I Like Vanilla review

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

I Like Vanilla is a free Minecraft shader from What42Pizza for Java players who want improved lighting and visual effects without replacing the game's vanilla-style presentation. Its configurable style system lets players adjust the overall look, while sharp anti-aliasing, shadows, pixelated world shadows, reflections, sunrays, volumetric clouds, ambient occlusion, bloom, depth of field, motion blur, and color correction expand the visual range. Colorblindness correction and support for PBR materials and emissive textures add further control for players who want more detail without moving to a wholly different visual direction.

The main strength is breadth within a focused visual goal. I Like Vanilla covers core lighting, atmospheric effects, reflections, post-processing, and material support rather than concentrating on only one effect. Screen-space and volumetric sunrays, volumetric clouds, shadows, bloom, and ambient occlusion address scene lighting, while depth of field, motion blur, and color correction shape the presentation. The configurable style system is especially relevant for players who want to tune the result instead of accepting a fixed shader look. Colorblindness correction also gives the pack a practical display option beyond purely cosmetic changes.

Ecosystem fit is another important consideration. The project documents integrations with Voxy, Distant Horizons, and Colorwheel, making it a strong choice for players whose setups include those tools. Current use is centered on Iris, while OptiFine support has been discontinued, so players seeking an OptiFine-based setup should choose an alternative. The documentation also includes some outdated material, which may add friction during configuration. Choose I Like Vanilla for free, configurable, vanilla-oriented visuals with PBR and integration support; look elsewhere if OptiFine compatibility or fully current documentation is a priority.

I Like Vanilla pros and cons

• Where it wins
  • Keeps vanilla-style presentation while adding configurable visual styles
  • Includes PBR materials, emissive textures, reflections, and volumetric effects
  • Integrates with Voxy, Distant Horizons, and Colorwheel
• Where it doesn't
  • OptiFine support is discontinued
  • Current edition support is limited to Java
  • Some project documentation is out of date

I Like Vanilla fact sheet, pricing and score →

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update