Hi Poptropicans, It’s Young Rider here with a whole new spark!! First off, have you guys heard of the new Grapple-Pap Quest? I just played it today and it was really fun and cheerful!! If you haven’t, I apologize conveniently but I can’t spoil it for you! But you can find the POV playthrough video here. Also, I can give sneak peeks!! You can find the island on the map!

 

 

Here are the sneak peek pics: 

 

 

And in the end, you get rewarded something special (You also get another gift which can be sickening sometimes)!

 

 

Oh, the money, and the sickening gift, I’m fired up! Now, who remembers the Great Pumpkin Island? (photo credit here)

 

 

This was a Peanuts-island based off of “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (10/27/1966)” released 11 years ago on September 30th, 2010. It was all about trick-or-treating, parties, Halloween, and of course…. waiting in a pumpkin patch for a gifting-pumpkin figure.

 

Now, who remembers good old Linus?

 

 

What do you think Linus is doing now? What shenanigan or schemes is he up to? Let me know what you think in the comments below. ??

 

Also, I incredibly apologize for sending this post late, this post was supposed to be sent on December 18th but was delayed. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

 

- Young Rider

This post is courtesy of Slanted Fish from the Poptropica Help Blog! She interviewed the Poptropica Creators to give a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process!

Where do you get your ideas from?

We get a lot of ideas when we’re together talking about our favorite things. That inspires a lot of creative fun ideas. Pets came from the idea that almost everyone on the Poptropica Creators team as pets and the types of pets varies from dogs to cats to rabbits and more.

We also get a lot of ideas from players. Poptropica players are always sharing super cool stuff that they want to see in the game. We get awesome fan mail and see people’s ideas on social media too.

What does the process of making something on Poptropica look like from start to finish, whether it’s an item, island, or character?

We’ll use the new store we’re working on as an example! First, everyone on the team does research. We go through player feedback on what people have and haven’t liked about the Poptropica store over the years. We also look at other stores, including stores IRL. Then we start to concept what we want the store to be like. We have to come up with designs that will be easy to use both on your computer and on mobile.

After the sketches are done some of the artists will start to design the actual scene with color and place items so we get an idea of how big it needs to be. Once everyone feels like it has what it needs it goes to the developers.

The developers are the ones who bring the whole thing to life. They code the entire experience and that’s the first time any of the Poptropica Creators can actually play what they’ve designed! We just did our first play-through of the new store and were psyched with how it’s come along.

Everything we make requires the whole team and takes a lot of time. It’s totally worth it though!

Can you share some snapshots of what you’re working on?

Here is some more sneak peeks at the new fairy tale island!

What kind of stories do you hope to tell?

We love unique stories with a fun twist. Elements of surprise are always super fun too. When we’re brainstorming new ideas or choosing winners for the Dream Island Contest, we’re looking for things that we think we would love to read as a book. If it would make a good book, then it would make a great island!

How do you gather player feedback and how does it influence the game?

Players share their feedback in a lot of different places, from actual mail to videos online. There is always a lot of feedback and it ranges from super fun ideas to questions about why we’ve made changes to Poptropica. When we get a lot of the same feedback from different players it can definitely influence what we do. For example, there have been a lot of requests for more ways to customize your character now that New You is gone. We’re already incorporating that into the new features we’re working on. 

What advice do you have for young creatives who want to work on a game like Poptropica one day?

If you’re passionate about making games start learning no matter what age you are. One of the newest developers on the Poptropica Creators team started learning how to code when they were 12 and that was before there were so many amazing online courses! Always be open to learning new things and be willing to put in the hard work and dedication to become really good at it. Sometimes starting something new can feel hard but with practice, anyone can become great!
 

 

Hi there Poptropicans! I’m super excited to be writing for the official Poptropica blog!! For my very first post here, I thought I would talk about some things that have made Poptropica very special to me—and could be used in the future to make the game even better. 

One of the main reasons I love Poptropica so much (and have kept returning to it for almost 6 years!) is the storytelling. Nearly every island in Pop is rich with entertaining stories, from the heartbreaking romance tale of Ghost Story to the intriguing, action-filled plotline of Astro-Knights, and many more. It keeps you waiting on the edge of your seat time and time again, unable to put your computer down as mystery after mystery reveals itself! I hope nothing more than to see stories just like the ones I’ve enjoyed in the past spring up on future Poptropica islands. 

Something else that’s captivated me in Poptropica is the visual design. On every Poptropica island, I’ve visited, there’s always been a good amount of breathtaking scenery to explore. Some of my favorite scenes include the moon over the mountains in Survival: Cabin Fever, the dancing geisha and cherry trees of Red Dragon, and the Sacred Tree Hollow in Twisted Thicket. 

As an aspiring artist and writer myself, everything I’ve experienced thus far in Poptropica has inspired me more than I can say. I know it’s been the same for many other people, and I hope that Poptropica continues to create such amazing virtual worlds far into the future! 

~ ? 

 

Hey, Poptropicans! It’s me, Invisible Ring! I know a lot of you have talked about the updates on home island, but do you know the history behind those updates? 

As a highly active veteran Poptropica player since fall 2014, I know for a fact that Home island did not start out as a center to return to your game or to swing by the store or the arcade. No, it actually started out as a fetch quest. Snagglemast is known as a fetch quest too, but the play area in that island strikes me as something much like that of the original home island...

Back in 2014, you were to visit a random guy that needed you to find 8 broken medallion pieces and put them together into 1 medallion. Once you did that, you got to keep the medallion and then get on your way to a new island. 

Later on, at the start of 2016, Home island completely changed. The space to search for the broken medallion disappeared, and a new quest emerged. Veterans, you know what I’m talking about here, don’t you?... That’s right, Monkey Wrench Island!

This island followed right after Pelican Rock, and it was made especially for new players. Was I a new player? Nope. But was the island good? ...I don’t know about everyone else’s opinion, but it was one of my favorite islands EVER! The adventure was so awesome that I replayed it 7 or 8 times. It never got old! I probably would have kept replaying it if the Monkey Wrench Island wasn’t taken down. 

So why did Monkey Wrench island go away? Let’s review the facts, shall we? During those 2 years Monkey Wrench was around, new features were added to the Home island. A wheel of loot was added and so was a movie theater. (I loved the movies but they didn’t last, so I compiled a playlist of those movies on my Youtube channel. But on with the story…) 

The Monkey Wrench quest wasn’t removed until the actual island changed again in 2018. The Pop store turned into what looked like a button factory, and a pet barn and arcade rocket came out. Then in 2019, the ultimate treehouse home island came out. You can still find the treehouse home island on the Poptropica app if you don’t know what I am talking about here. Then in 2020, the year of flash conversion, home island came out like this. In retrospect, it wouldn’t have been useful to set up a fancy home island right before Flash gave out.

My memory is not perfect, so if any of that history overview was wrong, then my bad. But my point is that Monkeywrench was connected to Home island and since Home island was changed so many times to let in new features such as pets and clubhouses and holiday and seasonal themes… Monkey Wrench’s connections must have gotten cut off. How could Amelia land her airplane on Home island if Home Island won’t stay still and the landing pad keeps changing? I don’t think she can. Nothing to do but circle the skies with Balloon Boy, and watch the snagglemast island from the sidelines...

But wait! What about the home island we have right now, in the new age of haxe? This one is definitely not like the home islands of the past. The music… the art… the atmosphere… this one’s a masterpiece! It really screams Poptropica! Could this be the official home island for Poptropica to stay? I sure think so. Otherwise, the creators wouldn’t have put so much skill into it. This home island is like none I have ever seen before. 

Ok!... Now we know all about the home island. But what about Monkey Wrench? Don’t worry. I’m getting to that. ...After reading countless blog comments in the past year and finding Monkey Wrench posts on the PHB, I found out just how many poptropicans wanted Monkey Wrench Island back as much as I did. I sent an email about that to the Pop Creators, and I got an answer back from them.

Guess what, guys? Monkey Wrench is planned to return! No, we don’t know when it will be back, but for all of you veterans who lost hope long ago, take heart. It’s not gone for good! And for all of you who never played Monkey Wrench Island before… well, now you have another island to look forward to!

So there you have it. Now we all know about the history of Home Island and the Mystery of Monkey Wrench! ...Hey, I like those alliterations! But I have one more hypothesis mixed in with all of these facts. If this newest and best home island really is set in stone, then the monkey wrench island will return there. To think, that after everything these 2 islands have been through in the years prior to flash conversion, they are laying new foundations and reuniting at last! At least, that’s what I think. It makes sense to me. How about you? 

Hope this guest post satisfies you all as much as it has satisfied me. Thanks for reading! 

Howdy, Poptropicans! It’s Lucky Joker, also known as LJ, and I’m one of the staffers over at the Poptropica Help Blog. Today I’d like to talk about the 12 astrology zodiac signs and the characters that I believe embody them. Let’s pop right into it! (disclaimer: dates may vary depending on the source)

♈ If you were born anywhere between March 20 and April 19, you are an Aries. Aries are said to be direct and confident leaders — and because he operates the infamous Sea Chicken ship and commands his very own pirate crew, I think Captain Crawfish best fits this description. 

♉ Next is Taurus, which are those born from April 20 to May 20. Just like Aphrodite, Taurus are known for their relaxed and loving nature and are extremely loyal as well.

♊ For the people born somewhere between May 21 and June 21 you may share a lot of similar traits to the intelligent CJ from Shrink Ray Island. Geminis are usually very intellectually curious and immersed in many hobbies. It takes a really smart cookie to invent a shrink ray!

♋ Elf Queen represents the Cancer sign. Cancers, born between June 22 and July 21, tend to be compassionate and caring individuals who carry a gentle demeanor. You may seem distant at times, but that’s only because you’re shy and reserved, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

♌ Next are the Leos. Like Flashy Florian Fosbury, you’re most likely vivacious and proud. You might even come off as a diva every now and then. Leo's birthdays range from July 22 to August 22.

♍ Virgos are born anywhere between August 23 and September 22 and are often logical, systematic, and diligent just like the supercomputer Holmes. He may be the villain of Game Show Island, but really he was just misguided. No one can deny his superb coordination skills.

♎ If you were born somewhere between September 23 and October 22, you belong to the Libra sign. I reckon you’re a charming, intuitive, and luxurious chum just like Mr. Willy Wonka from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory island! I mean, who else can dazzle a group of kids in their very own whimsical chocolate factory?

♏ All hail the mighty and powerful Zeus —  the representative for Scorpio! Born from October 23 to November 21, Scorpios are absolutely fearless and passionate in everything they do. Just look at how Zeus attempted to take over all of Poptropica not once, but twice! I suggest using your strengths for good instead of evil though.

♐ For those born between November 22 and December 21, you are a Sagittarius and are most like Harold Mews. Similar to the businessman, it’s likely that you’re a wild and adventurous explorer type who loves to tell stories about your discoveries.

♑ Next up is Capricorn as best portrayed by Oliver. Capricorn birthdays range from December 22 to January 20. Capricorns are known for their youthful and playful nature and are always ready to take on whatever steps in their way. They have a can-do attitude, an optimistic outlook, and can sometimes be a little mischievous.

♒ All Aquarius, rise, for you, share characteristics with possibly Poptropica’s most iconic character, himself — Dr. Hare! People born from January 21 to February 19 are rebellious, eccentric, and unusual (in the best possible way of course) in the way they carry themselves. Keep doing you!

♓ And finally, Pisces! Pisces, born between February 20 and March 19, are recognized for being visionaries. They are greatly imaginative and even a little mysterious on occasion. You’re just like the brilliant engineer Nikola Tesla from Mystery Train Island.

And there you have it folks — the 12 zodiac signs as represented by your favorite Poptropica characters! I hope you got a kick out of my first guest post here on the Poptropica Creators’ Blog. It was a pleasure writing it for you guys. Thank you for reading and I’ll talk to you in the next one. Pop on!

– Lucky Joker ?

How’s it going, everyone? I’m Invisible Ring and I’m here today to uncover the secrets of Poptropica Airways! Hundreds of you have commented about it since August, waiting to hear more about it, and your wait is finally ending! 

That’s Right! I have communicated with the source; none other than Poptropica itself! They have allowed me to interview them with some questions on Poptropica Airways! 

OK… Maybe I have more than just some. I have a LOT of questions. I have surfed the blog comments, talked to the PHB club, and wracked my brain to get every airway question down that I could in one fell swoop. 

What is Poptropica Airways?

Artwork by Purple Paw

 

Hey Poppie-tropicans! There’s a big event brewing, and you’re invited!

 

The Poppies are the annual Poptropica fan awards, hosted all throughout July by the Poptropica Help Blog. We’ve narrowed down the nominations and are currently in the voting round. Cast your votes before the ballot closes this Thursday, July 22! ?

 

You can also join us for a poppin’ Poppies party this Saturday, July 24 at 8 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Central / 6 p.m. Mountain / 5 p.m. Pacific (or use a time zone converter to see what time it’ll be for you). We’ll be announcing the winners of the Poppies LIVE on our YouTube livestream and hanging out in Poptropica’s Arcade common room. Come dressed to impress!

 

From the hottest characters to the bougiest Poptropica name, the coolest clubhouse to the best fan art of the year, your vote helps determine the fandom favorites of the year.

 

VOTE NOW and we’ll see you on the blue carpet!

 

The PHB's 2021 Poppies!

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Interview with Slanted Fish from the Poptropica Creators ??

 

 

1. How were you first introduced to Poptropica?

My younger brother found Poptropica on Funbrain and introduced it to me. Back then, we would go on Funbrain to read Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid before it became a printed book series!

 

2. Who do you think is the most underrated character? Overrated?

• Most underrated character: Elf Queen from Twisted Thicket. She doesn’t seem to get mentioned much in the fandom, but her leafy design is absolutely magical, and her storyline very fitting for our modern climate crisis.
• Most overrated character: Dr. Hare, who might just be the most marketed Pop character (he even had a whole LEGO campaign at one point!). But we love him anyway.

 

 

3. What are your favorite scenes, aesthetically and to play through?

It’s hard to pick a favorite scene as there are so many that are visually stunning! But to highlight a few, I love the aesthetics of the Imperial Garden on Red Dragon (especially the cherry blossom trees), and the various interactive puzzles on Nabooti, such as the mancala game and the fox-chicken-cornfeed conundrum.

 

 

4. What was your inspiration in creating and furthering the Poptropica Help Blog (PHB)?

I was inspired to create a blog after seeing lots of fan blogs for other online games I enjoyed at the time, especially Club Penguin (rip). I stumbled into a Poptropica focus somewhat accidentally when setting up the site on WordPress: while thinking about the URL, I discovered that poptropica.wordpress.com was untaken, and it felt like too good of an opportunity to pass up. So that was the PHB’s first URL, which illustrates the dearth of Poptropica fan sites at the time, and how we were able to fill that gap on the internet.

 

What inspired me to keep going was everything else that followed. I was amazed by how quickly the site grew in readership, fueled by all the amazing things Poptropica has been doing, especially in the heart and depth of storytelling through gameplay in its myriads of island adventures. Even as the game changes and people come and go, what I enjoy about the PHB is how it continues to be a space for Poptropicans to share their ideas, fan art, and friendships. If you’re interested, I’ve written more about this on the PHB’s Philosophy page.

 

Poptropica Creator Dr. Lange’s drawing of the PHB team (2014)

 

5. How has your PHB career surprised you?

As the previous Q&A touches on, I’ve been surprised by the rapid popularity of the PHB (it reached 1 million views in its first year, and 13 years later, has over 35 million). But I’m not too concerned about the statistics—I’m more interested in cultivating the quality of people’s visits, and to that end it’s been a blessing to hear from so many Poptropicans over the years who’ve enjoyed what the PHB offers.

 

Another surprise is the creativity and intensity of so many fans’ Pop-inspired passions, which help shape what the PHB brings to the fandom, from personal My Place in Poptropica stories to discoveries of Pop Places IRL. It’s definitely not a one-person operation—credit goes to the many, many Poptropicans who make it all possible!

 

 

6. What does the Pop community mean to you?

To me, it’s as simple as a gathering of people who enjoy Poptropica. They can be of all ages — some are even in their twenties like me. Poptropica fans are creative (just look at all the fan art, blogs, and videos), clever (we enjoy solving puzzles and finding trivia), and concerned (we support each other and sometimes critique for the good of the game we love). Above all, we’re united in our passion for Pop!

 

7. From your perspective, how has the community changed over the past 12 years?  

The biggest change I’ve noticed personally is that the kids have gotten older. Though Poptropica has always been aimed at kids, it’s fascinating to see how teens and young adults (myself included) still participate in the fandom, often returning from childhood nostalgia and sticking around for the community and inspired storytelling (perhaps even creating some of their own). Of course, young kids are still around. From my perspective, even children are capable of enjoying Poptropica’s more sophisticated stories, particularly those from the classic islands.

 

 

8. How have your experiences with the community and Poptropica influenced you IRL?

Poptropica’s many whimsical worlds — from the medieval madness of Astro-Knights to the genie glamor of Arabian Nights — have inspired my art and writing, and widened my appreciation for digital storytelling and cultural connections.

 

As for the PHB, it has given me a space to write about something I care about, to carefully consider how to express ideas, and help the blog’s staff and guest writers do the same. Having our content read by so many fellow fans is a responsibility, privilege, and a great encouragement to keep building the blessing.

 

The skills, friendships, and passions developed over many years of playing and creating carry over to other areas of life too. For me, that has included earning my undergrad degree in English and pursuing a career in communications. With all the diversity in Poptropica and its community comes great potential for many more Poptropicans!

 

 

Favorites

• Costume: Fish kimono from Red Dragon
• Island: Shark Tooth
• Backstory/Lore: How islands appear in the world of Poptropica through a central spot in the sea called the Nexus, as described in Poptropica graphic novel #4: The End of Time.
• Hero: Max McGullicutty from Survival
• Villain: Scheherazade

 

 

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Thank you so much for sharing the latest happenings surrounding the 2021 Poppies Awards, behind-the-scenes insight into the leading fan-run Poptropica blog, and your pop-tastic interview! It’s always a pleasure speaking with you, Slanted Fish! ????

 

 

Hey Poptropicans!! It’s Young Rider here in Home Island with a striking spark! First of all, the Baron’s here in Home Island at this current time! Now, I should show you some photos, so you’re not confused. 

 

 

 

Now, I know that the Creators already informed (in this link) and Baron might have piloted elsewhere by now but I’m showing because my clubhouse is a real helter-skelter mess. Look…….

 

 

Anyway, pardon me but February 19th is a very special day!! It’s Jeff Kinney’s birthday!!

 

 

 

Credits: Getty Images and Poptropica

 

In September 2007, Jeff Kinney created the game which would eventually become famous worldwide, Time Magazine-honored, widespread game… That game was Poptropica. I thank you for that, Jeff Kinney. It has been an honor playing Poptropica for years!!! Also, Jeff Kinney wrote one of my favorite book series ever which is called “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”. His newest book is “Diary of a Wimpy kid: Big Shot” (which is about basketball) which I recommend to you all.  You are a very special person, Jeff Kinney, I’ll never forget your marvelous work! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  Please let me know what you guys think of Jeff Kinney’s work in the comments below. ??

 

- YR