What is a cheese cave in Minecraft?

The blocky world of Minecraft has changed a lot in the last few years thanks to some major updates. One of the most impactful improvements in world generation came with the Caves & Cliffs update released in 2021, and it made caves more layered and fun to explore. The simple and small pockets of spaces underground were replaced with a variety of caves to give them more character.

There are many types of caves you can find in Minecraft, and one of them is the cheese cave. Cheese caves are massive underground spaces with many exposed ores such as iron, redstone, and even diamonds. Here's everything you need to know about cheese caves and what makes them special.

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Features of a cheese cave in Minecraft

You can fly around in the open spaces of a cheese cave (Image via Minecraft Wiki/Ferretwings)

Caves are named on the basis of the pattern they generate in Minecraft. For example, a cave with long, twisting tunnels is called a "spaghetti" cave, after the traditional Italian staple food. A cave with massive open spaces is called a "cheese" cave, though a more apt term would be Swiss cheese cave.

Minecraft uses the Perlin noise algorithm to generate the blocky world. The same method is used to generate the cheese cave with large, interconnected voids. Another characteristic feature of these caves is tall stone pillars that connect the ceiling and the floor.

The empty spaces inside the cheese caves are so large that you can build tall structures and even fly around using an elytra. This is why many players prefer these caves to make massive underground bases. You also get access to several exposed ores, making it great for stacking up resources without the tedious mining processes such as strip mining.

Here are some of the identifying features of a cheese cave in Minecraft:

• Massive open space across the three dimensions
• Tall pillars made of stone in the upper level and deepslate in the lower level
• Multiple exposed ores

It might sound like a great underground space to set up a base and start mining, but the open space also presents a challenging aspect. Since it's a massive cave with little to no light source, many hostile mobs spawn regularly in cheese caves. Creepers, skeletons, and zombies are common; you can regularly find slimes too.

You will have to properly light up the space, which is a minor challenge due to the huge area. However, if you're looking for some combat and the items dropped by these mobs, then this is the perfect place to be in. The amount of slime and gunpowder you can get here is impressive.