There's a reason that Steve from Minecraft was added to Super Smash Bros. The game managed to pull in 131 million concurrent users in 2020 showing that this nearly ten-year-old game still has tons of content that players are enjoying to this day. With so many new players playing the game, it can be handy to know what items are useful and how they can be made.
The Lantern is one of the most luminous items in the game as is perfect for lighting up dark spaces or simply decorating a player's home. Soul Lanterns can even be useful to fend off certain enemies and Sea Lanterns can even light things up underwater. Knowledge of how to craft these lanterns will help players literally light up any room they walk into.
How To Make A Lantern
Players will need nine Iron Nuggets and a torch to be able to craft a Lantern in Minecraft. Iron Nuggets can be obtained by smelting iron tools or weapons. They can also be found in chests located on shipwrecks or in taiga village houses. It very easy to find a Torch; they generate for free in many places in the game, but players can also craft one using a stick and some Coal or Charcoal.
Once players have all the resources they need, they should place the torch in the middle of the crafting area and completely surround it with Iron Nuggets. Once the crafting is complete, players are now the proud new owners of a Lantern.
Too lazy to do any crafting? There's still one more way to get a basic Lantern. Apprentice-level librarian villagers will occasionally spawn some for trade, but it costs an Emerald to get one this way.
How To Craft A Soul Lantern
Soul Lanterns aren't just cool because they glow with turquoise light. They also will repel Piglins which can help players if they are being overwhelmed by a mob of them. These are a bit more complex to craft than a regular Lantern, but it's nothing a prepared player can't handle.
Players will need to have either Soul Sand or Soul Soil to make the torch needed for this lantern. Players can find Soul Sand in the Nether, while Soul Soil can only be found in Soul Sand Valley. Players then just need to place one of these two items under the stick when making torches as usual.
With a soul torch in hand, players just need to surround it with nine Iron Nuggets, just like when making a regular Lantern. Now it's time to enjoy those ghostly flames and Piglin deflection abilities in the game.
How To Craft A Sea Lantern
Players might want to create a Potion of Water Breathing before trying to make a Sea Lantern. The materials required can only be found underwater as these light sources are designed specifically to work there. Players will need Prismarine Shards and Prismarine Crystals to create a Sea Lantern which can only be obtained by defeating Guardians and Elder Guardians found at Ocean Monuments.
Players will need a total of five Prismarine Crystals and four Prismarine Shards to make a Sea Lantern. Once players have gotten all of the resources they need, they must be arranged properly. Players should make a cross out of the Prismarine Shards in the center of the crafting area and put a Prismarine Shard in each corner.
How To Craft Jack O' Lanterns
There's just one kind of Lantern left that can be made and this one is incredibly easy. Players will first need to find a pumpkin, then carve it using shears. Once carved, it's as simple as combining it with a torch to get that spooky feel of Halloween.
These Lanterns can weirdly enough be used to light underwater spaces without going out, but that's not all. Players who want a spookier time can use them to make Snow Golems and Iron Golems as well.
Minecraft is available now on Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.