What Better Animations Collection works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge |
| Minecraft versions | 1.18.2, 1.19.4, 1.20.4, 1.21.1, 1.21.8, 1.21.11, 26.1, 26.2 |
| Environment | Client |
Better Animations Collection is a client-side Java mod that rebuilds more than twenty vanilla mob animations, from a wobbly Creeper tail to kneeling sheep and flailing endermen, without touching a single texture. Fabric and NeoForge builds track the current 26.2 release, while Forge stopped receiving updates in January 2024 and stays capped at Minecraft 1.20.4.
What Better Animations Collection changes
- Wobbly Creeper: gives the Creeper the wobbling, wiggling model made famous by CaptainSparklez's Revenge music video, built as a real in-game animation.
- Kneeling sheep: sheep bend their whole body and front knees to graze, instead of only lowering their head.
- Wiggly ghast and squiggly squid tentacles that flow independently instead of moving as one rigid piece.
- Wagging wolf tails, curling cat tails, and flowing ocelot tails that animate while the mob stands or moves.
- Arm-flailing endermen, an oinking pig with a moving snout, and a magma cube that collapses into a stack of patties on death.
- Bending knees on zombie-like and piglin-like mobs, plus a restored mouth and knees on horses.
Loaders, versions, and dependencies
Fabric and NeoForge are the actively maintained loaders and both reach the current 26.2 release. Forge's last build shipped for Minecraft 1.20.4 in January 2024 and has not been updated since. Every loader needs Puzzles Lib, a shared library the creator also maintains.
- Puzzles Lib: required on Fabric, Forge, and NeoForge.
- Fabric API: required on Fabric only.
- Forge Config API Port: required on Fabric and on the last Forge build.
- Forge Config Screens: optional on Forge, adds an in-game settings menu.
Compatibility with resource packs, EMF, and ETF
Better Animations Collection builds every animation from vanilla textures, so it runs alongside any texture-only resource pack without conflict. Entity Texture Features (ETF) and Entity Model Features (EMF) work differently: they let a resource pack such as Fresh Animations supply its own custom mob models and textures, instead of using one fixed animation set built into a mod. Community reports, including an open compatibility request against EMF's own compatibility addon, confirm the two approaches conflict when run together, most visibly breaking Fresh Animations' facial expressions on mobs Better Animations Collection also touches. Modpacks that want the swappable, wider-coverage EMF and ETF plus Fresh Animations path generally drop Better Animations Collection rather than run both.
Watch it in action
Better Animations Collection trailer
Questions about Better Animations Collection.
5 questions
How do I install Better Animations Collection?
Download the Fabric or NeoForge build that matches your Minecraft version from the Modrinth page, then add the required Puzzles Lib, plus Fabric API on Fabric, to your mods folder. Better Animations Collection is client-only, so there is nothing to install on a dedicated server.
Does Better Animations Collection work with EMF and ETF?
Not at the same time. Entity Model Features (EMF) and Entity Texture Features (ETF) let a resource pack like Fresh Animations supply its own mob models and textures, and community reports show running them alongside Better Animations Collection breaks facial animations on mobs both systems touch. Pick one path: this mod's fixed animation set, or EMF, ETF, and a compatible resource pack.
Does Better Animations Collection work on Forge?
Yes, but only up to Minecraft 1.20.4. The Forge build has not been updated since January 2024. Fabric and NeoForge are the actively maintained loaders and both reach the current 26.2 release.
Does Better Animations Collection replace any textures?
No. Every animation is built from vanilla Minecraft textures, so the mod works alongside any texture-only resource pack without conflict. Its animations only clash with packs that rely on EMF or ETF to reshape the same mob models.
Which Minecraft versions does Better Animations Collection support?
Fabric and NeoForge builds exist back to 1.18.2 and currently reach the 26.2 release. Forge support runs from 1.18.2 through 1.20.4, where it stopped receiving updates in January 2024.
