When Minecraft was released and was in its earlier stages of development, there was no end goal to speak of. Players just survived each night, and built structures by day, and set out to see where their creativity could take them, which is still a huge part of it to this day. But in later versions, Minecraft added the Ender Dragon, the game's first, and so far only, official final boss. However, some fans out there may be wondering what it would be like to encounter dragons without having to go all the way to the End. Thankfully, a new mod has arrived which does just that.

Called Ice and Fire: Dragons, this mod for Minecraft does exactly what it says on the tin, it adds dragons to the main game. In earlier iterations of the mod, there were two types of dragon: ice and fire. The add-on also goes so far as to make each version of each dragon inhabit a specific area of the world. For example, the ice dragon can be found in the colder regions, while the fire dragon can be found in the rest of the world. A newer version of the mod has also added a lightning dragon, too.

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On top of that, Ice and Fire adds additional mythical creatures. As well as dragons, it also brings things like Hydras, Pixies, Gorgons, and Ghosts, as well as others, into the game. These are all added alongside Minecraft's already extensive roster of enemy mobs, many of which have become staples of the game since it was first launched. In general, the mod, which was created by just two people, aims to bring an authentic "dragon experience" to players, particularly for those who either don't want to go to the trouble of fighting the Ender Dragon, or have already done so.

Of course, it would be remiss to talk about a mod that adds dragons to the game without drawing some link between this and another popular open world title. While it doesn't say so in the mod's description, it's possible that the creators wanted to bring the world of Skyrim into Minecraft's blocky universe. The idea of players roaming the vast land and encountering a fire breathing dragon flying above suggests that Ice and Fire may have been influenced by the Bethesda epic.

Despite the common misconception that Minecraft is only for kids, Markus "Notch" Persson's game continues to enjoy enormous success, ten years after being released. Mods like Fire and Ice continue to show the community that there is still so much that this juggernaut of a game can offer up, and it's one that many will likely be excited to try out.

Minecraft is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: Minecraft: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Ender Dragon

Source: Curse Forge