Hey Poptropicans, you read that right: the Poptropica Help Blog is starting a new initiative of giving away free Poptropica memberships!
We know how hard it can be to miss out on the special perks that members get, and we want to give you all a chance to get in on that fun. By the way, if you need a refresher on what membership has to offer, check out our Membership Tour page, updated for 2021!
All the details about the giveaways can be found on our new Free Poptropica Membership page, which you can find under the Community tab in our site menu. Here are the basics:
To enter for your chance to win, comment on the Free Poptropica Membership page and leave at least two other comments around the PHB within the month to be entered into that month’s giveaway.
We’ll announce a winner sometime in the final week of each month. If you don’t win, you can always try again for the next month!
For the full details, including all caveats and the philosophies behind these giveaways, head on over to the PHB’s Free Poptropica Membership page. That’s also where you get started on entering the monthly raffles!
We’re excited to bring you these opportunities for hopefully a long time to come. With both the thrill of a lucky draw as well as the encouragement to get involved with the Poptropica community, what are you waiting for? We’ll meet you in the PHB comments! 🥳
Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the December recap for Community Creations! December’s theme was Fire & Ice (and the featured work is not in any particular order). Be sure to check out all the featured artists!
Kicking things off with quite the nICE submission, eh? I love the chilling cool colors and the action pose that we see here. Plus, that touch of glowing fire is super cool. Er… should I say hot? The blizzard sure looks tough, but my money is still on Muddy Kid’s fire punch! Find her DeviantArt here.
Fire & Ice Photos by GEAR
I love the two themes here! Though the elements of fire and ice are opposing, a sense of love and gentle warmth are still found in both. The photograph composition is a sweet choice as well, along with the subtle textures in the snow, firepit, trees, etc. AND those characters look super fun. Find their Instagram here.
The Meltdown Cave by Purple Paw
Oooh, now here we have a hot one! The striking warm colors are cold and captivating, right off the bat. Even the slight curve of the chains provide a nice sense of energy and movement! The bright green of the beast perfectly complements the red as well! Find the artist on Discord and right here on the PHB.
Winter Camping by AdventurersNHunters
Let’s jump back to the icey side of submissions, shall we? This camping scene definitely gives me Survival Island vibes, but hopefully CJ is having a better time in the outdoors than we were on that particular adventure. Again, the use of cool colors here is fantastic, and even goes well with CJ’s character design. Plus, the touch of warmth in the fire adds great contrast! Find her DeviantArt here.
Molten Medicine Man by Sporty Boa
Lastly, we have one final piece that leans into the “fire” portion of our theme. The monochromatic color scheme is super duper cool, but, er- still super hot too! The bright red really pops against the grey, and the flat plains work well in this style. Don’t you think that the Medicine Man is just the perfect character to feature here? Find the artist on Discord and right here on the PHB.
Honorable Mentions
Two Joes Alike by thehypercutter
He’s Literally Flaming Hot by iHateFridays
Wow, what COOL submissions this month! Seriously, you guys were on FIRE! Keep it up for months to come!!!
January: How Do I Participate?
Community Creations is a cool series for anyone in the Poptropica community to join in on. To sum up what it’s about, it’s basically a chance to show off your artwork, creepy fan-fics, Pop clubhouses, costumes, and anything else that pops into your mind.
If we really like the piece you submit, we will feature it here on the PHB! As long as it relates to that month’s theme. So what is January’s theme? January’s theme is…
Doctors!
Not only have doctors played a vital role in real life over the past year, but doctors in the world of Poptropica are also certainly noteworthy. Heck, we had an entire party celebrating one “medical professional” in particular… So, let’s kick off the new year with this important theme!
Whether you take inspiration from Dr. Hare, Dr. Lange, or even Dr. Beev… all your doctor related creations are welcome this month! Who’s your favorite PhD Poptropican?
Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created OR share it with me (SydVC aka Spotted Dragon) on DeviantArt, Twitter, or Discord.
Results: I will feature 5 of the submissions as well as some honorable mentions.
Limitations: Nothing NSFW, and make sure you relate to the theme.
Due Date: I will take any entries before the end of this month. Submit as many things as you’d like!
I will be sure to let you know I have seen your creation. While quality counts, I’m mainly looking for something to simply catch my eye, so don’t be afraid to join in!
So what are you waiting for? Go make something awesome!
Hey Poptropicans, welcome to a special edition of the Pop Fan Artist Spotlight series! This fan artist we’re featuring today isn’t your traditional kind of artist—instead, he creates his masterpieces on Poptropica Realms. Introducing: Hawkeye4077, aka Zany Ice!
Hawkeye’s work with Realms imitates large and noteworthy characters and landmarks from various sci-fi and adventure films and other media, from The Iron Giant to How to Train Your Dragon to Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Click on the images to see all the detail within!
The Iron Giant
Genie from Aladdin (2019)
Grimlock from Transformers
Skullcrawler from Kong Skull Island
Alpha Dragon from How to Train Your Dragon 2
Ship from How to Train Your Dragon 2
Razor Crest from The Mandalorian
Lunar Colony Island space station, Realms edition
Mothra Larva from Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Rodin from Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Mothra from Godzilla: King of the Monsters
You may recognize Hawkeye’s Poptropican name, Zany Ice, which was recently featured for a Video of the Week by the Pop Creators. But he’s been working on more than just the Wolfwalkers ad video! Here’s one that compiles all his MOCs (My Own Creation) — including more than the ones shown above — into an impressive photo slideshow:
In another video, Zany Ice gives us a look at the process of making one of his Realms creations, the Grimlock from Transformers:
It’s been a hot minute since the Flash-based Realms (Poptropica’s sandbox creative world) has gotten much attention from Poptropica, and with Flash in its final days, who knows if it’ll return after it’s gone. But Realms did disappear before due to bugs with the old Flash technology, and after much player demand, was resurrected by the Creators a year later. Maybe the same thing can happen again?
In any case, we hope you enjoyed this look into some of the many possibilities that Realms offers. Perhaps it even inspired you to give this fun sandbox game one last spin before its candle goes out with (a) Flash? 🕯 You might find our Realms Guide helpful!
Thanks, Hawkeye4077, for sharing your Realms of wonder with us! 🌎 You can find him on our Discord server, the PHC, sharing other kinds of creations too, like peeks into his comic, Iron Volt. Join the fun on the PHC!
Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the November recap for Community Creations! November’s theme was Pirates (and the featured work is not in any particular order). Be sure to check out all the featured artists!
Ahoy, Poptropicans! Right away, the energy in this submission is fantastic. The ships on either side of Captain Crawfish center him quite well, and the swinging rope shows a strong sense of movement. The colors and line work are beautiful, and I love the energy coming from all (but one?) of the characters. Excellent composition! Find her Twitter here.
The High Seas of Skullduggery by birdie-bea
Ooooh, quite the dramatic lighting in this piece! The deep shadows are lovely, especially when paired with that red glow from the ship and the light casting from the moon. I like that the juxtaposition of the vessels is really the star of the show here, instead of a specific character, because what’s a pirate’s life without a ship to captain? I’m taken back to my early days on Skullduggery, sailing that measly little raft for what felt like years against the grand Sea Chicken. Find his DeviantArt here.
It’s a Pirate’s Life for Me by Lucky Joker
Avast! What a mighty crew we have here! Aside from a captain’s ship, a captain’s trusty crew is also a major part of a pirate’s life. Without these fine fellas, I don’t think the Phoenix Warbird would be as mighty. But anyway, I love the proud, sturdy stances of the characters and the distinct, line-focused coloring style. Makes for a strong lineup! Find his DeviantArt here.
Pirate Confrontation by Midnightoilstudios
Yikes! Looks like we have a stand off! More than anything, the diagonal composition is quite nice. Such a line creates a strong sense of movement or energy, perfect for this battle scene. Yet these pointy lines reinforced by the sword and wooden post are well balanced by soft, ephemeral colors. I also like the simultaneous contrast (like in their color schemes) and unity (like in the detail of skulls) between the characters. Wonderful work! Find her DeviantArt here.
Busch Borrower: Pirate of the Forest by Sporty Boa
Ah, now here’s a unique a formidable foe of a pirate! If you recall the PHB’s Heroes & Villains themed Halloween Costume Contest this year, then you just might recognize this woodland adversary. Though not exactly a pirate of the seas, there are plenty of other characters who can live up to the title of pirate! The flat color blocking is quite sharp, and the green color scheme works perfectly with the characters. And those eyes are giving me chills! Aw, but just look at that bird. Find him on Discord and his posts here on the PHB.
Honorable Mentions
Farewell Formal Captain by AdventurersNHunters
Pop Crossover: Jack Sparrow by target1051
Duck Game Worker: The Duck Loving Pirate by thehypercutter
In case you’re a little out of the loop, I work for an adventure group called Poptropica. The majority of my adventures involve time travel, by which I am capable of with a small, bronze pocket watch; and all of them include my large, state-of-the-art yellow blimp with the word “Poptropica” inscribed all across. So everyone knew who I was with as soon as I landed (crashed.) Which isn’t always the best strategy… READ MORE
What a wonderful array of pirates we got this month! Arrrren’t you happy with this theme’s results? I know I am!
December: How Do I Participate?
Community Creations is a cool series for anyone in the Poptropica community to join in on. To sum up what it’s about, it’s basically a chance to show off your artwork, creepy fan-fics, Pop clubhouses, costumes, and anything else that pops into your mind.
If we really like the piece you submit, we will feature it here on the PHB! As long as it relates to that month’s theme. So what is December’s theme? December’s theme is…
Fire & Ice!
With the holiday season approaching, half of the world will soon be in the midst of cold winter weather, while the other half enters into a hot summer. So why not celebrate best of both worlds this month? The icey side of our theme is perfect for any winter wonderland type creations, which I’m sure many of you were already planning on making in December!
From the fire and ice planets of Astro-Knights Island, to the hot summer and cold winter of Wimpy Boardwalk Island and Wimpy Wonderland Island, these contrasting concepts of fire and ice pop up all over Poptropica! So, it’s up to you to pick one or the other (or both!) and get creating!
“Fire & Ice” by Quick Fang (CC Dec 2019: Opposites)
Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created OR share it with me (SydVC aka Spotted Dragon) on DeviantArt, Twitter, or Discord.
Results: I will feature 5 of the submissions as well as some honorable mentions.
Limitations: Nothing NSFW, and make sure you relate to the theme.
Due Date: I will take any entries before the end of this month. Submit as many things as you’d like!
I will be sure to let you know I have seen your creation. While quality counts, I’m mainly looking for something to simply catch my eye, so don’t be afraid to join in!
So what are you waiting for? Go make something awesome!
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!
