From Aimless Ambler to Purposeful Porpoise

This month, you have witnessed the wonderful Editorial Team of Mojang Studios start brand new stories. We have thrown ourselves into this task with vigor: beasts have been wrangled, impossible jumps jumped, and roles played. But now the time has come for me to dive into a new story by going on an undersea adventure with the SpongeBob SquarePants DLC from Nickelodeon and Spark Universe! 

When I play Minecraft, I like to wander aimlessly and build without a plan. A mix of meditation and chaos. That is why my new story needed to take me on a more linear path, with a goal more tangible than merely surviving. The thought of this terrifies me to my very core, but for you dear reader, I will be brave! 

My new story also has an added layer of novelty –  I have never seen Mr. SquarePants’ show. Shocking, I know! I have merely baked two birthday cakes bearing his visage and seen snippets of his aquatic antics around the web. With no biases to hold me back, I headed over to Bikini Beach. 

SpongeBob made a wonderful first impression, as he was the ultimate host and greeted me when I arrived. I returned the favor by barging into his pineapple house to make myself a pre-adventure snack. When I was done in the kitchen, like any good builder, I set out to explore his home to get a sense of who this sponge really was, at the core. From his abode, I discovered that he liked fruits that once held a high-status symbol, an open plan kitchen, and has a room that celebrates pain. 

I decided to focus on the adventure rather than overthink that last room, so I fled exited SpongeBob’s house and set out to explore Bikini Bottom. I got as far as the house next door, which is quite the distance by my leisurely standards. I met Squidward, who needed help putting together a band for his best day ever. Since I am a most excellent roadie, I barged into his home and started crafting together some instruments. 

Equipped with a trumpet, a guitar, and a jar of mayonnaise, we headed out to serenade the town. At first I was nervous. I didn’t know what the Bikini Bottom Top 40 chart looked like at all, maybe they were into highbrow genres like MerMetal or Oceanic Opera? But when I started belting out the sweet sounds of Sandy Ska I knew that I had found my audience. The townsfish jammed along with my tunes, and I felt a sense of accomplishment for helping Squidward make this the best day ever! 

Once the concert was over and the rave reviews were being written up, I moved on to my next task at the Krusty Krab. The proprietor kindly asked me to help with the lunch rush, which seemed easy enough. Of course I would lend a helping hand! I held them forth performatively, which was a grave mistake because that is when Eugene Krabs placed a hydrodynamic spatula in one and a burger in the other. 

Before I could back out, the doors opened and the anchovies started to swarm. I was flinging burgers left and right, trying to protect the cash register. SpongeBob did the same, but with the cool ease of a total professional. I did my best to smile as widely as he did, but considering the empty tip jar at the end of my shift, I don’t think it worked. I tried it a few more times, and got better at it but at the end of the day, I think I’ll stick to writing. But I’m keeping the spatula, Eugene! 

As I continued to explore, I found myself checking off more and more tasks. I was on a mission to make everyone’s day the best day ever, so there was no time to dilly-dally. But as my time in Bikini Bottom started drawing to a close, I suddenly realized that I hadn’t wandered off to do my own thing. Could it be that SpongeBob was just that good of a host or was I despite all odds, growing as a person? One that could follow someone else’s narrative and work towards a bigger goal? 

Flustered by the thought of change, albeit positive, I quickly reverted back to old patterns and ran to the toilets to cry. 

When I emerged, I saw the world with new, clear eyes. They had gotten a thorough wash after all. Trying something new wasn’t as scary as I had thought! It was actually quite rewarding. And not just because of all the loot I collected along the way, like my musical mayonnaise or the millions of adoring fans. Maybe this is the year that I step out of my comfort zone. As long as there’s a toilet nearby. 

If you want some help in starting a new story, check out Minecraft Marketplace to find the SpongeBob DLC and loads of other content!