used for decoration or crafting yellow dye. This biome is also where you can encounter bees. The warm conditions and occasional rainfall favor the appearance of villages and are an excellent place to start a farm due to the fertile soil.

  • Giant Tree Taiga

While dense forests and jungles are impressive, you can truly marvel at one of the Giant Tree Taiga biomes. These regions cover 0.219% of the Minecraft world. The ground here consists almost entirely of podzol blocks and mossy cobblestone boulders, while the predominant vegetation includes massive spruce trees and brown mushrooms. This place is also conducive to setting up a mushroom farm. You won’t find many villagers here, but occasionally, you’ll encounter peacefully-minded mob animals like pigs or cows.

Strategies for Discovering Rare Biomes

What is the easiest way to find rare biomes? There are several methods. One of them is simply exploration. As mentioned when discussing the rarest biomes, some of them are often located in close proximity to other biomes or specific climatic conditions. So if, for example, you start seeing snow and trees during your journey, there’s a good chance that you’ll find a Snowy Taiga biome when you continue in that direction, which, in turn, might border Snowy Taiga Mountains, Ice Spikes, and other cold or giant tree biomes. If you come across a jungle, there’s a chance that a Bamboo Jungle or Jungle Edge is nearby.

Another way to find a specific biome is to use console commands like /locatebiome. You can also consult guides dedicated to specific biomes, watch YouTube videos, or use websites like Chunkbase.com, where you can easily find a world map with marked biomes.

Impact of Rare Biomes on Minecraft Culture

Rare biomes hold significant value for players and fans of Minecraft. Exploring increasingly newer and rarer regions is a real enhancement to the gameplay, providing opportunities for exploration and experiencing entirely new adventures in a world that has been familiar for over a decade. Rare biomes also contain rare resources, which can contribute to future constructions and quest completions, as well as being valuable items for trading with other players. Additionally, the quest for and visitation of rare biomes can be an excellent basis for cooperation and strengthening bonds between players.

Future of Biomes

Is the list of available biomes already closed? Certainly not! Minecraft is being constantly updated and expanded. While many people still use earlier versions of the game (such as 1.18 and 1.19), the latest version 1.20, available since October 2022, introduced a new biome called Cherry Blossom, where trees are covered in beautiful pink blossoms resembling cherry blossoms. Undoubtedly, more rare and exciting biomes will appear over time.

Summary

In summary, Minecraft offers its players unlimited hours of fun and rare biomes are what makes this fun even more diverse. The ability to join forces with other players, visit exciting places, admire landscapes, or gather resources for crafting are just a few of the many possibilities that new, rare Minecraft biomes bring to players.