Pop 5

Pop 5: Scariest costumes/items

LJ

Ghostly greetings, Poptropicans! 👻 It’s Lucky Joker creeping in with a fang-tastic little treat for you all. Today, I’ll be presenting the top 5 scariest costumes/items in Poptropica (based on my personal opinion) and explaining why. Grab your teddy bear and hug it tight because it’s about to get frightening… mwahaha! Let’s get into it!

#5: Skull Pirate

Aarrr! Coming in at the number five spot is the bone-chilling, spine-tingling Skull Pirate costume!

In widespread culture, pirates are known to be barbaric, fearsome, and menacing criminals who will stop at no cost to obtain valuable items or properties – so they’re already pretty scary as it is. Remove all flesh from the face and they become even scarier. Seeing a bare skull as opposed to the normal Poptropican face we’re used to is quite unsettling. Shiver me timbers!

#4: Cyclops

Moving on to number four… we have the Cyclops costume!

This is probably one of the freakiest costumes in the game, period. Just look at it! That gigantic bloodshot eye, the pointy fangs, the unusual green skin – this thing is something I’d for sure never want to run into. And that large wooden club in his clutches doesn’t help either.

I believe this costume has the potential to be in the top 3 (or even number one!) on this list. However, the sluggish face expression takes a away from the scare factor just a bit, so at number four it will stay.

#3: Creepy Puppet

Yikes! Take a look at the Creepy Puppet – the number three spot!

Have you ever watched Dead Silence, Child’s Play, or Triloquist? Well this is Poptropica’s resident murderous doll, and it’s just as terrifyingly eerie. The thought of a toy coming to life – especially one with such a deranged and jarring grin – I’m sure makes everyone’s blood run cold.

#2: Zombify/Pale Zombie

Hide your brains! Back from the dead in second place are these zombified monstrosities! Get ready for an apocalypse…

Zombies are one of the most mainstream monsters in pop culture today, so it makes sense that they’ve made their way into the online world to begin invading Poptropica. The horrifying faces on these guys can send anyone running way in the opposite direction. Both green and pale versions are equally as shriek inducing and definitely deserve this high placement on the list. I’d say they’re number one material if it weren’t for…

*BEEP* We interrupt this message to showcase a few honorable mentions before I reveal my top pick.

Honorable Mentions:

…And now, for the scariest costume in all of Poptropica…

#1: Birthday Candle

The 11th Birthday Candle! Aaah! What is it?! Haha, I’m kidding… that was just a Halloween prank. They don’t call me Lucky Joker for no reason. 😉 Onto the real number one…

#1: Bog Monster

…the Bog Monster!

Okay, this costume is petrifying in virtually every conceivable way, my goodness. Poptropica really tried scaring kids with this one. The slimy, swampy texture, wide grimace, and eyes that look like they’re gonna pop out and land on your lap at any second just make me want to retch. I mean, this costume is straight up nightmare fuel, and that’s why it’s here at number one!

So, what did you think of my list? Anything I missed? I’d love to hear your opinions so leave them down in the comments if you dare. I hope you enjoyed. Pop on and stay spooky! 🦇

– Lucky Joker 🍀

Sneak Peeks

A berry bitsy sneak peek…👀

LJ

Hey, Poptropicans, it’s LJ again! No need to feel blue, because I’ve got a sneak peek for you! Yep, that’s right — a small but exciting peek into Poptropica’s latest project: the return of Zomberry Island.

This just in — a screenshot of what appears to be a new minigame for the  soon-to-be-reborn island was posted to Poptropica’s Instagram, @poptropicacreators. Take a look!

Seriously, every time we get a new sneak peek for an upcoming island release (or in this case, re-release), I’m always excited. Zomberry was never my favorite island or anything, but I’ve always enjoyed it — and this looks like it’s going to be a decently fun game. I particularly like this 8-bit, retro style too.

Poptropica says to keep our eyes out for more artwork “sooooon” and that’s definitely what I’ll be doing!

What other types of sneak peeks would you like to see? What are your expectations for the upcoming Zomberry Island coming back from the undead? Leave your comments below, and stay tuned to the PHB as our Halloween Costume Contest and Community Creations for this month continue.

Thank you for reading as always. Talk to you guys in the next one… pop on!

– Lucky Joker 🍀

Advertisements, Fan Art Features, Social Media

Artsy compacts and spooky costumes!

LJ

What’s up, Poptropicans? It’s Lucky Joker here coming at you with some good ole popping news.

First up, we got an artist spotlight over on Poptropica’s social media. The artwork to grace the screen this time is once again by iLee-Font — one of my favorite artists. Well deserved and a perfect piece for the season! 🎃🍂 I really appreciate Blue Tooth’s efforts in promoting fanart lately.

Also on the Poptropica Creators’ Blog and Instagram, Blue Tooth shared a kooky collection of costumes to inspire anyone still searching for their ideal look for Halloween.

Most of them are exact copies from old costume cards, but they’re still pretty cool. My personal favorite is Wild Runner’s costume, which is more original than most of the others. It kind of looks like something you’d see in one of The Purge movies, haha.

Lastly, there’s an advertisement for Polly Pocket accessible via the island map. To play the game and win some prizes, head on in and talk to Polly standing in the front.

Get ready for a major Shrink Ray Island flashback because things are about to get big. It’s time to shrink! The object is simple: find all ten of the compacts in the allotted time of three minutes.

Once you do, you’ll be rewarded with three stylish Polly Pocket outfits (Polly, Lila, and Shani!) and an awesome Polly Shrink Power! It’s like the Minimizer and Shrink Ray Gun in one, but even better because it’s free! (Definitely consider picking this up if you’re missing out on one of these cool powers.)

Well, that’s it for news for now… but the fun doesn’t end there. Don’t forget to participate in our festive events here on the PHB — like our 11th annual Halloween Costume Contest and/or this month’s Community Creations!

Thank you all for reading and I’ll talk to you guys soon. Pop on!

– Lucky Joker 🍀

Creators

Artist interview with creator Abigail Grigg, and that friends thingamajig

Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans! Remember Abigail Grigg?

Abigail is a Poptropica artist who’s designed many of the newer things you see on Poptropica, like the monthly new store items and creatures from Reality TV: Wild Safari. She’s also working on the upcoming Zomberry Island content.

Here on the PHB, we recently featured a Pop Portfolio of her work. (Fun fact: She’s also known by her online name, Zukitz!) Now the Creators are joining in by having recently hosted a Q&A with Abigail, which we’re sharing below, with a few grammatical fixes (you can see the original on the Creators’ Blog).

Q: How long have you worked on Poptropica?

A: This month actually marks my first year working for Poptropica. I was hired as an intern last October and then pulled on for fulltime work this earlier this year. It’s been a big year filled with lots of learning and fun opportunities.

Note: This piece is one of Abigail’s personal artworks, unrelated to Poptropica.

Q: Do you have a favorite Poptropican? How about a favorite Island?

A: I have a lot of love for Amelia. I love adventurous female characters, especially when they’re wearing goggles and aviator gear.

I might be biased but I really love Reality TV 2. Not only is my first island to have worked on, but I have a lot of love for animals and the safari aesthetic. I love running around and seeing all the animals and landscapes, and I was extremely excited when I heard about the idea and what it entailed.

Q: What kind of artwork do you make when you’re not working on Poptropica?

A: My personal artwork is a mixed bag of various styles and ideas, it’s a bit of a mess. I’ve got a webcomic called “King and Lionheart” that I’m constantly working on. I also love creating characters and creatures, so I tend to spew all sorts of new designs when the inspiration strikes. I’m also working on my own personal indie game with a team of colleagues. I have tons of ideas that I like to mess around with, and there isn’t enough time in the world for me to tackle it all. (Editor’s note: You can read “King and Lionheart” on its website, which the Creators’ Blog decided not to link to.)

Q: What’s your advice for young artists who’d like to go pro?

A: Experiment and try new stuff! I spent most of my time in art school trying out various disciplines, softwares, mediums, and styles. It’s through trying out different things did I discover my love for storytelling, game development, and illustration. I went to school wanting to become the next Disney animator only to realize that animation wasn’t my passion, and instead found interest in other mediums. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and get messy with new things, it’s the best way to learn what you’re into and what you don’t want to do.

Want to see more of Abigail’s cool Poptropica designs? Check out her Pop Portfolio here on the PHB!

Also on the Creators’ Blog this past week, Blue Tooth made a little guide for the new friends pages. Here you can see the fun features, new or revamped, in the 2019-redesigned version of Poptropica friends. Newer features include likes, stickers, a message board, and photo board. As Blue Tooth explains:

Despite the new shiny stuff, Poptropicans have been commenting on what’s been lacking with friends ever since the major overhaul it received early this year. Any veteran Poptropican looking at Blue Tooth’s guide, replete with its wittily captioned screenshots, can see what’s missing from before:

  • The ability to add friends by username and see all your friends’ profiles listed. Blue Tooth herself mentions that “no one’s liked my page, yet” (sorry to bring it up, BT)—but if she were to share her username, and if we could add friends by username, you could bet the face of Poptropica’s social media would be lined up with likes. Plus, you can only see about 10 of your friends listed at a time, so even if you had her added, you might not ever find her profile!
  • Where did the Photo Booth go? Recently, the Photo Booth disappeared from its spot on Home Island, which is why BT doesn’t have any pics to show us there. Other players who’ve made photos before, and who saved them on their new profiles, should still have them.
  • Some customization is for members only. Those fun “bunny swag” (and other swag) stickers and colorful background wallpaper? Members only. Non-members only get to change a measly little mood icon beside their name. 😦
  • Which islands have been completed by this player? Calling it the “clout meter,” Blue Tooth’s post does show that the island completion stats are still there, but some Poptropicans miss the old display, where one could scroll through a long collection of medallions and see exactly which ones had been won by the player in question.
  • No more Multiverse. While replaced by the Clubhouse, it’s hard to access if you can’t find the friend whose clubhouse you want to visit.

This could turn into another Pop Petition post, so let’s end it here for now. Blue Tooth assures us that “Friending and the Profile WILL be coming to mobile in the near future,” and that, if you have ideas for what else you’d like to see on the profile page, you should leave a comment on the blog.

Anyway, that’s all for this post! Leave your thoughts, questions, and suggestions in the comments, enter your Poptropica Halloween costume into our contest if you haven’t yet, and we’ll see you next time.

Stay friendly, Poptropicans! ✌️

Zomberry Island

Return of the Zomberries

Gentle Dolphin

Hello, boys and ghouls! This is Gentle Dolphin bringing you the latest Poptropica news.

Ever since the big island purge last summer, we have been wondering when the classic islands would return to Poptropica. Just a few weeks ago, a “Flashback Friday” post gave us a glimmer of hope for one of Poptropica’s spookiest adventures. Now, a recent post by Blue Tooth has confirmed what we have been suspecting:

Zomberry Island will be coming back!!!

zomberrytease

QUARANTINE BREACH, POPTROPICANS!!

This is your EXCLUSIVE FIRST ALERT that Zomberry Island will be coming back with an all-new experience later this year!! Keep your eyes right here on the blog for upcoming previews, artwork, and more as our team works on a totally new level based on the classic Zomberry Island!

Awesome, right? After months of anticipation, we finally have our first returning island! There is quite a bit to unpack in this post, so let’s take it bit by bit so we can know what to expect.

Although the release date has not been confirmed, the post says that Zomberry Island will be coming back sometime later this year. It might not be October like we were all hoping, but the island will definitely be back before the end of 2019.

The most intriguing statement is that there will be a brand new level based on the classic island. Does this mean that the Creators are adding more content to Zomberry Island? If so, then this would be the first sound-updated island (SUI) to not be a straightforward adaptation of the original. (Unless you count 24 Carrot Island, which was redone for Poptropica Worlds.) Will other classic islands be given more content, as well? There’s a lot to think about here.

This whole idea to make more Zomberry content is not entirely new. Back in 2016, the Daily Pop showcased some concept art for a few possible Zomberry Island-themed minigames; you can read more about them in these “PHB Sneak Peeks” posts right here. Anyway, could this new level be inspired by one of these unfinished minigames? We’ll have to wait and see if that’s the case. 

Before the outbreak strikes again, you can prepare yourself by playing the original Zomberry Island via idk’s Old Island Directory. Don’t forget to check out our Zomberry Island Guide if you need help finding key clues and avoiding pesky zomberries.

Are you excited to stop the Zomberry plague a second time? How do you feel about the idea of the Creators adding more content to the old islands? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Thank you for reading, and have a good day! 

—Gentle Dolphin🐬