Author: Gentle Dolphin

Greetings, Poptropicans!

The PHB’s 3rd quadrennial Tribal Tournament is going strong. To celebrate this momentous event, I’m going to rank the tribes’ uniforms. No, not the palette-swapped jerseys from Poptropolis Games… I’m talking about custom themed suits. 👼🐝🧭🔥🦑🏴‍☠️🐛🤖

Yes, the Pop Creators made eight unique uniforms for each tribe, but they were never released for some unknown reason. Nowadays, you can show your tribal pride with the aid of the ASG machine. That’s cool, but how well do the uniforms represent their respective tribes?

While you are reading this list, please keep in mind that I don’t mean any disrespect to the tribes themselves. I’m just saying that some of these looks could have been better. Let the ranking begin!

#8. Black Flags

What about a pile of junk makes one think “team spirit”? Not even the gold coins in the chest make this look enticing. I guess the designers were going for a shipwreck theme for the uniform, but it looks so haphazard. Also, for a tribe named “Black Flags“, there is a startling lack of black on display. A dark and spooky buccaneer costume would be A LOT cooler in my opinion. I give the Black Flags uniform 2 out of 10 doubloons.

#7. Pathfinders

Now we’re getting to the actual outfits. The colors match the Pathfinders logo, but the uniform itself doesn’t. Looking at their motto and common room, the Pathfinders seem to be about navigating the world and searching for treasure. While scuba divers explore the ocean, they don’t fit the broad navigation theme that the tribe represents. And why no compass motif? I give the Pathfinders uniform 4 out of 10 diving helmets.

#6. Seraphim

As a proud Seraphim member, I have mixed feelings about my tribe’s uniform. I really like the design of the hood and the fact that the uniform includes what appear to be stone wings. Those are certainly cool, but I don’t fully get some of the choices here. The designers were probably going for an athletic look with the poncho-cloak and pants, but I prefer a longer cloak for a traditional look. I’m also surprised that blue is a prominent color here. The blue and gold combo looks good, but there’s no black (one of the tribe’s main colors). I give the Seraphim uniform 6 out of 10 angel feathers.

#5: Nightcrawlers

Here’s a very cool suit fitting of the Nightcrawlers. The mechanical insect legs fit the tribe’s insect inspiration, and the crystals on the helmet resemble the ones found in their common room. The rendering on the helmet is stellar! However, the one thing that’s bugging me is the plain suit and belt; they clash with the detailed helmet and chest piece and throw the whole look off-balance. Adding a bit more detail to the body would have bumped this up further on the list. I give the Nightcrawlers uniform 7 out of 10 crystals.

#4: Yellowjackets

Ah, yes. Some of you may recognize this uniform as the inspiration for Omegon’s design. Aside from inspiring an awesome villain, the Yellowjackets uniform represents its respective tribe in spades. The black and yellow mech suit fits the Yellowjackets’ high tech headquarters. Plus, I like that the jetpack is pointed like a stinger. While it’s not as flashy as some of the other uniforms, it’s a simple but effective look appropriate for the tribe. I give the Yellowjackets uniform 7.5 out of 10 honeycombs.

#3: Nanobots

Now this is a cool suit to wear! It’s vibrant, funky, and fits the musical elements of the Nanobots common room. While it matches the tribe’s music theme, it doesn’t exactly match the Nanobots image. Please pardon the sound puns, but the uniform’s colors are super loud compared to the common room’s muted color scheme. How about making the uniform reddish-pink like the Nanobots flag? The suit would still be colorful while matching the tribe’s colors. Nitpicks aside, this is a sweet look for Nanobots members. I give the Nanobots uniform 8 out of 10 bass drops and the bronze medal for Best Poptropica Tribe Uniform. 🥉

#2. Wildfire

While the Yellowjackets uniform inspired Omegon, the Wildfire uniform may have been inspired by Sir Pelasus from Astro-Knights Island. Notice the similar color scheme and knobs on the helmet? It’s not a total copy-paste, fortunately. This suit replaces the knightly cape and plume with mechanical rivets and pipes, and the bird-like helmet is a cool nod to the phoenix organ in the tribe’s common room. I’m sure any Wildfire member would love to sport this awesome armor! I give the Wildfire uniform 9 out of 10 torches and the silver medal for Best Poptropica Tribe Uniform. 🥈

#1. Flying Squid

The Flying Squid uniform features a wonderfully strange mashup of aquatic and aerial elements fitting of the tribe’s equally strange name. The awesome tentacle mask is squid-tastic, and the aviator goggles and wings are a funny way to emphasize the flight aspect of the Flying Squid. Speaking of wings, the red wings immediately pop in this primarily green and brown uniform. Let’s wish the Flying Squids a safe flight! I give the Flying Squid uniform 10 out of 10 squiddy high-fives and the gold medal for Best Poptropica Tribe Uniform. 🥇

And that’s my ranking of the eight Poptropica tribe uniforms! How would you rank these uniforms? Do you view the Black Flags uniform as an underrated treasure? Did the Flying Squid wrongfully take the gold with their slimy tentacles? Let us know in the comments below!

Speaking of tribes, join us for our 2024 Tribal Tournament! All you have to do is enter the PHC, pick a tribe, and earn points by competing in each round! Read the announcement post for more details about the tournament and rules, and stay tuned for Round 2 on Wednesday, August 14!

Thank you for reading, and have a good day!

—Gentle Dolphin 🐬