An Epic Quest for Digital Gold: A Beginner’s Guide to My Crypto Heroes
Introduction: A Veteran in the World of Web3 Gaming
John: Welcome back to the blog. Today, we’re delving into a title that many consider a cornerstone of the GameFi world, a true OG that has weathered market cycles and continues to evolve. We’re talking about My Crypto Heroes.
Lila: I’ve seen that name pop up a lot, John. It’s often mentioned in the same breath as the earliest play-to-earn games. Given how fast the Web3 space moves, a game that’s been around for years must be doing something right. I’m excited to finally understand what it’s all about.
John: That’s the perfect way to frame it. My Crypto Heroes, or MCH as it’s commonly known, isn’t just a game; it’s a piece of blockchain gaming history. It launched back in 2018, an eternity in crypto years, and has built a dedicated community. Our goal today is to unpack it for newcomers—to look past the complex surface and understand the RPG at its heart.
Lila: So, we’re going on a quest of our own? To find the rare items of knowledge?
John: Exactly. Let’s gear up and explore the world of My Crypto Heroes.
Overview & Key Features: More Than Just a Game
John: At its core, My Crypto Heroes is an RPG battle game built on the blockchain. The fundamental concept will feel familiar to anyone who has played a classic Japanese RPG. You collect heroes, equip them with powerful items, and send them into battles to gain experience and find rarer loot.
Lila: You mentioned it’s an RPG, which I get, but what’s the main hook? What makes it unique, aside from the crypto element we’ll get into later?
John: The theme is a major part of its charm. The “Heroes” are inspired by real-world historical figures. You can have a team with figures like Florence Nightingale, Albert Einstein, or Oda Nobunaga fighting alongside each other. Each hero has unique stats and abilities, which forms the strategic foundation of the game.
Lila: That’s a cool twist! So you’re not just collecting generic fantasy characters. What are the main things a new player should know about what you can *do* in the game?
John: The gameplay loop is built around a few key activities. Let’s list them out for clarity:
Lila: A list would be perfect!
John: Here are the key features:
- Hero Collection: Players acquire and level up a diverse roster of Heroes, each with different rarities and base statistics.
- Questing (PvE): You can send your teams of Heroes on quests into dungeons to battle computer-controlled enemies, known as “Phantoms.” This is the primary way to earn experience points (EXP) and find “Extensions.”
- Player vs. Player (PvP) Battles: MCH has a robust ecosystem of tournaments and battle modes where players can test their teams against each other for rewards and prestige.
- Deep Customization: The core of MCH’s strategy lies in “Extensions.” These are items—weapons, armor, and accessories—that you equip to your Heroes. A Hero’s skills in battle are determined by the Extensions they have equipped.
- Player-Driven Economy: The Heroes and Extensions are NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens). This means players truly own their assets and can freely buy, sell, or trade them on the game’s marketplace or on external platforms.
- Land System: The MCH world is divided into “Lands,” which are also owned by players or groups of players. Landowners can earn a portion of the transaction fees from their territory and play a role in governing the game.
Lila: Okay, that’s a lot to take in. The idea of owning the land and the items is fascinating. It sounds less like a game you just play and more like a virtual world you can invest in, both with time and potentially money.
John: That’s the perfect summary. It bridges the gap between a traditional game and a digital economy. This dual nature is what defines GameFi, and MCH was one of its earliest and most successful pioneers.
Technical Elements: How It All Works
The Gameplay Loop Explained
Lila: You mentioned the gameplay loop: quest, get loot, level up, battle other players. Can you walk me through what that looks like in practice? Let’s say I have my first team of three heroes.
John: Of course. It starts with the PvE, or Player versus Environment, side of things. You’ll select a team of up to three Heroes and choose a “Node” to explore. These nodes are dungeons with varying difficulty levels. Your team automatically battles its way through, and your success depends on their combined stats and the synergy of their skills.
Lila: So it’s an auto-battler? I don’t control them directly in the quest itself?
John: That’s right. The primary strategic input comes *before* the battle—in how you build your team. The preparation is key. After a successful quest, your Heroes gain EXP, and you have a chance to find Original Extensions, which are the game’s NFT items. You might also find “Replica” items, which are non-NFT assets that are still useful for gameplay but can’t be traded on the blockchain.
The Art of Battle: Skills and Strategy
Lila: You’ve mentioned skills and Extensions a few times. The official help documentation says, “Heroes with Extensions set to them have 3 skills that are used in order.” That sounds very specific. How does that system work?
John: It’s the heart of MCH’s combat. Each Hero has a passive skill inherent to them. But their active skills, the ones they use in a fight, come directly from the two Extensions you equip. The first Extension provides Skill 1, the second provides Skill 2. The Hero’s own “Rest” ability acts as Skill 3. In battle, the Hero cycles through these three skills in that order: Skill 1, Skill 2, Rest. Rinse and repeat.
Lila: So the order you equip the Extensions matters? Swapping them would change the order the skills are used?
John: Precisely. That simple mechanic creates incredible strategic depth. Do you want a powerful attack to go first? Or maybe a defensive buff? The combination of your three Heroes, each with their two equipped Extensions, defines your entire team’s strategy. And the “Rest” skill is also tactical; it replenishes a small amount of health, giving the Hero a moment to recover in the battle rhythm.
Lila: It sounds like a deck-building game, but with heroes and items instead of cards. The “deck” is your team composition, and the “hand” is the sequence of skills they’ll use. That’s clever.
John: An excellent analogy. And it’s why the game has retained a dedicated player base. The meta is always shifting as new Heroes and Extensions are released, and players discover new, powerful combinations.
NFT & Blockchain Usage: The “Crypto” in My Crypto Heroes
Supported Chains and Core Assets
Lila: Okay, let’s get to the blockchain part. The SERP from PlayToEarn.com says MCH is “built on the Ethereum blockchain,” but I’ve also seen mentions of Oasys. What’s the story there?
John: MCH started its life on Ethereum, which at the time was the go-to platform for NFTs. As one of the top Ethereum games according to DappRadar, its legacy there is significant. However, as any crypto user knows, Ethereum can have high gas fees (transaction costs) and slower transaction times, which aren’t ideal for a high-volume game.
Lila: The classic blockchain trilemma: decentralization, security, and scalability. Games need scalability and low costs most of all.
John: Exactly. To address this, the MCH ecosystem has expanded. They are now deeply integrated with Oasys, a blockchain designed specifically for gaming. The MCH team even runs their own “Verse” on Oasys, which is like a dedicated sidechain. This allows for faster, cheaper transactions for in-game activities, while still being connected to the broader Ethereum ecosystem. You can now, for instance, connect your My Crypto Heroes In game achievement to your Oasys profile.
True Ownership: What are the NFTs?
Lila: So, what exactly is an NFT in this game? You said the Heroes and the “Original Extensions” are NFTs. What does that mean for me as a player?
John: It means you have true, verifiable ownership of them. Unlike in a traditional game where the developer owns all the assets and you just have a license to use them, in MCH, your Hero is a unique token in your crypto wallet. No one, not even the developers, can take it away from you. You can sell it, trade it, give it away, or potentially even use it in other compatible games in the future—all without needing the developer’s permission.
Lila: That’s the philosophical promise of Web3 gaming, right? Empowering the player. So if I find an ultra-rare Extension on a quest, it’s mine, and its value is determined by what the market is willing to pay for it?
John: Correct. The scarcity is provable on the blockchain. If the game says only 100 copies of the “Excalibur” Extension will ever exist, you can verify that on-chain. This creates a real, player-driven economy based on supply and demand.
The Two-Currency System: GUM and MCHC
Lila: I’m seeing two different currencies mentioned. There’s GUM, and then there’s the MCHC token, which CoinDesk lists with a price. What’s the difference, and why have two?
John: This is a common and smart economic design in GameFi. Let’s break it down.
- GUM (Game User Money): This is the primary in-game currency. You use it to pay for things like questing, trading on the official marketplace, and other day-to-day activities. You typically buy GUM with cryptocurrency like ETH. Think of it as the game’s “soft currency,” similar to Gems or Gold in a mobile game, but with a direct crypto purchase path.
- MCHC (My Crypto Heroes Coin): This is the ecosystem’s governance and utility token. It’s a proper cryptocurrency that can be traded on exchanges. Its main purpose is to give holders a say in the future development of the game through voting. It also has utility within the broader MCH Verse, potentially for higher-level activities or staking.
Lila: So, GUM is for *playing* the game, and MCHC is for *governing* and *investing* in the game’s ecosystem. Separating them probably helps stabilize the in-game economy from the volatility of the crypto market.
John: You’ve hit the nail on the head. It insulates the core gameplay loop from the daily price fluctuations of MCHC, creating a more stable environment for players, while still offering a way for the most dedicated community members to have a stake in the project’s direction.
Getting Started: Your First Steps into the MCH World
Lila: This all sounds very deep and interesting. But I imagine the onboarding process could be a bit intimidating for a total beginner. How does someone actually start playing?
John: It does require a few more steps than downloading a game from the App Store, but it’s a well-trodden path. Let’s create a simple step-by-step guide.
Lila: Let’s do it. Assume I know nothing.
John:
- Get a Crypto Wallet: The first step for any Web3 application. You’ll need a self-custody wallet that can interact with websites. MetaMask is the most popular choice and is available as a browser extension and mobile app. You’ll set it up, create a password, and—most importantly—safely store your secret recovery phrase. This phrase is the key to your wallet; never share it with anyone.
- Fund Your Wallet: You’ll need some cryptocurrency to get started, primarily for buying GUM and paying for any blockchain transaction fees (gas). You would typically buy Ethereum (ETH) from a centralized exchange and transfer it to your MetaMask wallet.
- Visit the Official Website: Go to the official My Crypto Heroes website (mycryptoheroes.net) and click “Play Game.” The site will prompt you to connect your MetaMask wallet. You’ll need to sign a message to prove you own the wallet. This doesn’t cost anything.
- Acquire Your First Heroes: MCH has historically offered free-to-play options. When you start, you are given a few “Replica” heroes. These are fully playable but, as we discussed, aren’t NFTs and can’t be traded. They are perfect for learning the game mechanics without any financial commitment.
- Buy GUM: To engage with the economy and buy your first NFT Heroes, you’ll need GUM. Within the game, there’s a “Shop” where you can purchase GUM using the ETH in your wallet.
- Explore the Marketplace: Once you have some GUM, head to the in-game “Market.” Here you can buy NFT Heroes and Extensions directly from other players. This is where your journey as a collector and strategist truly begins. Look for heroes that fit your budget and have interesting passive skills.
Lila: That seems manageable. The free Replica heroes are a great touch. It means you can try before you buy, which I think is crucial for bringing new players into a complex ecosystem like this.
John: Absolutely. It lowers the barrier to entry significantly. You can play, complete quests, and understand the entire battle system before ever spending a single dollar.
Reputation & Reviews: The Good and The Not-So-Good
Lila: Being a long-standing game, MCH must have built up quite a reputation. What’s the general consensus? Let’s start with the praise.
The Praise
John: MCH is widely respected for its longevity and pioneering role. A recent partner, Astrena AI, called it “one of the most iconic and long-standing NFT games in Web3,” and that sentiment is common. It proved that a complex, strategic RPG could work on the blockchain and sustain a player-driven economy for years. Its strategic depth is also a major point of praise. This isn’t a simple clicker game; building a top-tier team requires research, planning, and a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics.
Lila: And its community must be strong to have lasted this long.
John: Very strong. The Land system, in particular, has created tight-knit communities within the game. Different Lands compete, collaborate, and have their own distinct cultures. This social layer has been key to its retention.
The Criticism and Challenges
Lila: No project is perfect. What are some of the criticisms or challenges MCH has faced?
John: The primary criticism is its complexity. The sheer number of Heroes, Extensions, and game systems can create a steep learning curve for new players. It’s not as pick-up-and-play as more modern Web3 games. Secondly, like any long-running game, there’s the issue of power creep, where new assets can sometimes overshadow older ones, which can be frustrating for long-time players.
Lila: I also saw a notice on their official X (formerly Twitter) account about the “suspension of My Crypto Saga.” What was that?
John: That’s an important point. My Crypto Saga was a spin-off game operated by the same team. It was suspended indefinitely as of June 2025. While seeing a project shut down is never great, it can also be interpreted in two ways. On one hand, it highlights the inherent risk in the space—not every venture succeeds. On the other, it shows the team is willing to make tough business decisions and refocus resources on their core product, MCH, rather than letting a less successful project drain them. It’s a sign of a mature developer.
Q&A: Answering Your Burning Questions
Lila: I have a few questions that I think a new player would ask right away. Let’s do a quick Q&A section.
John: Excellent idea. Fire away.
Lila: **Q1: Why does a game like this even need a blockchain? Couldn’t it just be a regular game?**
John: It could, but it would lose its most revolutionary feature: true asset ownership. The blockchain is the technology that makes your Heroes and Extensions verifiably yours. It creates a transparent and open market where the game’s assets can have real-world value, determined by the players, not just the developer. It transforms players from simple consumers into stakeholders in the game’s economy.
Lila: **Q2: You explained it before, but just to be crystal clear: what’s the difference between the in-game currency, GUM, and the crypto token, MCHC?**
John: Think of it like a country. GUM is the local currency you use at the shops every day to buy goods and services (quests, market trades). MCHC is like holding stock in the country’s central bank or having a vote in its government. It operates at a higher level, influencing the direction of the entire ecosystem and representing a share of its overall value.
Lila: **Q3: If I get a super rare Hero NFT, how do I actually sell it? Is it complicated?**
John: It’s surprisingly straightforward. The easiest way is through the official in-game Market, where you can list your NFT for a set price in GUM. Other players can then buy it directly. Because these are standard NFTs (typically ERC-721 tokens), you can also trade them on third-party marketplaces like OpenSea, especially those that support the Oasys network. You connect your wallet to the marketplace, list your asset, and when it sells, the funds are transferred directly to your wallet. The process is designed to be as seamless as possible.
Developer Info: The Team Behind the Heroes
Lila: Who are the people building and maintaining this world? Knowing the developer is a big part of trusting a project.
John: The game is developed and operated by MCH Co., Ltd. They have been a prominent name in the Japanese blockchain scene for years. They are clearly focused on building out the MCH Verse as their flagship ecosystem. There’s also CryptoGames, Inc., a Japanese games developer that has been a key partner and investor. In fact, GlobalVenturing reported that CryptoGames launched a VC arm that has invested in My Crypto Heroes, showing a deep financial and strategic commitment to the game’s success.
Lila: What about partnerships and the future? Any roadmap?
John: Their roadmap is often communicated through their official channels like their blog and social media. The most significant recent developments are their deep integration with the Oasys blockchain and a newly announced partnership with Astrena AI. The details of the AI partnership are still emerging, but it suggests they are looking to integrate cutting-edge tech to keep the game fresh. They also seem to be collaborating with other games in the space, such as the on-chain strategy game zKnight, indicating an interest in interoperability.
Summary: Is My Crypto Heroes Your Next Adventure?
John: So, after our deep dive, what’s the final verdict, Lila? Who is this game for?
Lila: My takeaway is that My Crypto Heroes is not for the casual player looking for a quick thrill. It’s for the strategist, the collector, and the patient builder. It’s for someone who is fascinated by the idea of a player-owned economy and wants to be part of a long-standing community. The learning curve is real, but the strategic depth and the rewards of true ownership seem to be worth it for the right kind of player.
John: I agree completely. MCH is a legacy title in the best sense of the word. It’s complex, deep, and has proven its resilience. It represents a foundational pillar of what GameFi can be: a persistent, player-governed world with a real, functioning economy. It might not be the flashiest new game on the block, but its roots run deep, and it continues to grow and evolve.
Lila: For anyone willing to look past the initial complexity, there seems to be an incredibly rich and rewarding experience waiting. It’s a piece of living history in the Web3 world.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. The cryptocurrency and NFT markets are highly volatile. Please do your own research (DYOR) before investing in any digital assets or participating in any online games.
References
- Official My Crypto Heroes Website: https://www.mycryptoheroes.net/
- PlayToEarn.com Overview: https://playtoearn.com/blockchaingame/my-crypto-heroes
- CoinDesk MCHC Ticker: https://www.coindesk.com/price/mchc/news
- MCH Official X/Twitter: https://x.com/mycryptoheroes_
- MCH Verse on Oasys X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/MCHVerse
- Astrena AI Partnership Announcement: https://x.com/astrenaai/status/1937073766372163989
- DappRadar Ethereum Games Ranking: https://dappradar.com/narratives/gaming/games/chain/ethereum