Summary
- New Minecraft update adds biome-specific variants to classic farm animals for a refreshed look.
- Warm and cold designs for chickens, pigs, and cows are inspired by real-life breeds.
- Warm cow and cold cow variants are standout additions to the game’s peaceful mob selection.
With the latest snapshots teasing a mob and biome refresh theme, Minecraft has updated some of its most classic peaceful mobs by adding variants depending on biome temperature. While all the variants of the 15-year-old farm animals function identically to their original counterparts, the designs are simple to compare.
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Inspired by real-life breeds of cows, pigs, and chickens, the new warm and cold designs for these animals breathe new life into the old mobs without changing anything mechanically about them. This also helps the game’s ongoing lack of atmosphere, alongside the new cactus flowers and long-awaited firefly bushes. Based on the designs, the “new” farm animals easily fall in order.
6
Warm Chicken
Simple But Effective
Perhaps the most underwhelming change to a mob, in part because of how well the opposite counterpart succeeds, the warm chicken certainly is a chicken that evokes warm tones. Missing the opportunity for fancier feathers or unique wing designs, the warm chicken simply looks like a slightly more orange base chicken.
Although the stripes add a touch of flair to this fowl mob, the rest of the design feels boring given how extreme the new variant designs can be. Even just more pronounced tail feathers would add a touch of intrigue to such a simple swap.
5
Cold Chicken
New Hairdo
On the other end of the chicken spectrum, the cold chicken makes it immediately clear that it differs visually from the standard and warm poultry. Sporting a wild, feathery hairdo, the cold chicken definitely makes the most out of being a new version of the classic chicken.
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Inspired by a Polish chicken breed, the somewhat strange look is meant to resemble a more puffy clump of feathers, as opposed to the stringy mullet it currently comes across as. The tail feathers, however, add a slightly less wild element to the whole look.
4
Cold Pig
Curly And Wooly
While a cute design, the cold pig doesn’t quite capture the look and feel of the pig, even with all the classic elements clearly incorporated. The curly, wooly coat is a great touch, even if it isn’t functional like the coat of a sheep, but compared to later additions, it isn’t quite as enticing.
Since the cooler regions in Minecraft are already covered with gray and white-toned blocks, ranging between stones and snow, the slightly off-cream color of the cold pig blends into its surroundings, which feels appropriate but also lacks the same instant acknowledgment of what mob the player is seeing.
3
Warm Pig
Tropical Tan
Capturing the idea of a warm variant that instantly evokes the idea of dwelling in tropical or hot climates. The warm pig may be a basic variant form of the typical bubblegum pink pig, but it instantly nails the look and feel of a pig found in hotter locales, without anything too odd being added on top.
Since these pigs spawn in biomes like jungles and savannas, the stark orange tones stand out and contrast well with the often deep green or dead grass colors found nearby. Additionally, the brown texture on the feet of the pig suggests the idea of mud, which only adds to the variant’s design, considering the current lack of interaction between pigs and mud blocks in Minecraft.
2
Warm Cow
Raging Bull
Having the most distinct visual overhaul of the farm animal mob variants, the cows have not only had their general hides changed, but their entire models have received a slight refresh. With that potential available, it’s no wonder the warm cow ranks so highly here.
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Seemingly inspired by bulls and longhorns, the warm cow easily fits into the cowboy vibe of biomes like the badlands, while also feeling tropical enough to work in jungles. The design might be an obvious choice for the cow variants, but it works wonders when used correctly.
1
Cold Cow
Fuzzy Cattle
Capturing the style of highland cattle and translating the look into the blocky art of Minecraft, the cold cow variant is easily one of the best variants for the farm animal mobs added to Minecraft thus far. Adding depth with a fuzzy, furry coat that extends beyond the cow’s body, along with making use of the horns’ positioning, truly makes this variant an obvious winner.
Even if the wooly appearance of the cold cow doesn’t functionally add anything to the mob, the look instantly makes it clear that this cow comes from frigid regions, while the other variants don’t quite get the point across as clearly.
- Released
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November 18, 2011
- ESRB
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E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence