Another calendar month has passed, and that can only mean two things:

1) We are one month closer to that fateful day when the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy will merge into a single mega-galaxy. Only 4.5 billion years to go!

2) There's another huge haul of add-ons, worlds, skins, and texture packs for Marketplace Pass and Realms Plus subscribers to explore!

There's a truly vast amount of ground to cover, so you'd best take some time to mentally prepare yourself for the overwhelming bombardment of goodies coming your way. I recommend deep breathing exercises, practicing a few yoga poses, and/or spending a few months really examining your mental landscape with a qualified professional.

Ready? Great! Let's begin.

 

ADD-ONS

Moors… volcanos… Yes, these are all places that I've received lifetime bans from entering, and no, I don't want to talk about why. More excitingly, these also all feature in Biomes O'Plenty by 4KS Studios, a jampacked add-on that features more than 50 brand new biomes. So, whether you're most at home on the prairies, orchards, jade cliffs, or fungal jungles, you can be sure there's a biome to suit your (incredibly specific) tastes. 

Next up is an add-on that's sure to please anyone with an eye for detail. Real Miniblocks by Vatonage lets you place teeny-tiny blocks that are perfect for introducing decorative detail to your builds. Add tasteful trim to your house's exterior, create fabulous wood panelling for your dining room, or follow my lead and use the extra-tiny nano blocks to build a perfectly lifelike recreation of your own head where a villager's home used to be. 

Now if, like me, you think that planes would be better if they were alive, covered in leathery scales, and could breathe liquid fire, the next add-on is going to really pique your interest. Dragons Add-on by Shapescape introduces these fearsome, fire-spewing lizards to your games of Minecraft. Best of all, you can ride them, customize them, and even let them scavenge diamonds for you. Truly, the perfect companion.

Before we continue, allow me to let you in on a little secret: I'm not nearly as physically powerful, as heroically tough, or as covered in lean, rippling muscle as many people assume. Luckily, I can now use Spellcards by Lore Studios to dramatically improve my chances of survival against Minecraft's most formidable mobs. These magical cards let me summon hordes of armored rams, fiery bees, or loyal wolves. With 30 Spellcards to discover, you can be sure there's an option for all occasions.

Have you ever harbored a secret suspicion that ore blocks are actually alive and incredibly cute? Me too! I think about it so much that there's no room left in my working memory for things like the names or faces of my family and friends. Ore Beetles by Scai Quest takes my imaginings and turns them into a glorious reality where adorable lil beetles flourish underground. You can delicately harvest their glittering crystals with the appropriate pickaxe, or you can catch them in a jar like an obsessed collector!

If there's one question that's been puzzling the philosophers for generations, it's this: at what point does a truck become a monster truck? Is it a matter of size? Sound? Or does the truck require a certain monstrousness of character? These are the questions I'll be considering as I play Monster Trucks by Yeggs, an add-on that lets you choose from more than 50 truck upgrades as you vroom your way through gravity-defying races and truck-on-truck soccer matches.

Finally, as if that cavalcade of add-ons wasn't enough for you, I have one more - and it's extra whimsical. Bubble by The World Foundry introduces floating, glistening bubbles to your games of Minecraft. But whereas real bubbles tend to pop if you give them so much as an anxious look, these bubbles can be used to capture mobs, to protect yourself from damage, or even to create the most fanciful form of transportation ever imagined: the bubble car.

 

MINI GAMES

Wow, that was a huge list of add-ons to tell you about. I could do with a lovely, calming rest. Wait, what was that noise? What was that shadowy shape in the trees? And what are all those things trying to clamber in through my windows? Oh, it's They're Coming by Pathway Studios, which challenges you to escape from a truly terrifying cabin in the woods. It also challenged my own self-appointed trait of being a “high-functional scaredy-cat". 

After a shock like that, the only thing that can bring me any comfort is a buttery croissant. Lucky for me, our next mini game is Immersion: Paris by Shapescape. It's just like the real Paris – you can get really tired of pretending to understand art at the Louvre. Oui oui, c'est magnifique! 

Suitably rested, I can finally fire up One Lucky Block by Sapphire Studios. This ingenious mini game challenges you to survive the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune itself – represented here by a mysterious block that randomly summons handy crafting materials, fearsome mobs, or just heaps of explosives whenever you break it open. Can you build a hardy base around this lucky (or ruinously unlucky) block?

Speaking of bad luck – here's Haunted Apocalypse by GoE-Craft, a mini game that puts you in the unfortunate position of finding yourself in a sprawling post-apocalyptic wasteland. This vast map hosts a frightening variety of custom mobs, devious traps, and boss battles that'll have you quaking in your boots. Your dusty, post-apocalyptic boots.

Now, imagine if you could use a three-pronged fork to soar through the air. It doesn't work in real life (I tried, and I'm no longer welcome at several high-profile restaurants), but this is how you'll navigate the world of Trident Parkour by Lifeboat. Traverse treacherous platforming challenges across 10 unique worlds, using your riptide trident to vault your way to victory.

 

Texture Packs

Growing up, my parents would always say to me: "it's important to look your best, even when you're in the middle of a sword battle. Especially when you're in the middle of a sword battle." It was strange advice, in hindsight, but Violace by CubeCraft Games proves that it was utterly accurate. This PvP texture pack is themed around luxurious purple and black colors, ensuring you look suitably dramatic as you charge into battle.

Next up is Dream Kawaii Texture Pack by MelonBP, a pack that's so cute it'd make even the most stony-faced villager unleash a squeal of excitement. It features adorable items, heart-melting mobs, and blocks so loveable you'll want to grab them and squish them and never let go. Just be careful not to do that with TNT. 

Speaking as someone with a certain natural elegance, I find Ethereal HD - Supreme Textures by GoE-Craft as luxurious and refined as a string quartet eating caviar out of a honking great Fabergé egg. This pack features a host of detailed textures (and four skins) to make your adventures in the Overworld, the Nether, and the End feel fancier than ever.

The fourth and final texture pack to hit Marketplace Pass this month is Cyber Craft by The Craft Stars, and it's perfect for anyone who's ever daydreamed about hacking their way past a firewall to break into a mainframe before gruffly whispering "I'm in". These neon-hued textures will lend your builds a futuristic, cyberpunky vibe, making it ideal for creating sci-fi cities, sleek spacecraft, and the hacker van of your dreams.

 

SKIN PACKS

The end of the world may be a bleak premise, but the opportunities for dress-up are undeniably tantalising. Enter Apocalypse Survivors by Sapix, a pack that offers 10 skins that are perfectly suited to all manner of societal collapse scenarios. Expect chunky combat boots to feature heavily. 

If you like waterlogged bread as much as I do, you're bound to let loose a shrill quack of excitement for this next pack: Casual Ducks by Pixel Squared. And with 15 stylish duck skins to choose from, you can be sure you'll be the best-looking mallard in the pond.

Now, we've all had that moment where you look at a cat and find yourself stunned and appalled that they aren't draped in chic clothing, right? HD+ Cats in Clothes by Glowfischdesigns finally fixes that glaring cat-problem by offering eight skins depicting fashionable felines in a variety of couture. It's about time. 

The cavalcade of skin packs continues with Pastel Spring Friends by Yeggs, a bundle that promises almost unprecedented levels of cosy, cottage vibes. Seriously, my vibes-detector recorded some dangerous peaks before overheating and permanently shutting down. Sadly, that vibes-detector cost me thousands and my landlord's screaming about the rent. What am I going to do?

 

CHARACTER CREATOR ITEMS

Fire and water are both very important. How else would I cook the vast quantities of pasta I consume every single day? That's probably why this collection of six fire and water themed character creator items have been added to Marketplace Pass – to celebrate my passion for fusilli, linguine, and spaghetti. I'm pretty sure that's right.

• Water Dragon by Blockbttes 

• Fire and Water Pants by Dalibu Studios

• Fire and Water Wings by Dalibu Studios

• Fire and Water Hoodie by Dalibu Studios

• Fire and Water Feet by Maca Designs

• Fire And Water Magic by Mazario Studios 

So there you have it – the latest cornucopia of add-ons, worlds, textures, and skins that could be yours. Sign up to Marketplace Pass to get your mitts on all this today, or subscribe to Realms Plus to get these benefits as well as your own always-online server where you and up to 10 other players can adventure to your hearts' content. 

Check back next month for another epic slate of Marketplace Pass goodies. If you need me, I'll be eating pasta.