PHB Series – Page 49 – 🏝 Poptropica Help Blog 🗺

Howdy Poptropicans, it’s LJ with the second installment of our Popular Poptropican staff writer lineup! Last time I was interviewed, but today we’ll be getting to know a bit more about Spotted Dragon — longtime Poptropica blogger and host of the greatly admired Community Creations series.

1. What do you enjoy about blogging with the PHB?

Poptropica has been such a big part of my childhood, and so blogging with the PHB has really been a childhood dream come true. I remember being ecstatic when I got asked to join the team many years ago! It was a fantastic outlet for my passion for writing growing up, and I’m glad that my posts can still reach a wonderful audience. And through all the ups and downs of Poptropica, it has been a blast being a part of such a fun, creative community.

2. What advice would you give to aspiring bloggers or writers in general that you wish you had starting out?

Writing for a blog is definitely much different than writing a novel. In blogging, you really get the chance to connect more with your readers and have fun with your posts. So don’t be afraid to really let your personality shine through! And for improving your writing in general, reading is a big helper. Read lots of different things and you’ll naturally start to pick up on different writing styles and techniques.

3. What is your favorite island and villain?

Oh boy, I’ve never been great at answering this question. I have so many favorites! For top favorite… I think I’m between Cryptids Island and Counterfeit Island. Gosh, there are so many fun villains too. I do love Gretchen Grimlock and Black Widow from those aforementioned islands, but I’m also a sucker for Daphne Dreadnaught’s character design.

4. What challenge in the game has been the hardest to complete in your opinion?

Growing up, I had a REALLY hard time with building up my boat in Skullduggery. I didn’t fully trust the loaning system, so it took me a really long time to get a strong enough ship to beat Captain Crawfish.

5. What is your favorite feature (still here or gone) from the many years of Poptropica?

Hmm, I really do love the art that goes into Poptropica, including the character design, so I might have to say that the Costumizer is my favorite feature. I have always loved making different costumes, and I especially loved when I got to save those costumes.

6. What is your favorite Poptropica item?

Back to my love for costumes, I gotta say that I love the Colorizer as well as the OG Costume Collector. I just love the versatility of customization in games! And some of my favorite costume items growing up were definitely the Vampire Girl outfits.

7. What is your favorite Poptropica Easter egg/secret/reference?

This is another tough question! I think the first easter eggs that really got me excited as a kid were the Hypnotic Costume and the Viking Suit. I felt really clever when I found those! But these days, one of my favorite easter eggs might be the PHB License Plate, because it really feels like a personal shoutout in some ways.

(LJ: You can friend her on Poptropica with the username ooolala13!)

🌟 Would you like to be the next Popular Poptropican? 🌟

To nominate yourself or someone you know, send me an email at [email protected] or a private message on Discord with the following:

the name of your nominee (a Poptropica name or other screen name)
a reason why your nomination should be the next Popular Poptropican

Thanks for reading, and see you in the next one! Pop on!

– LJ 🍀

Pop Petition: Tone down the ads

April 21, 2021April 20, 2021 Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans, this is a guest post by White Fox. Enjoy!

Hi, guys! Today I want to talk about the ads in Poptropica.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I totally understand that Poptropica isn’t making as much money as it used to, and advertisements bring in tons of cash, but things have been getting out of hand.

Remember Survival Island? The creators didn’t put a lot of ads there, because they wanted you to feel like you are stranded, and you don’t usually find advertisements for Rolex watches in the middle of the woods. Not having ads helped set the mood of the place.

Now, I find ads everywhere, and I don’t feel that stranded-in-the-forest vibe at all. Then there’s the matter of all the ads in your inventory.

I didn’t even watch the ad videos for these items! I just logged on one day, and I got a ton of stuff that I didn’t want. And it really fills up your inventory space! I wish Poptropica didn’t give you ad items without a choice, because it makes you scroll through a bunch of stuff just to get something you need for an island, and sometimes, you might not even like the stuff you get.

Even for people who do like the advertisement prizes, not keeping it separate from the items you need on an island is maddening. I can’t speak for everyone, but I really wish the creators would give you a choice, instead of stuffing random ad prizes into your inventory, where it takes up space and pushes your important items to the back.

Mega Fighting Bots took over on Mocktropica Island

As Slanted Fish noted in the 2019 PHB post “Is Poptropica turning into Mocktropica Island?,” the game has been falling into the traps of user-unfriendliness the island warned about in its cautionary tale. In Mocktropica, ads for Mega Fighting Bots popped up everywhere, and recently, when I was playing through 24 Carrot Island, Dr. Hare’s face was covered by an ad.

It’s upsetting that such an important part of the story — one of the most famous villains in Poptropica — was hidden because an advertisement for clothing had popped up. This could really make it hard to win islands, because I couldn’t see what he was saying. Even though I’d played the island before and knew what to do, it was still annoying.

At one point, Poptropica was wrapped in banner ads on all sides—promoting Poptropica!

Anyway, that just about wraps up this post! I hope the creators were reading this, because all this advertising stuff is really getting overwhelming. Thanks for reading!

Peace,
White Fox

Hope you enjoyed this guest post by White Fox. If you did, you might also enjoy another guest post of hers: Popspiracy: What happens to Poptropica villains after “the end”?

The Poptropica Help Blog welcomes interesting Poptropica insights from anyone in the Poptropica community with thoughts to share. Interested in writing for the PHB? We’d love to hear from you! 📰✨

My Dream Island

My Dream Island: Cherryfall Island by Smart Icicle 🌸

April 21, 2021April 23, 2021 Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans, this is a guest post by Smart Icicle. Enjoy!

Hello! Smart Icicle here, and I would like to introduce my dream island. I already know a few of you wanted to see my dream island when I shared a bit about it in my “My Place In Poptropica” story. Now just sit back, relax, and I hope you enjoy my dream island: Cherryfall Island.

This story dates back to ancient China. When I first saw Poptropica release Red Dragon Island, which took place in ancient Japan, I just had to create a story in ancient China. At the time, I would go China almost every year to visit my grandparents. As for the name Cherryfall, it’s inspired by the cherry blossom tree, common in Japan and China.

Characters

In the island, you will meet a monk, shopkeepers, an empress, two imperial guards, and four prisoners. The monk is going to help the player, while the prisoners are the villains of the island. The empress is going to send the player to jail. The shopkeepers are minor characters (but will give the player a dress, watch, and any jewelry they like). The four prisoners are going to be key to the plot of the island.

Plot

During a time travel accident, the player gets stuck in ancient China. While trying to figure out what happened, a monk approaches the player and acts as their guide. The monk tells the player that prisoners have been escaping from their prison, and that they need to bring them back to jail.

The monk decides to take the player to the empress of China and tell them about the situation. Unfortunately, the empress was in a bad mood, so she decided to send the player to jail for bothering her. Will the player escape and gather the escaped prisoners? Or will the prisoners get to you first?

Nested: I know why the caged bird sings.

As for a plot twist… that will be at the very end. When the player and the monk finally find the escaped prisoners, they turn out to be familiar faces! You’ll come face-to-face with the fantastic four super villains: Dr. Hare, Captain Crawfish, Black Widow, and Binary Bard.

Inspirations behind the island

As I mentioned, I was inspired by my family’s travels to China. In particular, the dresses, earrings, and watches that our grandparents send to us every Christmas and birthday were in my mind as I thought up this island.

For the jail scene, I decided to add a bit of twist inspired by the Henry Stickmin games. For those who don’t know these games, you play as criminal mastermind and you have to make choices along the way to complete the game. This game is hilarious because of all the choices that don’t work, and that’s something I wanted to include in my island.

Anyway, what did you think of my dream island? Also, be sure to vote in my poll, “Who is your favorite Poptropica creature?” The poll closes at the end of the month, which is coming up soon.

Lastly, check out my blog! I write about my fandoms, including Poptropica. That’s it for me now, Smart Icicle out! 📚❄️

Hope you enjoyed this guest post by Smart Icicle. If you did, you might also enjoy other posts in our My Dream Island series, such as Opposites Island by Noisy Snowball. And consider sharing yours!

Contests, PHB Specials

Guess That Poptropican, Round 2 — Answers

April 19, 2021April 19, 2021 LJ

Howdy Poptropicans! It’s LJ with the answers for the second round of Guess That Poptropican! Continue reading for the winner later in the post. 😉

Poptropican 1

I can be seen on two islands
My name is alliterative
I have a villain sibling
I have my own store
I like my comic books

I am Ned Noodlehead from Super Power Island and (sometimes) Reality TV Island!

Poptropican 2

I own a beauty company
I’m constantly searching for rare plants and creatures
I occasionally wear fashionable sunglasses
I have a beauty mark
I have attempted murder

I am Gretchen Grimlock from Cryptids Island!

“Poptropican” 3

I take on many different looks
I can help you with all of your shopping needs
I hover
I am not a Poptropican

I am Quippy!

Poptropican 4

I go by two different names
I have my own Draw My Life video
I’ve worked on the Creators’ Blog
I like video games

I am Abe/Gamer Guy from Zomberry Island and (rarely) Poptropicon Island!

Poptropican 5

My name is a pun
I blast lightning bolts
The quest from which I come from has never appeared on the map

I am Dr. Cumulo Nimbus from Blimp Adventure!

Poptropican 6

I am a former child actor
I long to have a serious role
I’d like to show my dark side

I am Willy Bingleman from Backlot Island!

How many did you get right? Congratulations to Barefoot Knuckle for being the first person to get them all! Shoutout to Jumpy Fang, I am an affront to God, Paris, Magic Fire, pegs, Silver Horse, and Smart Icicle for also guessing correctly — and of course, good job to everyone else who tried. I really appreciate the participation. Alas, here’s the Pop Portrayal prize! I hope you like it.

How do we feel about a round 3? Sound off below and I’ll see you in the next post. Pop on!

– LJ 🍀

Popular Poptropicans

Popular Poptropican: Lucky Joker

April 18, 2021April 17, 2021 Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans, we’re back with another Popular Poptropican!

Popular Poptropican is a series where we get to know members of the Poptropica fandom. We have a number of interviews lined up with staff writers of the PHB, and in this one, we’ll be talking with Lucky Joker!

Lucky Joker has been playing Poptropica since 2008 and joined the PHB team in 2016. Since then, he’s written over 200 posts for the PHB, including Poptropica specials like 100 Years of Fashion and fun games like Guess That Poptropican! Without further ado, hello LJ!

1. What do you enjoy about blogging with the PHB?

What I love most about blogging on the PHB is having the privilege to share my love for Poptropica with a wide audience of fans who are just as passionate about the game as I am. Sharing news, critiques, artwork, and having discussions with every one of our readers for nearly 5 years has been, and always will be, a highlight in my life. Also, parties! As a matter of fact, it was a party invitation that brought me into the community in the first place. I really enjoyed hosting the Tribal Tournament last year especially. That was a lot of fun! Basically what it comes down to is that I’m super grateful for the readers. None of this would be possible without them, so I appreciate them for keeping the blog alive.

2. What advice would you give to aspiring bloggers or writers in general that you wish you had starting out?

My advice to all the aspiring bloggers out there is to try to stay as active with posting as much as your personal life allows. Find time to frequently post and engage with your readers while granting yourself some breaks as to not overwhelm yourself with too many responsibilities. There have been times I’ve put too much pressure on myself which leaves me feeling like a failure when I don’t meet my (sometimes strenuous) expectations. Just do the best you can, be authentic, and have fun!

3. What is your favorite island and villain?

My favorite island and villain don’t correlate, but they’re both very popular picks from what I’ve seen in the fandom. Mythology Island (the Flash version) has always been my favorite since its release back in 2010. It’s the first island I ever played with early access as a member and it eminently ignited my interest in Greek mythology. As for my favorite villain, Ringmaster Raven would be my choice for a couple of reasons. His backstory is pitiful and his ending is unjust which makes me root for him in a way I wouldn’t for any other villain. Plus, I think his design is one of the best of any Poptropica character in general.

4. What challenge in the game has been the hardest to complete in your opinion?

For all of you OG Poptropicans out there, you may remember a time when a simple effort like returning to your blimp after finishing an island was no walk in the park. Poptropica has made some tweaks over the years to make tasks like this more convenient, but one of the toughest challenges I remember having to pull off was getting Whiskers to her bowl of milk at the Funny Bunny Carrot Farm on 24 Carrot Island. Having to guide the darn cat around with your cursor was so time-consuming and stressful, to say the least.

5. What is your favorite feature (still here or gone) from the many years of Poptropica?

There are a plethora of great features that make this beloved game so special. For me, it has to be the multiverse feature that takes the cake though. Being able to meet with specific Poptropican friends to go head-to-head in games was a nice change from the single-player world that is Poptropica. It made partying a lot easier for the PHB, and you just don’t get the same feeling in the regular old common rooms. The creators should really consider bringing this feature back to the game as soon as possible — perhaps after a few island releases — as it’s one of the single most enjoyable facets of the game for many of us. (Honorable mention: the Photo Booth!)

6. What is your favorite Poptropica item?

Wow, favorite item! This one is tough to answer because of all the possibilities there are, but I’ll have to go with the swirly goggles from the Hypnotic outfit. I remember feeling like such a Poptropica master when I found the secret item hidden on Early Poptropica back in the day. They’ve been a part of my signature look for quite a while now, and I only change out of them for special occasions like Halloween when I get into costume. I mean, really, who would LJ be without his goggles?

7. What is your favorite Poptropica Easter egg/secret/reference?

This may be a cop-out since it technically isn’t one single answer, but I thought the meta-references on Mocktropica Island were pure gold. There were numerous callbacks and humorous self-deprecating jokes scattered throughout the island. Some of the more notable ones can all be seen in the Poptropica headquarters trash can alone. An Afro Guy figurine, a scrapped Monster Carnival file, and the concept of the iconic Dr. Beev are among the gags brought to us by this otherwise (in my opinion) forgettable island.