Minecraft has come a long way since its original Alpha release. What was once a simple digging simulator has become its own, full-fledged adventure game: Mojang has been updating the game on a regular basis for years now, to the point where Minecraft is a basically a different game than the one that originally launched back in 2009.

That being said, one of the game's core mechanics has gone largely unchanged since Minecraft's first public release: combat. For the better part of seven years, Minecraft combat has been about as simple as you can get: click a button, swing your pickaxe/sword/axe and hope the Creeper dies. It's functional, sure, but fans have been begging for a deeper combat and inventory system for years.

Thanks to Mojang's latest patch, they're finally about to get one: dubbed the "Combat Update," the Minecraft 1.9 patch introduces a host of new features, including an upgraded and expanded set of combat options. If you've ever wished for true sword-and-shield combat in Minecraft, you're in luck.

One of the first things that players will notice after downloading version 1.9 is that Mojang has added in a new inventory slot. This is the player's "off-hand" slot and can be used in a number of different ways. The most obvious use is, of course, holding a shield: after crafting a sturdy wooden shield, players can assign it to their off-hand slot and finally block those pesky Skeleton Archers' arrows.

That's not all it can be used for, however: anyone who's ever played Minecraft knows how obnoxious it is to switch between mining and placing torches. Now, players can simply throw a stack of torches in the off-hand slot and mine without setting up a lighting system — or you can place any one of the new arrow types (tipped or spectral) in the off-hand slot to easily pick the right ammo for whatever mob is trying to take you out.

Along with the updated inventory system comes a new control scheme as well: instead of spamming the mouse button, weapons are now linked to a cooldown meter. While it's still possible to hammer away at the attack button, players will want to time their strikes along with the meter, and proper timing will lead to more powerful attacks. Mojang didn't stop there, either: each weapon and material has different timing, meaning that swinging a wooden axe won't feel the same as attacking with a diamond sword.

Speaking of axes and sword, Minecraft's two main weapons now have unique attacks: the sword features a "sweeping" attack that'll damage multiple enemies, while the axe boasts a "crushing blow" attack. Mojang hasn't detailed exactly how these'll work just yet, so players will have to experiment to get the most out of the new combat.

Despite the update's name, the 1.9 patch isn't just about combat: Mojang has significantly expanded the End biome, which now hosts a new type of dungeon called "End Cities." It's also possible to re-summon the Ender Dragon, just in case you needed something to test the new combat mechanics on. There's also a new flying cape called the Elytra, a new "Shulker" mob and, of course, a ton of new blocks.

As you can see, it's a pretty big update — and it's available now! All you have to do is open up Minecraft and let the update download, and you're set to go! For more on everything that the studio's added into the game with patch 1.9, head on over to Mojang's official blog.