Looking to break into the world of blockchain video games? If you haven't checked out the crypto space yet, you'll probably need our handy Axie Infinity guide to get started. Like having to use complex commands and two-dozen floppy discs to run a half-decent PC game back in the day, the early adoption of new technology can make the "future of gaming" a convoluted experience.
Axie Infinity, one of the first major blockchain games to amass a noteworthy following, can be seen as the Pokémon or Digimon of the creature-collection genre. Without a handful of Axie pets of your own, you can't really enjoy the game. The difference here is that getting your own requires a real-world investment on your part.
Would you rather avoid the blockchain barrier for now? Then check out our list of the best gacha games instead. And if you just want some fun little games to play on the go, download Roblox to your phone or laptop and get using the latest Pet Simulator X codes and Anime Fighters Simulator codes to net yourself a headstart. The former even offers some NFTs for purchase.
How Do I Play Axie Infinity?
One of the first hurdles you'll come across is just how to install this particular blockchain game. The lengthy process inspired this Axie Infinity guide, after all. Though it's available on PC, Mac, and mobile, you won't find it on your phone's app store. Instead, you need to download the application directly from the Axie Infinity website. But even how you do that will differ with each device.
How To Install Axie Infinity
PC
- PC users can download and install the Axie Infinity ZIP file through the game's website without much trouble.
iOS
- Visit the Axie Infinity Community Alpha page on your device and request an invitation.
Android
- Use your device to download the Axie Infinity APK and install it by giving your phone permission to install third-party apps.
Mac
- Mac users need to follow these steps before running the installer from the Axie Infinity site.
Once the game is up and running on your device, you'll need to begin the complex process of linking your account to various blockchain and cryptocurrency apps. This is so that you can purchase the three Axies you need to play the game and facilitate the transfer of any rewards you accumulate in-game.
If you need further help getting the Android or iOS versions running on your mobile devices, our sister site, Planet Crypto, has a dedicated guide just for that. It's not the hardest part of setting up Axie Infinity, but it can be a little confusing if you're not used to installing apps outside of your device's app store.
How Do I Setup MetaMask for Axie Infinity?
The next step of the Axie Infinity guide is to set up another integral service. As it's available on both desktop and mobile, MetaMask is the advised way of setting up the blockchain service that powers your Axie Infinity account. With that downloaded and set up, you thehen tn need to create your Axie Infinity account.
Head to the Axie Marketplace and click the login button. Log in with your new MetaMask account. Click through the popup prompts, give your account a name, then set up an email and password on the dashboard.
Once you get your activation email, you should be ready to make a Ronin Wallet—the activities and transaction chain made by Axie Infinity's developer. Download the Ronin Wallet extension, then click 'Install Ronin Wallet' on the game dashboard.
With that installed, go through its first-time setup—creating a password, setting a 'Seed Phrase', and making a backup of it somewhere safe—and click through the various prompts until it's time to add your Ronin Wallet to your Axie Infinity account, which is done through the Axie Marketplace dashboard again.
At that point, you should be all set to acquire your first few Axies. You're nearly there!
How Do I Get Axies in Axie Infinity?
Before you can even play Axie Infinity, you need to have three Axies registered to your account. To get Axies, you need to have ETH (Ether/Ethereum) in your connected Ronin Wallet, at which point you'll be able to exchange it for Axies on the marketplace.
If you don't already have ETH in your Ronin Wallet, you'll need to sign up to an exchange like Coinbase or Binance, buy ETH on either of those platforms, then instruct your chosen exchange to send the purchased ETH to your Ronin Wallet address. Some countries can buy ETH directly using the Ramp Network on Ronin itself, but that option won't be available to everyone.
Once you have ETH to spend in the Ronin Wallet attached to your Axie Infinity account, it's time to start browsing Axies on the marketplace.
If you just want to get into Axie Infinity without having to learn too much about the blockchain technology that powers it, it might be worth learning about the unofficial Axie Infinity scholarship program. You'll find the finer details of the scholarship over on Planet Crypto. In its simplest form, the Axie Infinity scholarship program involves borrowing Axies from another player, who'll then simply take a cut of the proceeds you earn by playing the game.
What Is the Best Axie?
The best Axie is the one that suits your playstyle. That's the simple way of putting it in a catch-all Axie Infinity guide, at least.
In any team of three, an Axie's efficiency in battle is determined by a number of attributes, like the body parts they're made up of and the stat spread and battle cards afforded by their anatomical configuration.
Each Axie has four stats: Health (HP), Speed, Morale (luck), and Skill (combo damage). These are determined by the 'class' of the parts they're made up of; like eyes, ears, horn, mouth, back, and tail. The last four of these also dictate the type of cards that make up an Axie's four-card pool in battle, so you'll want to take note of each of these factors when picking an Axie from the marketplace.
In battle, weakness and resistance factors come into play, as well as bonuses to Axie's using battle cards that match their own type. For example, a Plant Axie using a Plant card will get a 10% attack boost or shield, whereas a Beast Axie using a matching card against a Plant Axie will deal more damage both for using a matching card and countering the target's type.
There are soft rules to the cards Axies use in battle. For instance, Bird and Beast cards are generally made to deal damage. As such, it's possible to pick the perfect Axie for your team by having a solid strategy in mind.
If you want a good attacker, get a Bird or Beast Class Axie with the parts needed to have matching cards. And if you need a defender on your team, look for a Plant-type Axie that comes with matching Plant cards. In fact, according to the Axie Infinity site, most players use a team consisting of two defenders and an attacker. The best offence is a good defence, after all.
Are the Starting Axies Any Good?
If you haven't played Axie Infinity before, you're unlikely to notice just how basic a cheap Axie can be. Available for the equivalent of mere pennies, it can technically cost very little to get your first Axie Infinity team up and running. But most will agree that you get what you pay for. Progression will be slow with cheaper creatures, with Planet Crypto reporting back in September that it could cost well over $1,000 to build a half-decent squad.
The volatile nature of cryptocurrencies and the ever-changing technology can lead to massive fluctuations in prices at a moment's notice, however, so it's worth keeping an eye on the marketplace whether you're buying or selling Axies. In fact, a massive change to the cost of breeding Axies arrived in early November.
There's plenty more you'll need to know to get the most out of Axie Infinity. But if you've ever played a creature-collecting game like Pokémon, Digimon, or Temtem, you'll know that figuring some things out for yourself through regular play can really elevate the experience. Once you understand the basics, you may want to start looking into breeding your Axies for maximum efficiency and potential profits to fund your future adventures.
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