Let's Play: Axolotl Evolve (2024)

We’ve spent the last 10,000 hours of the only life we’ll ever have trying to think of something that’s cuter than the Minecraft axolotl. Sawdust? Nope! Wasps? No thank you. MORE sawdust? Close, but the axolotl is still cuter. So when we heard there was a map called Axolotl Evolve by Float Studios on the Minecraft Marketplace that lets you play as an axolotl, we made a most undignified little noise.

It’s been our incredibly-specific-lifelong-dream to become an axolotl. Surely a life spent swimming through Minecraft’s stunning seas would consist of nothing but endless joy and merriment? Well, actually…

You start Axolotl Evolve as a Level One Axolotl. Yes, this world introduces an RPG-like power curve, starting you off as the adorable pink little fellow splashing about in a slightly submerged cave, and tasked with… killing 25 fish? Yikes. We keep forgetting how brutal nature is. Sorry fishies : (

Anyway, 25 fish later, the game had rewarded us with enough Axolotl Tokens to level up. A process that involves visiting the Axolotl Shrine:

You get Axolotl Tokens for defeating dangerous foes (like, er, completely harmless fish), exploring the world, snatching them out of chests, and unlocking achievements. Keep pouring them into this only slightly-scary shrine and once you’ve inserted enough, you’ll evolve.

I asked a scientist if this is how evolution works in real life and she hung up on me. Inconclusive!

Evolution brings some fun perks. You’re bigger, for one, and your hotbar has more slots, which is lovely. But best of all, you get to choose between two combat powers. Now we’re talking!

We chose Feign Death which is exactly what it sounds like. You lie upside down pretending to have passed away, and the silly naive hostile mobs stop attacking you. Heh heh heh. Suckers.

The promise of more powers is a great hook for getting us to explore even the scariest seas. Onwards!

Trading is an excellent way to acquire more Axolotl Tokens, but honestly, so’s doing anything in this world. Exploration constantly rewards you with Tokens, as someone has kindly left them in chests all over the place. We decided to focus less on fighting - until we had a better chance of actually WINNING a fight, anyway - and instead swam through the seas searching for Tokens.

This is challenging underwater, but MUCH trickier on land. See, axolotls can’t stay out of water for long before starting to suffocate - so make sure you keep an eye on that bubbly meter at the top of the screen.

There’s some really nice design decisions powering this one. You don’t lose your Axolotl Tokens or your inventory when you die, encouraging you to explore more and take risks. The game’s love of treasure chests and big bright pink keys that unlock more goodies is infectious. And I like any world where the question ‘how does an axolotl use a crafting table?’ is answered with ‘who cares? It’ll be fun!’

Plus the evolution powers are an excellent incentive to keep playing. We unlocked the Kelp Slam, a powerful attack that utilizes the incredible power of, er, kelp and has basically become our favorite way to fish.

One slightly contentious feature of Axolotl Evolve, however, is that with each evolution, you do become significantly less adorable and smol. But then haven’t you always dreamed of being a gigantic muscular axolotl warrior dressed in green rags? Of course you have! Stop lying.

As we sped through the seas as a little pink blur, we couldn’t help but imagine what other perspectives we’d like to play Minecraft from next. How about a map where you play as a pig, desperately fleeing hungry players? Or one where we play as the Minecraft sun, gleefully setting early so hostile mobs attack players? (that’ll teach you to attack us when we were pigs…). How about a map where you play as the cobblestone block, and you can’t move or do anything?