We’ve all stepped into the Nether, only to be met with the blood-curdling shriek of a Ghast before being blasted by a fireball. These floating nightmares wrapped in white are some of Minecraft’s most frightening mobs up there with the Ender Dragon some might even say they’re worse. But what if Ghasts were hostile only because they were in pain?
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Minecraft’s Vibrant Visuals Update Introduces Dried Ghasts, Ghastlings, and Rideable Happy Ghasts
That’s precisely what the forthcoming Dried Ghasts and Happy Ghasts update will seek to examine. The Nether is an inhospitable wasteland, scorching and arid, and it’s clearly all Ghasts need to become friendly is to be a little hydrated.
Dried Ghasts
Dried Ghasts are newly introduced and are small, cubic mobs found in the Soul Sand Valley in the Nether. These poor little things are like pipsqueak mafia heads, thirsty and miserable. If you find one, you can collect it by breaking it like you would a block—though this mechanic may change prior to the final version. Players can move a dried ghast to the overworld and then submerge it in water once they collect it. Eventually, the sad creature starts to change, into what is its true self: the Ghastling.
Ghastlings
The Ghastling is basically a larger, rehydrated Dried Ghast. It doesn’t attack players, unlike its Nether counterpart, the fiery version. Instead, it joyfully trails them across the Overworld, like a tamed wolf or cat. Somehow the secret to feeding Ghastlings isn’t magma or flame, but snowballs. This will eventually cause them to evolve into Happy Ghasts, a long-lost, friendly variant of the original mob, which they will do if you feed them this cool treat.
Happy Ghasts
When Ghastling fully matures into a Happy Ghast, that’s where the real game-changing element comes into play. Unlike Nether Ghasts, these friendly versions can be saddled and ridden, giving players a new mode of aerial transportation in the Overworld. No more waiting until you reach The End for Elytra—just hop on your Happy Ghast and take to the skies.
The Vibrant Visuals Update
Alongside the introduction of Dried Ghasts and Happy Ghasts, Minecraft’s Vibrant Visuals update is set to bring major graphical improvements. During Minecraft LIVE 2025, Mojang unveiled sharper block textures, dynamic lighting, shadows, and enhanced underwater visuals. This update marks the first step in a multi-phase plan to revamp the game’s graphics, offering officially supported shaders for the first time. Mojang’s previous attempt at a graphics overhaul, the Super Duper Graphics Pack, was scrapped in 2019 due to technical issues. However, the Vibrant Visuals update is free and optimized for both Java and Bedrock editions.
FAQs
How do you get a Happy Ghast in Minecraft?
Collect a Dried Ghast from the Nether, hydrate it into a Ghastling, then feed it snowballs to evolve into a Happy Ghast.
Can you ride a Happy Ghast?
Yes! Once fully grown, Happy Ghasts can be saddled and ridden for aerial travel in the Overworld.
