First I want to talk about the new "Advancement" mechanic. Now if you remember the "Achievements" tab on the pause menu then you might have noticed that it's been replaced! Advancements replaces the achievement allowing anyone and everyone to be able to make up their own achievements (Most likely best used for map makers.) However, this doesn't mean you wont be able to still get achievements while playing. While you walk around your new world, craft, and survive you will unlock advancements that will unlock more advancements and so on.

Here's a preview of what it looks like at the current moment!

Though you only see one (1) tab, there's actually many tabs. (currently up to 4-5) These are unlocked the same way as anything else, running around doing things and surviving a daily life in minecraft.
Mojang may or may not add more tabs in the future though so maybe there'll be several things you can add on a map later on :D (not that 4-5 aren't enough already)

I love this idea because it gives people a chance to those who want more to use with their map making abilities even further!
Now I'm not going to give a full description on how to do so because well... it's already spelled out and fully described on the Minecraft wiki located here

Okay now a lot of you might know already about the (kind of) new mechanic called "The Recipe Book" This is not a craftable item. This is given to you when you create a new world (or log onto an already existing world.)

Now If you're not already familiar with this mechanic it's basically a quick easy way to instantly craft stuff without a mod and allows you to mentally learn the recipes. Though when you create a new world and haven't gone out scavenging or crafting quite yet, the book will be completely blank. When you get your first block (Log) it will update the book giving you- you guess it, wooden planks.

This goes on for as long as you still have unlearned recipes.
Here's a small example of what it currently looks like:

Though in 17w14a, the book is a pasty green.

Anyways, this is a wonderful tool for new players or just people who have forgotten recipes after awhile!
If you wish to learn more about this then click here :D

Another thing I want to talk about is the Parrot!
Now this isn't new to the updated snapshot, it was implemented 17w13a.

However, many changed have been given to this mob to make it more pet like.
Before 17w14a came out, parrots were unable to sit. Upon right clicking the "tamed" parrot it would sit on your shoulder and make no noise at all.

In the new updated snapshot it has fixed that "bug?" and is now able to both sit on you shoulder and make noise.
Now if you're now wondering "how do you get them to sit on your shoulder now?" then here's how you do that :D
First you will want a tamed parrot, now you just crouch and walk next to them (this seems to be a bit of an awkward transaction at least for me at the current moment as it doesn't work as quick as I want it to.)

The Parrots come in five different colors: red, green, blue, cyan and gray.
These little companions will alert you in many ways of incoming hostile mobs such as imitating in a higher pitched sound as the mob and looking in the direction the mob is coming from. This gives you a chance at running from a creeper as well! Just keep your ears open.

How to tame one of them is simple: Cookies. yes, cookies. Since "crackers" were never a thing in minecraft they had to give them those yummy, godly, scrumptious- Sorry, getting destracted!
Now these pesky birds sometimes wont tame from one (1) cookie. Some of them are greedy and want maybe the whole box.


I've always wanted birds in this game as long as I can remember and thanks to RazzleberryFox, my wish came true :D

More information can be found here