Hey, Poptropicans! Yesterday, the Creators posted a teaser image for a new Dr. Hare-themed minigame and offered a way for fans to help make it! Let’s take a look!
The game has a cute retro art style and stars a Dr. Hare who has nearly gone full rabbit. As for gameplay, it seems that you would need to jump up the platforms and reach a checkpoint before time runs out. There are also items like clocks that give extra time, stars that likely give extra points, and spikes that thwart Dr. Hare’s escapades.
This minigame already has a lot going for it; however, it is missing one crucial thing: a name. The Creators are asking fans to come up with a unique title for this new game. Do you have any cool or punny game names? You can send them to the Creators on the Creators’ Blog or on Instagram, The game will be releasing very soon, so hop to it!
With the release of Arabian Nights: How Bazaar on Haxe, Poptropica made four Arabian Nights-themed coloring pages to “keep the sense of adventure alive”. The first page is an elaborately decorated frame, and the other three are characters from Arabian Nights. You can save the pages from the Creators’ Blog to your computer so you can print them or color them digitally.
When you’re done, you can send your newly colored masterpiece (or any Poptropica-related art) to the Creators via the Submissions page. Your art could be featured on the Creators’ Blog or even in Poptropica’s video player! While you’re there, you can also submit an entry for the Create Your Dream Island contest. Who knows? Your dream island might become a reality just like Arabian Nights did.
Hey everyone! After hardly six days since the Creators’ first announcement, Arabian Nights Episode 1: How Bazaar has appeared on the Haxe map! And, as promised, it’s open for members and non-members alike to play.
Arabian Nights, as shown on the Haxe map.
I’ve just run through the new How Bazaar, and here’s what’s I found to report: it seems that, unlike Mythology Island, the Creators made the decision to keep Arabian Nights the same as its Flash equivalent. Most of the scenes remained almost exactly as those in Flash, and the only differences I could spot in the entire island were minor dialogue changes.
Better yet, I experienced very little lag whilst playing. Despite the pop-up ads between scenes, the gameplay was quite smooth! I’d say that overall, Arabian Nights has given me fresh hope for what can be done on Haxe. If Arabian Nights can be executed so well, maybe the islands still waiting for a port will turn out awesome too.
By the way, bring along the PHB’s Arabian Nights Island Guide for handy help as you play through the episode!
A couple scenes from Arabian Nights on Haxe.
For the first time in a while, Quippy has appeared on time! You’ll find the little droid—sporting a cunning thief garb—in the Rumi’s Rugs common room, waiting to deliver his newest stash of Arabian Nights gear.
Did Quippy join the ranks of the Forty Thieves?
And speaking of the Arabian Nights gear pack, let’s see what’s in store! The four new items include: Arabian Style, Silent Thief, Desert Lizard Follower*, and Purple Smoke Bomb*. (Two of which are members-only.)
It’s the latest desert fashion.
The Creators haven’t yet mentioned if the later episodes of Arabian Nights are planned to be released as well; although, in separate news, they did mention in their most recent post that they’ve already received hundreds of submissions in the Create Your Dream Island contest! Wow. Competition is getting real, and there’s still plenty of time left to submit your ideas! All this Arabian Nights stuff is sure to get creative juices flowing.
That’s all the news today! What are your opinions on the new Arabian Nights? What islands do you hope to see converted next? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Welcome back to “Pop Places IRL,” Poptropicans! We’re gonna be moseying back in time today to visit Wild West Island! And if you like this series, sure to check out other Pop Places IRL posts.
Wild West Island quite obviously takes place in the western US during the American frontier period of the 19th century. The time period has been highly romanticized, especially in film, so there’s no wonder we have a Poptropica island themed around it!
photo: Dodge City (smithsonianmagazine)
Pretty much every building, character, and background matches this old western aesthetic. Details range from apparel, architecture, fonts, dialogue, and beyond! Sometimes the smallest changes can have a big impact on an island’s theme. The setting has this wide open feeling, and I think Poptropica was able to successfully portray that in their own style. Do you agree?
Rawhide: It’s a little wild, and a little strange, when you make your home out on the range.
Double Dos: This cactus looks lonely. Maybe it should stop being so prickly.
photo: The Wild West Era (vintagenews)
photo: Wild West (BBC)
One of the most iconic places in any old western town is, of course, the Saloon (in this case, found in Diamond Plains). And Poptropica did manage to make such a location kid-friendly enough to be included! Anyone care for a round of root beer? It’s on me!
Saloonatics: This Poptropican is a stand-in that you’ll never see on any Island.
photo: Old Saloons (vinepair)
photo: Saloon (wallpaperup)
Another noteworthy building would definitely be the Marshal’s Office or Jail (also in Diamond Plains). Whatever the law enforcement may be (sheriff, marshal, constable, you name it), even deputies seemed to be quite prevalent in a time rampant with outlaws, bounty hunters, and gangs. It was cowboys galore!
Marshal Law: Justice is black and white.
photo: Old West Jail Interior (Jeffery L. Cohen’s flickr)
Since we mentioned the jail, we of course have to bring up the Bank, because the whole “outlaws robbing banks” trope just cannot be ignored. The bank we see in Poptropica is located in Rock Ridge. Stick ’em up!
photo: Pioneertown California (onlyinyourstate)
photo: 19th Century Bank Teller (petticoats&pistols)
We could very well look at the Train Station as well, considering it does tie into the bank robbery within the story. Quite different than the train station we see in our Mystery Train comparison, huh?
Train in Vain: It doesn’t look like much is happening at this station.
photo: Lochee West Railway Station (David Mason’s flickr)
After all that, I think we simply must talk about the Casino in Dos Cactos next. During such wild times, gambling tended to be a common occurrence. But yet again, Poptropica was able to fit it into its kid-friendly world! Looks like everything’s coming up aces for them!
Everbody Wins: Everything is coming up aces in this Wild West town.
Games of Chance: Everything’s coming up aces!
photo: Old West Cowboy Gamblers (ebay)
photo: Frontier Gambler (wikipedia)
If we stay in Dos Cactos, we can head on over to a sort of carnival, but more specifically a shooting gallery. Yes, traveling shows did date back to the wild west era—you simply had to travel between the far away towns for profit! And every good cowboy knew how to shoot a pistol.
photo: Early 1800s Midway (doc’smidwaycookhouse)
photo: Easton (delawareandlehigh)
Curious about other displays of showmanship? Why, just take a look at the local Snake Oil Salesman in Rock Ridge of course! Traveling carts were quite the norm in the wild west, with salesmen often promising miracle cures and obscure tonics of all sorts. Maybe be careful about spending your money around here…
photo: Traveling Medicine Shows of the Old West (curioushistorian)
Another cart we get to see in Wild West is owned by a photographer (this one in Dusty Gulch), which could perhaps be considered more of a miracle than the tonics! The world’s first photograph was taken in 1826, perfectly fitting into the frontier era. That makes us pretty lucky to even have photos from around that time to compare with the island!
Pilot Error: Different parts of scenes are made at different times, so we use stand-in characters when necessary.
photo: Remarkable Old Photographs from the Wild West (historycollection)
Dusty Gulch is also home to Rusty’s Ranch, as you may know (though this can also be compared to the ranch in Rock Ridge). Raising cattle and horses and such was so common in fact that it was actually one of the factors leading to the Dust Bowl. So maybe it was only a stable job in one sense of the word?
Cool Ranch: Giving you a new perspective on the next Poptropica Island.
photo: Dude Ranches of the Wild West (st.louispost-dispatch)
Something else we can’t forget: the gold mines! The California Gold Rush of the 1800s was a huge population push to the west. Time and time again it seems like people yearned to move west! Though it didn’t guarantee fortune to all, that’s for sure.
Mind the Gap: Be careful not to get off-track here.
photo: Montana Mine Old West (mcmahanphoto)
Bringing our adventure to an end, the Canyon Hideout feels like an appropriate grande finale. One of the most famous IRL hidey-holes for gangs and outlaws was the “Hole-In-The-Wall,” an isolated area in Wyoming.
Desert Inn Nothing: like a secluded hideaway for the discerning bandit.
photo: The Hole-In-The-Wall (historydaily)
Boy howdy, that was a lot of places, wasn’t it? And we didn’t even go into detail about the hotel, clock tower, or trading post! Just goes to show you how much detail goes into one setting/game design.
Do you think Poptropica successfully replicated the alluring aesthetic of the IRL wild west? Yay or neigh? What island would you like to see us compare next in this series? Be sure to leave your thoughts in a comment below!
Hey, Poptropicans! Today, we’ll be covering the two newest store updates. While there isn’t anything new for the most part, some new costumes were added to both the Pop store and the pet barn. Let’s take a look at what’s in stock!
The current costumes available are Boss Babe, Neon Rocker, Pumpkin Pleasure, Aqua Rebel, Natural Breeze*, Gossip Girl, Coolin’, Rainbow Ride, Friendly Face Masks, Cozy Cocoa, Tie-Dye Hoodie, Cool for School, Cheerleader, Soda Pop, Large Fry, and Southern Belle. All items except Natural Breeze are available to all players.
Poptropicans aren’t the only ones who get to dress up. Stop by the Pet Barn to purchase three new items for your furry or scaly companions: the Fedora, the Blue Mask, and the Fall Scarf.
At the end of their latest post, the Creators teased this year’s upcoming “12 Days of Member Gifts,” which has been a Poptropica tradition since 2018. Starting on December 1st, active members will receive daily gifts over the course of twelve days. The Creators also assured that players who become members later in December (perhaps a holiday gift?) will still be able to receive these one-of-a-kind gifts.
Hey there! Purple Paw back here again, this time with… ah, yes, a closer look at our Poptropican’s insides! Um, excuse me… ahem. That wasn’t a very good introduction. Maybe I should try again.
Nabooti is a strange place. It has viruses and inside-out people.
The question of Poptropicans’ eating habits—and how it ties into their anatomy—was brought up recently on the PHC Discord. It’s something I hadn’t considered much before, but thinking about it now, I wonder why I never did.
Eating is something that every living being does—including Poptropicans. How do I know this? Well, the answer is simple—we see our avatars eating throughout the islands! I can think of a few: Wimpy Wonderland, Escape from Pelican Rock, Survival Ep. 2 (Hook, Line & Sinker) and Survival Ep. 4 (Cabin Fever).
Poptropicans have their share of meals, but not always willingly.
There’s also a big indicator of eating on Virus Hunter Island. As clearly shown on an anatomy chart, Poptropican people have stomachs. And they wouldn’t be there if they didn’t serve a purpose! When you enter Joe Stockman’s stomach, you can even see the chewed-up food he previously ate… yuck.
And it’s clear that Poptropicans must eat plenty of healthy food. How else would they be able to perform the jumping, climbing, swimming, running, flying, and countless other physical activities they’re asked to do in every single island? Food gives energy and strength, and without it, Poptropicans wouldn’t be nearly as quick or strong. In fact, they wouldn’t be there at all without food! (That is, if they can be qualified as normal beings…)
Up, up and away!
So, you’re most likely thinking by this point, “Well, that’s that then. The question is answered; Poptropicans eat.” But alas, there’s a catch. Something that often leaves me stumped about Poptropican anatomy: Poptropican people don’t have necks. This is one of the most noticeable features of a Poptropican, and one that seems to defy, well, science. How is it possible that a Poptropican’s head could float freely above their shoulders, with nothing connecting it to the rest of their body? How can food reach their stomachs without a neck to pass through?
After some sleuthing, I found an important clue on Virus Hunter Island. Anybody who’s managed to fight their way through this tough island will remember traveling up the inside of a neck to reach Joe Stockman’s mouth. Hm, so there is something connecting a Poptropican’s head to the rest of their body… but then how come we never see our Poptropicans’ necks? Is there something making them invisible?
What’s connecting the Poptropican’s head to its body?
And another question arises: would food alone be enough to give Poptropicans the energy to jump off buildings and lift boulders, among other seemingly superhuman feats? Is there something missing?
Maybe the final piece of the puzzle can be found in a theory Tall Cactus recently suggested on the PHC. Her idea is that Poptropicans are not people, but a very advanced species of plant. Plantropicans! And—all previous indicators of Poptropicans consuming food aside—she proposes that Poptropicans photosynthesize; meaning that light passes through their invisible plant-stem necks, resulting in plenty of energy. So instead of eating food to keep active, Poptropicans are constantly soaking up the sun, and are always gathering more energy. It’s certainly an interesting theory.
Though it is slightly absurd, I quite like this idea. It provides an unexpectedly fitting explanation for Poptropicans’ unseen necks as well as their strange and infrequent diets. Yes, I suppose I do think that the reason Poptropicans’ necks are invisible is because they are plants. Wondering what I mean? To fully understand this, let’s take a look at another important clue from Virus Hunter… the size of a Poptropican’s neck.
As Dr. Lange states, when you enter Joe Stockman’s body, you’re nano-sized. In other words, you’re very, very small. And I’m assuming your ship isn’t much bigger. And yet, when you attempt to steer your way up the inside of the neck, your ship tells you that the passage is too narrow; it can’t fit through. Your nano-sized ship is too big. What could this mean? Poptropicans’ necks are miniscule. So small, we can’t even see them!
You may be thinking, “So how does that tie into the theory that Poptropicans are plants?”
That’s just it: I believe that Poptropicans’ necks are so tiny because they’re plant stems. When I first realized how this fits, I actually googled if there was such a thing as an invisible plant stem. Disappointingly, there is not; but there is a type of plant with stems so small, they’re described as “almost invisible.” Since their stem necks are so thin and short, nobody would ever know they were there, unless they looked closely under a magnifying glass. Tall Cactus also adds that this is why Poptropicans’ heads bob up and down: yours would too, if it was supported by just a small stem! This could also be why Poptropicans’ arms and legs are so skinny; they must be stems too, just thicker and stronger. Given all that evidence, it’s becoming less difficult to imagine Poptropicans evolved from plants…
Did Poptropicans evolve from plants?
So, if Poptropicans do photosynthesize, it could mean that they don’t need food; they have more energy than normal people because they’re constantly collecting it from the sun! That explains all the deserted eateries across the islands… but we can’t forget how many times we have seen Poptropicans eating. They must have some method of digesting human food as well as sunlight (aka plant food). But just what those methods are might be slightly too gross to write about here, so perhaps it’s best to save what’s unspoken for another day. But feel free to share any theories you’ve thought up in the comments!
Plants are just one idea, but I’m sure there are many other interesting explanations for Poptropicans’ diets, necks (or lack thereof), and other anatomical features. (There are also probably plenty of loopholes in this theory left unmended…) Will the mystery of the Poptropican anatomy ever truly be solved? We have yet to know…
