Welcome back to “Pop Places IRL,” Poptropicans, and all aboard! For this post, let’s chug on over to Mystery Train Island, shall we? And if you’re liking the series, be sure to check out other Pop Places IRL posts.
Though we spend most of this island on—can you guess?—a train, we do still visit some very important stops along our adventure. And, truth be told, Mystery Train is certainly one of the more historically founded islands! From the train, to the cities, and even to the passengers, Mystery Train features very real people, places, and things (however we’ll focus more on locations today, not figures). So… full steam ahead!
On Main Street, before we even board the train and begin the mystery, we find ourselves in none other than Washington, DC. We can see the US Capitol Building in the background, but we aren’t staying for long!
photo: Washington DC (thetelegraph)
But beyond the very real cities, even the train itself is historically accurate! The John Bull locomotive, which is named on our ticket, is the main location of our adventure but is also an IRL train that journeyed to the IRL Columbian Exposition in 1893. Yes sir, all the way from DC to Chicago!
photo: John Bull Locomotive (wikipedia)
Our next stop is Chicago, but before we pull into the station, let’s take a very quick look at our train’s interior first. The train in Poptropica had large individual rooms for its passengers, which is quite fancy if you ask me. But hey, traveling back in the day seemed to be quite the luxurious feat! Can you believe those big cushy seats?
Whodunit: Who, indeed.
Train Attraction: Ride the rails in style.
photo: Pullman Palace Car (thevintagenews)
photo: Pullman Parlor Car (thegoodolddays)
Alright, now let’s pull into the great city of Chicago, Illinois. The station has obviously grown and changed a lot since 1893, hasn’t it? Well, we can’t stay long anyhow! Mademoiselle Moreau is getting away!
All Is Fair: Let’s skip all the exposition, shall we?
photo: Train Travel in the 1800s (oldphotoarchive)
photo: Chicago (visittheusa)
It’s time to chase Moreau into the Chicago World’s Fair. Though one can’t help but stop and stare at that huge Ferris Wheel!
Stealers Wheel: One thing this wheel needs is an effective “spokes”-person.
And with that, it looks like we’ve finally reached the end of the line. It was quite an adventure! Considering Mystery Train is one of Poptropica’s more historically founded islands, just how well do you think it holds up to its IRL counterparts? Did it seem on track, or was it a full on train wreck? What other islands do you want us to compare in this series? Comment your thoughts below!
Hey Poptropicans, here’s the latest tea… *slow sip* ☕️ Here we go!
It’s a new month—hello September!—which means new member gifts! Members who log in this month will receive Earbuds (basically AirPods), Roller Skates, and three shades of Boba Tea. No special actions this time—not even on the skates.
This stuff’s pretty cool, but the name “boba tea” doesn’t hit quite right: it’s usually either “boba” or “bubble tea.” Bubble tea (or boba), in case you haven’t had the pleasure yet, is a tea-based drink invented in Taiwan with chewy tapioca “bubbles” and comes in many delicious flavors. Try it sometime!
Update: Unlike other Haxe islands, there’s no Quippy in the common room on the Haxe version of Time Tangled, which means no store of exclusive items. 😟 Will the Creators add it in the future? We’ll have to see…
September is a special month on Poptropica because it’s the game’s birthday month! You may recall a guest post on the PHB about a “Poptropica Month” of videos hosted by Dimension Bros on YouTube. The Poptropica Creators’ Blog has joined in the fun by spotlighting the event’s kickoff video! Watch it here:
It’s not often the Poptropica Creators give a shout-out to fan creators on the official blog, but it’s always a nice surprise when they do! They’ve shared some fan art from the community (some for their official contests, and others just for fun), but the last time a fan video was highlighted might’ve been back in 2017 with Thinknoodles’ Poptropica Worlds videos.
Anyway, the Creators’ Blog post promises more festivities to come, saying, “Check back here for more from the Poptropica Creators to celebrate our birthday month!” There’s something to look forward to! 🎉
Whether or not you’ve ever made a Poptropica video before, you’re super welcome to join in on Poptropica Month. And stay tuned for more birthday celebrations!
Last but not least, the Pop Creators put out a question on their Instagram story this week, asking, “Do you play more games on your phone or on your computer?” If you’re on Instagram, you can let them know before the story disappears!
That’s all the tea we’ve got for you! Will you join us for Poptropica Month? Or Community Creations? (Our latest theme is “Masks”! 😷) What island do you want to see ported over to Haxe next? And have you tried bubble tea? Share your thoughts with us on the PHC Discord or in the comments below!
Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the August recap for Community Creations! August’s theme was Poptropolis GamesTribes (and the featured work is not in any particular order). Be sure to check out all the featured artists!
Hey!!! I’m in this one!!! *ahem* Potential biases aside, this banner design totally rocks. Featuring each one of the Tribe Representatives from our recent Tribal Tournament (which included current PHB authors as well as other community members), a display of pride for each tribe is shown in this piece. I love the respective color schemes, with each section containing a unique style (background, posing, expression, etc.). Insane detail and variety in such seemingly simple color blocking! Find her DeviantArt here.
Seraphim for the Win by happyclonetrooper
Oooh, this one is practically glowing! Practically… flying? The subtle lighting of the sun behind Maroon Ring, as well as the misty layering of the clouds, creates such an immersive environment. The colors and lineart are super clean, and I love seeing how the texture of the rock differs from the grass and trees. Plus, the square framing is quite unexpected! And yet the Poptropican is still able to feel as if they are leaping out at the viewer. Seraphim is lucky to have this artist on their team! Find her DeviantArt here or her Instagram here.
Wild Fire by Fierce Flyer
This submission has some pretty stunning lighting as well, wouldn’t you say? A simple composition, but effectively bold in its execution! The smooth movement and bright colors of the flames are quite an excellent display of Wildfire pride. And the jacket really makes FF look… well, fierce! The expression and setting make him appear ready for competition! Flameo! Find his DeviantArt here or chat with him on Discord.
Black Flags Costume by Greedy Shadow
Nice, I love a costume submission! We certainly saw an outstanding amount of Black Flags representation this year, huh? And for good reason! This outfit perfectly matches the dark/mysterious, yet powerful aesthetic of the tribe. And the setting of this overcast overhang just adds to that brooding theme! This costume was without a doubt well put together. Find them in the comment section!
The Poptropolis Games by Celeste (Purple Paw)
Another cool representation of all the tribes! Though we each are steadfast with pride for our individual teams, it is nice to see them come together in creations such as this. The composition features so many classic Poptropolis Games, er, games, but which one is your favorite? I love the diversity yet simultaneous unity among these scenes, along with the energy that they display. A fantastic submission! Find them in the comments section or on Discord as Purple Paw (and congratulate them on being the MVP for Round 2 of the tournament!).
Honorable Mentions
Black Flags by AdventurersNHunters
Wrestling by PegaKid2012
The Skull by PopKat
Joe Puddy in Yellowjackets by thehypercutter
Flying Squid Outfit by Magic Flipper
Going hand in hand with the PHB’s Tribal Tournament, this month was so much fun! From artwork, to trivia, to poems, and games, wasn’t it a blast? For the results of the tournament, along with a ton of other amazing Poptropolis Games Tribal artwork, be sure to check out our recap post.
September: 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 September’s theme? September’s theme is…
Masks!
During times like these, it is super important to wear masks and try our best to keep one another safe. But masks aren’t just hassle! They can be creative, fashionable, and fun to wear too. So why not bring something we all have in common to this month’s theme, and spread a little awareness along the way? This month is for all those super creative minds out there!
Poptropica has already gifted us with some in-store face masks (both fun and friendly), but do you have any cool mask designs for our Poptropicans to wear? In fact, your creations can really bend the limits on what “mask” really means. Maybe you want to take inspiration from Super Power Island and PoptropiCon and design your own masked Poptropican superhero! Maybe the masked Medicine Man from Shark Tooth Island deserves more fan art? Or maybe you could even design some DIY Poptropica themed masks for yourself IRL!
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, here’s the latest on the not-so- paradisiacal Paradise Island. (If you haven’t already seen them, catch up on our first and second updates so this post will make more sense.) As promised last time, we’ve got a beach party coming! 🏖
Your phone notifications will tell you there’s ice cream on the promenade—and there is, but it’s exactly the same as what’s been on Home Island all summer, so y’know, been there done that. A few new decorations show up on your island, but it’s nothing compared to the mystery blonde girl’s party from the previous day.
Also, despite the notification message, nothing special happens when you change your outfit, nor is there anything new in the surf shop. So let’s move on to the only other part of this beach party…
You’ll also be sent a new task to “play the head-2-head game,” and if you head down to the sandy shore, you’ll find a game of Balloons waiting to be played. You remember Balloons, Poptropica’s reverse Connect-4 two-player mini-game, right? It’s found its way here with a twist! 🎈
If you manage to get an opponent to play “The IslandPartyBalloons” (and it did take me a few tries to connect with someone), you’ll find that it’s not the gameplay that’s changed compared to the classic (which can still be played in common rooms). Instead, the scenery has gotten a beach remodel and the balloon colors have been altered, too! (Also, check out our Balloons Guide for tips.)
Balloons (beach edition)
Balloons (original)
Despite winning a game, that task never cleared up for me, so it looks like the Creators still have some work to do here. I also haven’t gotten any other new notifications or tasks on what’s coming up, so perhaps this is all for now?
🏅🏋️♂️ The Pop community has also been buzzing with excitement over our recently concluded 2020 Tribal Tournament, which ended with a party of our own—a grand old time in the ruins of Poptropolis. Catch the recap to find out which tribe reigns supreme, enjoy some good art, and more. Until next time~
Rise up, Poptropicans! It’s time to find out which tribe reigns supreme!
The PHB’s 2020 Tribal Tournament has come to an end, and it’s time to recap the results, which were also announced earlier at our closing ceremony. We hope those of you who came had as much fun at the party as we did! It was a great time mingling, cheering, and going head-to-head in different games — this time just for the sheer fun of it. 😉 Did you make it into the photo collage?
Above all, we’d like to thank those who participated with dynamism and unquestionable team spirit the whole way through. It sure was an exciting event and we couldn’t have pulled it off without you. Now, onto the results!
🔥 Creative Competitors 🎨
For our first round, which transpired throughout the entire event, it was all about art and creativity. Many Poptropicans sent in their written works, visual pieces, musical compositions, and more Poptropica-based fan creations!
We looked for effort, so players earned 10 points for their tribe for every creation they submitted. Here are the results:
Black Flags – 570
Wildfire – 240
Nanobots – 190
Flying Squid – 180
Nightcrawlers – 120
Seraphim – 40
Pathfinders/Yellowjackets – 30
Scroll down near the end to view the impressive Art Gallery of the Games, a selection of our favorite creations submitted for this event. So much good stuff!
🧠 Genius Games 💪
In Genius Games, there were three outlets to obtaining points which included: the Caption Contest, Tricky Trivia, and Trace That Place.
The Caption Contest was exactly what it sounds like. We provided a photo of a funky Poptropica scene and it was your task to come up with a caption that best captured the essence of the picture. There were entries that were witty, outright laughable, and some even brutal in their honesty. Here are the stats along with a collection of some of our favorites:
Wildfire – 170
Black Flags – 130
Nanobots – 110
Flying Squid – 90
Pathfinders – 30
Nightcrawlers/Seraphim/Yellowjackets – 0
by Kashews (Pathfinders)
by satanicswirlix (Black Flags)
by Zany Cheetah (Wildfire)
“Everyone once quarantine ends” – Tall Melon (Nanobots)
“Oh, this? Just a normal day in Poptropica.” – Incredible Fire (Wildfire)
For Tricky Trivia, team members worked together to answer 20 trivia questions (each worth 10 points) regarding Poptropica — both in and out of the game. Most were fairly simple, but a few were pretty challenging as well. Regardless, many tribes were able to get most, and even all, of them correct! (list in alphabetical order; not by score)
Black Flags – 200/200
Flying Squid – 190/200
Nanobots – 200/200
Nightcrawlers – 110/200
Pathfinders – 190/200
Seraphim – 50/200
Wildfire – 190/200
Yellowjackets – 0/200
Trace That Place was a scavenger-hunt-esque game where participants had to put their scenery observation skills to the test. There were 16 screenshots from various different islands, and it was up to the players to collaboratively figure out where they come from. Here are the results:
The final round captured the true essence of what makes Poptropica so great — completing Islands! In this case, the medallions from Poptropolis Games, Reality TV, and Reality TV: Wild Safari were the ones to go after. For each completion of an island, the tribe would earn 10 points. Here’s the list:
Black Flags – 1360
Nanobots – 340
Seraphim – 130
Flying Squid – 120
Pathfinders – 30
Nightcrawlers – 20
Wildfire – 20
Yellowjackets – 0
What a finish! As most of us know by now, Flash’s imminent fading by the end of 2020 means many of the islands will not be playable for much longer (unless the Creators bring them to newer tech). So competition or not, make the most of the moment and play the heck out of your favorite islands while you can!
🏁 Final Rankings 🏆
Ouch! Coming in at last place with a mere 30 points are the Yellowjackets. That must sting quite a bit. Looks like you’re gonna have to bee better next time, guys.
They may not have gotten the win, but at least they’re not last — it’s the Seraphim! 130 points are all for this tribe but don’t be discouraged, seraphs. Just keep on soaring!
6th place isn’t anything to write home about, but the Nightcrawlers‘ effort in and of itself is still worth celebrating. What you gonna do with those 400 points? Wiggle wiggle wiggle…
The Pathfinders couldn’t seek their way to the top this time, but it was one heck of a journey! At the top of the bottom, the navigators stand confident at 5th place with 480 points.
Here comes a green wave, and we’re not squidding, because snorkeling in at 4th place is the Flying Squid. Not half bad, guys!
Things are heating up as we boil down to the top three. The Wildfire finished off hot racking up a total of 780 points! Way to bring some fire to the competition!
*beep* *boop* And I oop! Don’t let these little crabs deceive you. Nanobots defeated all odds by coming in 2nd place and pulling in a solid 1000 points. That’s no easy feat, so kudos to you guys!
Arrr you mateys ready to find out who took home the treasure this year? You guessed it — it’s the rowdy and ruthless Black Flags!
Winning by an absolute landslide — with over double the amount of points of their successors — these scallywags have more than deserved their reign as champions until the next games. Ahoy!
Black Flags – 2420 (570 + 490 + 1360) 🥇
Nanobots – 1000 (190 + 470 + 340) 🥈
Wildfire – 780 (240 + 520 + 20) 🥉
Flying Squid – 740 (180 + 440 + 120)
Pathfinders – 480 (30 + 420 + 30)
Nightcrawlers – 400 (120 + 260 + 20)
Seraphim – 130 (40 + 50 + 40)
Yellowjackets – 30 (30 + 0 + 0)
3️⃣ Round III: Most Valuable Player 🏅
And for the last result of the tournament, we’d like to award Pegs (Muddy Kid) with the third week’s MVP prize! Thank you for your never-ending dedication, and congratulations on your membership! You’ve done the Nanobots proud, so enjoy every second of it and feel free to take your bow.
🖌 Art Gallery of the Games 🎨
You guys never cease to amaze us with all of your artwork. To celebrate that, we’re showcasing some of our favorite pieces from the event here for everyone to enjoy! (Click to view the full images.)
“Arachnohouse” by Celeste (Nightcrawlers)
by happyclonetrooper (Seraphim)
by IsaacEntertains (Nanobots)
by TheOfficialhypercutter (Yellowjackets)
by Magic Flipper (Flying Squid)
by pegs (Nanobots)
“Poptropolis Games” by Celeste (Nightcrawlers)
by meganf123456 (Wildfire)
by Strange Star (Wildifre)
by slimer (Black Flags)
“The Whole Gang” by slimer (Black Flags)
by Obi (tribe unaffiliated)
by PHB staffer, Gentle Dolphin (Seraphim)
And with that comes the end of the PHB’s second Tribal Tournament! It sure was a blast and we hope it was as fun for you as it was for us to host.
If you enjoyed engaging with other Poptropicans, chatting, and sharing artwork and all the shenanigans, you should totally stick around the Poptropica Help Chat on Discord. It’s always open and moderated to ensure a fun time for all!
🏝 Poptropica Help Blog 🗺 