🏝️ Poptropica Help Blog 🗺️

Heyo Poptropicans, and welcome to another long overdue Ramble Review! This time around, I’ll be exploring the high-tech outer space world of Lunar Colony. 🔭

When I played Lunar Colony for the very first time years ago, my first impression of it wasn’t exactly a good one. I remember feeling annoyed by all of the airlocks especially; I could never figure out how to enter one building or exit another, and for some reason, it took me a good deal of tries before I was even able to land the Lunar Lander. I remember I got so frustrated with this island that I eventually gave up trying to complete it at all, and moved on to something else. But if I’d just held on a little longer, and managed to reach the ending of Lunar Colony, my whole perspective on it would’ve changed at once…

More recently, I decided to give Lunar Colony another shot. This time around, I understood it better, and was able to finally reach the end of the island. And when I saw the ending, with Commander Salerno whisked through the portal to the alien realm, with the flight director on the radio, announcing that it was time to bring you back home, I was more surprised than I’ve ever been at the end of an island.

“I know you were supposed to bring me back to Earth, but I’m sorry, that’s not my mission. My mission is through here.”

The main reason Lunar Colony’s ending stood out so much from other islands is because it’s one of very few, if not the only, island where you fail your mission (in a sense). From the beginning, your mission was to find Salerno and bring her safely home. But when you activate the alien portal at the end, the tables are turned, and Salerno ends up escaping once and for all. It’s a sad day for everyone.

Of course, Salerno’s escape did do quite a bit of good for PASE. Now that alien life has been confirmed, people are starting to regain interest in outer space, and the president has promised whatever money PASE needs to keep their space program going! What Salerno did was a heroic move, but the truth still remains that your mission all along — to bring Salerno back to Earth — didn’t end quite as expected, and it’s those final parts of the island that really make Lunar Colony stand out in my eyes.

But enough rambling about Lunar Colony’s ending. Although that is the main reason I admire this island so much, it’s far from the only reason! Something else I thought was interesting about Lunar Colony is how it canonized the fact that Poptropicans’ eye colors can change. I’d wondered for awhile about Poptropicans’ eyes: why all Poptropicans’ eyes tend to stay the same, how there are hardly any customizable eye parts, and yes, whether or not they can change color. It was definitely a cool addition to see a Poptropican’s eyes turn purple!

It would be cool to see an option to change eye color added to the Colorizer someday 👀

Something else I found intriguing about this island is how it, similar to Astro-Knights, focuses on outer space — except the two islands couldn’t be more different. While Astro-Knights mainly features the clockpunk genre, Lunar Colony takes a scientific approach on the cosmos. Lunar Colony’s world seems to be in a much more modern, technological era, as opposed to Astro-Knights’ medieval theme.

Outer space is a vast place, and there have been an array of stories taking place beyond the stars. And in my opinion, Lunar Colony is definitely one of those stories that deserves more appreciation than it got. Even though the gameplay is admittedly frustrating at times, and even though not many people think of Lunar Colony when they think of Poptropica’s greatest islands, it’s the plot (combined with an assortment of beautiful outer space artwork!) that ties this whole adventure together and makes it one of the most intriguing Poptropica islands to ponder over. 🚀🧑‍🚀

~💜

Home Island

Adventurers outfitted on a new Home Island

February 27, 2021February 27, 2021 Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans, a new Home Island is on its way! 🏡

Yup, never mind that this base stop has been redesigned multiple times in the past several years. The latest Home Island remodel features a short side-quest, fewer buildings, and two blimps.

The Pop Creators posted sneak peeks on the official blog and said it was currently in beta testing and would be released to all soon, but you can access it right now by playing on a new account.

As for the side-quest, it begins immediately and is fairly quick. Catch what happens on our new Home Island Guide or in this video from idk:

You might remember those statues from an earlier sneak peek. When you first land on the island, Amelia Earhart (yes, she’s still here, and she has her own statue now!) gives you a Novice Adventurer Outfit.

The side-quest has you chase after a guy clomping about on giant robot legs for stealing the statue of the greatest Poptropica adventurer, Xavier, who has majestic squid hair. Turns out the guy is Xavier! He plans on retiring and gives you his cottage, which is your clubhouse. That’s it for “The Greatest” side-quest!

Back on the main street of the island, you can find the blimp is available on either side of the island, rather than in the middle. There are now just two buildings: Adventure Outfitters (i.e. the store rebranded) and your remodeled clubhouse. In the background, we can see blimps flying in the distance, as well as more homes on floating islands.

By the gate to your clubhouse’s backyard is a Poptropican crying for help — it’s the mayor from 24 Carrot Island, who calls you to help his island. Maybe there’ll be a different character there in the future!

The menu has also been touched up. Instead of the crate, we get three lines in the top-right corner, which pulls up the menu items, now with text labels: Items, Map, Store, House, Friends, Arcade (which no longer has its own building!), Messages, Pets (now barn-less), and Settings.

Only a day into this beta release of the new Home Island, and there’s already fan art for the iconic Xavier! The Pop Creators even posted a doodle from @invisible_b0nes on their Instagram story:

That’s it for this post, but you can catch more about the new Home Island side-quest (including glamor shots of Xavier) over on our Home Island Guide! What do you think of this Home Island makeover? Was it time for a change, or are the Creators overplaying this first stop once again? Sound off in the comments and on the PHC, our Discord server!

Pop on, Poptropicans! ✌️

~🐠

Guest Posts, Jade Scarab Island, My Dream Island

Inside look at Dream Island winner: Secret of the Jade Scarab 🏝🐞

February 26, 2021March 22, 2023 Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans, we have a very special guest with us! Girl Power (aka Lyndsey, or GwenBrightly on Poptropica) is one of the winners of Poptropica’s Design Your Dream Island Contest. In this post, she’ll be sharing about her winning idea, Secret of the Jade Scarab Island. Let’s get digging!

Hello, Poptropica Help Blog readers! I’d love to share more details about Secret of the Jade Scarab Island. I kept the descriptions spoiler free, so that certain plot points remain a surprise. 🙂

I had a ton of fun brainstorming for Secret of the Jade Scarab in between grading homework and writing lesson plans (I was in the middle of student teaching). I grew up playing games like Cluefinders and Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego, which gave me a love of games that teach about history. Ancient Egyptian lore and culture has always fascinated me, so it was awesome to have an excuse to use all that knowledge.

First look

Our story begins when the player arrives outside the Ancient Antiquities Museum in a bustling Egyptian city and follows signs inside to find that Claira the Curator is in a panic because the newest exhibit isn’t going to open on time. She’s lost contact with the team of archeologists who were supposed to be excavating King Khnurn’s tomb (his name means “reborn sun” in Egyptian). Being the kind, friendly, and helpful Poptropican that you are, you volunteer to go investigate.

When you arrive in the village of Iteru (which means “river” in Egyptian), a local merchant points you in the direction of the archeological dig, where you meet Howard Diggory, head egyptologist. He explains that bizarre things have been happening at the dig and that there are rumors of a mummy’s curse, which has stalled progress in excavating and cataloging the tomb. It’s up to you to find the root of the problem and discover whether or not the tomb really is cursed.

You’ll explore the tomb and village, speaking to the locals and gaining their trust through various tasks. Befriending the merchant is a good place to start. She’ll tell you all about the legend of the Jade Scarab, said to give its owner untold power, but only if you help her translate some old scrolls and track down her great nephew for her. Could someone be after the scarab?

Featured locations include:

The Ancient Antiquities Museum in Cairo – a place filled with displays of famous ancient Egyptian artifacts. Players can learn about life in ancient Egypt and maybe find some easter eggs from other islands. I like to imagine that it’s owned by the Poptropica equivalent of Zahi Hawass – a very famous Egyptologist who has probably appeared in pretty much any documentary you may have watched on Egypt.

Zahi Hawass, Egyptologist (photo: Smithsonian Magazine)

The village of Iteru – Close to the dig site. I envision something multi-levelled and filled with bright colors against the sandy/tan-ish color of the brick buildings. There are houses on the higher level and a market on the lower one. You can visit lots of townspeople to learn about the origins of the mummy’s curse, tomb robbers, the importance of the Nile, etc. In order to get them to answer your questions, you have to run errands for them such as potentially fishing, sailing, gathering papyrus, etc. The merchant’s shop is a highlight, as she gives the player a lot of the background on the Jade Scarab after you find her grandson (who is in an alleyway playing with a cat).

The dig site – in the Valley of the Kings – lots of weird stuff is happening there, which has caused the locals to theorize that the team of archeologists have unleashed a curse. You can find typical archeologist tools, crates, tents, various artifacts that are being catalogued, and maybe a jeep. There are a few site members to interview, but several have fled, and one is in the hospital.

King Knurn’s Tomb – Either underground or inside a cliff. The Jade Scarab is supposedly hidden somewhere deep inside. The player can explore different parts of the tomb throughout the story, with some getting unlocked as they progress. Skills learned from the villagers (like reading hieroglyphics) can be used here to solve puzzles and gather more information about the legends surrounding the Jade Scarab.

Important characters

Claira the Curator – Runs the Ancient Antiquities Museum and is worried about the museum’s latest exhibit not arriving on time. I chose her name because I wanted something with alliteration and a tie to Egypt, so I took the a-i-r from Cairo and inserted it into a name that went well with Curator.

The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo, Egypt (photo: MoMAA.org)

Howard Diggory – Head egyptologist of the archeological dig, worried about the recent mishaps and potential curse. Very passionate about Egyptology and uncovering lost history. He was named Howard after Howard Carter, who discovered King Tut’s tomb, and Diggory because he’s an archeologist and spends a lot of time digging.

Awantagi – the foreman of the dig. He’s the prickly type and doesn’t particularly like you sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.

The Merchant – a mysterious old lady who sells a variety of objects (both ancient and modern). She tells the player the legend of the Jade Scarab after they have helped her translate some old scrolls (learn about Egyptian culture and book of the dead) and located her great nephew (who is chasing after a cat).

Bast – the Egyptian cat who likes to pop up and do cat stuff, like expect you to cater to her every whim.

Visuals

I am not the best of artists, but I do have some pictures from an old project I did for school that I used for inspiration.

I didn’t necessarily plan for a pyramid to appear in Secret of the Jade Scarab, but I do really like the concept of having a scene that shows the Nile and some Egyptian boats.

This is sort of what I’d like the market to look like. Bright colors, hieroglyphics, and an abundance of different objects for players to interact with.

Anyway, thank you SO much to the PHB for reaching out, and to all of you for your interest! It’s such an honor to be able to share some of the ideas that have been floating around in my head for the past three months. I honestly can’t wait to see where Poptropica goes with this!

—Girl Power/Lyndsey

Hope you enjoyed this guest post by Girl Power/Lyndsey. If you did, you might also enjoy other posts in our My Dream Island series, such as Prehistoric Peril Island by Sporty Boa. And consider sharing yours!

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! 📰✨

Free Membership Giveaways, Social Media, Video of the Week

A haunting chance for a lil Poptropica concert? 🎤

February 26, 2021February 25, 2021 Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans, Slanted Fish here with a few updates: an intriguing tweet, a membership giveaway, and a video highlight. Let’s pop right in!

Ever imagined a concert might be possible on Poptropica? Lil Nas X (perhaps best known for his country rap single “Old Town Road”) allegedly tweeted earlier, “I wanna do a Poptropica concert.”

The news was shared on our Discord server, the PHC, by Red Sun, though the tweet from @LilNasX became unavailable soon after, with no explanation. Maybe because of Poptropica’s platform limitations?

The idea isn’t totally random coming from Lil Nas X, though — only a few months ago, he held an elaborate virtual concert on Roblox, another virtual world game for kids. Who’s to say whether he can pull it off on Poptropica, too? We’d certainly be down for it! 🎤

We’re approaching the end of the month, which means it’s time to announce another lucky Poptropican to win our membership giveaway! Congrats, Emu — after 10 years of playing Pop, you can finally cross getting a membership off your bucket list.

In case you missed it, the PHB is hosting a giveaway every month, and it’s easy to enter! Just 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! Full details »

Members can get some nifty exclusive items for their clubhouse, like this “Keepeth Out” sign. Speaking of which, check out my Clubhouse Tour!

In other news, the Pop Creators’ Blog posted a real throwback in their latest Video of the Week! This one’s a playthrough of the Haunted House mini-quest shared by Ramsha T:

This classic adventure used to be available from a card in the store back in 2009, then was later released as a special event in 2018. You can read more about it in our Haunted House Guide. If you want more special events like these, let Poptropica know in the comments of their post!

That’s it for this post. Stay tuned for a special one coming up here on the PHB — it contains some pretty great secrets brought to us by one dreamy guest. 😉

Pop on, Poptropicans! ✌️

~🐠

Fanfiction, The Villain Saga

Announcing “The Villain Saga,” a Poptropica fan series (with prologue)

February 25, 2021June 15, 2022 Agent Bubbles

Long, long ago, there were rumors of a Poptropica movie or TV series. Fans speculated on what it could be about, from a whole new story to a Mystery of the Map spinoff. Flash forward to today, and that dream never became a reality.

So in my traditional fashion, I decided to do it myself!

As much as I would like to see an epic, shiny, animated finished product, there’s no way I (and my carpal tunnel) could do all that, so I’ve decided to just release the script in episodic form! Stay tuned for a sneak peek of the first episode!

I’m going to try to update this fairly frequently (perhaps every week), but I won’t make any promises currently. I do have the plot all figured out from beginning to end, and plenty more script to release!

But enough with my rambling! Let’s get to the story!

FADE IN:

EXT. EREWHON PRISON — EVENING

We see the tall prison from a worms-eye view, near the ocean. Even though it is still evening, dark storm clouds surround the sky, shrouding the prison in night. A few windows glow as lights from inside the building are turned on.

A HELICOPTER lands, hovering a bit and billowing clouds of dust on the small landing pad next to the prison. It finally finishes its descent as we get a closer look at the area. Several prison guards are standing nearby, and a bearded man, DR. JUPITER, is waiting to greet whoever is inside the HELICOPTER.

A MAN jumps out from the side door. The darkness hides most of his face from view, along with a WOMAN who jumps out behind him.

MAN

Well, this isn’t quite what I expected!

DR. JUPITER

(chuckles)

Did you expect a luxury hotel?

MAN

No, I just didn’t think the weather would be so…

He looks down at the stormy waves, crashing against jagged rocks.

MAN (CONT’D)

…cliché.

DR. JUPITER

It helps protect us from onlookers, at least!

(He looks at the WOMAN)

And hello, Miss…

The WOMAN extends her gloved hand. DR. JUPITER takes the cue and kisses it.

WOMAN

Lesser. Camille Lesser. I’m his assistant.

DR. JUPITER

You seem awfully dainty for this line of work.

WOMAN

Trust me.

(She grins. There’s something a little suspicious about it.)

I have experience with these sort of people.

DR. JUPITER steps back. His friendly smile leaves his face.

DR. JUPITER

I should hope so. We’ve had many psychologists analyze our prisoners…few were able to help much.

MAN

They should be willing to work with me, if we give them time.

The smile returns to DR. JUPITER’S face. He steps aside, motioning for the newcomers to enter the building.

DR. JUPITER

Well then, let’s get started.

The two enter as the HELICOPTER ascends. DR. JUPITER remains behind with the GUARDS, discussing something with them.

As they cross through the doorway, framed with lightning-bolt decorated pillars, the WOMAN turns to the psychologist.

WOMAN

Well, that was certainly easier than I expected, Mr. D.

They enter a lit area, revealing the faces of notorious criminals DIRECTOR D. and MADEMOISELLE MOREAU. DIRECTOR D. smiles.

DIRECTOR D.

Trust me, miss Moreau, my plans are all very simple.

We look from the outside, as they head deeper into the prison.

FADE OUT.

“Erewhon contains some of the most notorious criminals in all of the world of Poptropica…but could their abilities be used for someone’s advantage?

Director D., a cunning and charismatic spy, and Madimoiselle Moreau, a sweet yet spiteful Frenchwoman, are both villains who have managed to avoid the long arm of the law. They have teamed up to start their grandest plan yet, but they will need a little help.

Will justice and peace prevail above these many conflicting schemes, or will these villains be consumed by their own ambition and follow a murky path as the world collapses due to a plan they may not even be aware of?”

Castori honorem ~ Maryann/Smart Bubbles