Clubhouse, Home Island, Membership, Store

A Little Color In Your Summer: Pop Worlds Updates

Spotted Dragon

Hey everyone! Spotted Dragon here with a Poptropica Worlds summer update! And this one comes with a lot of big additions to the game that we’ve been waiting for.

popworlds summer update 1

I’ll start off with what everyone will be happy to hear about: the colorizer is here! This is a feature that many of us have missed and it’s one that was even listed in our first Pop Petitions post!

With it, you can color your hair and skin any way you see fit! Just like in Original Poptropica. Once you change colors, you won’t be able to go back to the exact tone you had when you first logged in, unless it’s included in the basic palette we’re provided, but either way this is a big step forward for our customizing possibilities.

popworlds summer update 4

The colorizer is located in the closet, but there is one big drawback: only members can pick any color they want. The rest of us can only pick colors from a small color palette. While the addition of the colorizer is great and everything, this puts a damper on the feature for most players.

Talking about changing colors, this isn’t the only update bringing color into our summer (or… not depending on where you live). We also get two new color changing outfits! There is a male and female version, but every player is able to buy both, no matter your gender! That’s great if I do say so myself.

popworlds summer update 5

Sadly, many accessories in these outfits are for members only. But they do look pretty cool! A Poptropican in the a full color changing outfit also shows up on Home Island, right outside your door, to tell you about the new things in the store. In addition to these color changing costumes, there are also new summer themed outfits in store! We’ve seen promises for these outfits before, but they haven’t shown up until now.

popworlds summer update 6

Crop tops and rompers, huh? These 8 brand new costumes have a very modern look to them. Anyway, all outfits are available to players of any gender too, which I’m glad to see is becoming a norm for Poptropica. Sadly, many of these outfits are completely members only.

I am a bit disappointed about all the membership restrictions, but I do like some of the new accessories. If only we could customize lips/mouths at this point too, right?

Lastly, we have one more summer update to share… a House Expansion! We’ve all seen the locked doors in our house and it’s finally time to unlock one of them. What lies behind the door you ask? A beach themed room, fit for summer! My apologies to those living where it’s not summer at the moment.

popworlds summer update 2

Personally, I was expecting these expansions to just be like the main room we already have. I was not expecting an entire theme! Anyway, to get into this room you have to first find the key. No, it’s not hidden somewhere where you’ll have to go on a quest to find it (which is a bit disappointing to be honest). The key is simply located in the Decor Shop, under the (you guessed it) key tab.

After unlocking the room, you also gain access to new beach themed decor! 19 new items should be available to purchase, marked in the store with a blue banner and key symbol. From pineapple wallpaper to windows with a palm tree view, there’s lots of new items to choose from.

popworlds summer update 3

Sadly, expansions are for members only. I saw this coming, but it (like the other membership restrictions) is super disappointing. I understand that Poptropica needs membership to earn money (and that membership needs to be worth buying), but I feel like regular players (like myself) are gonna be missing out on a lot.

With these summer updates, many players have been complaining about missing house decor and house resets. Even before this update, missing items have been a problem. But fear not!

According to Poptropica’s Twitter, this issue shouldn’t be a problem any more.

So how do you guys feel about these updates? Let us know in the comments below.

~SD

Clubhouse

Poptropica House Tour: Slanted Fish

Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans! It’s Slanted Fish here, and I’m kicking off a new series on the PHB: Poptropica House Tours! It’s exactly as it sounds – tours of player homes on Poptropica Worlds. If you’ve got an awesome house to show the world, I implore you to send in a guest post, and you could have your house seen by readers of the PHB!

Anyway, come on in! I’ve been spending a lot of coins on all sorts of house decor, and it’s making my space look pretty fun. So it’s about time to have some guests over!

When you first enter my house, you’ll notice a fish plaque hanging above the door, along with a fish tank to your right. It wouldn’t be Slanted Fish’s house without some remnants from the sea! I’ve also got a pool table and antlers in this hangout spot. Plus, the dresser should come in handy if you want to try on outfits from my closet!

Heading to the left side of this area, you’ll find more living room space to chill in. In addition to a gargantuan TV, there’s also a computer if you’d rather be entertained on a smaller screen. You can play Poptropica Worlds while in Poptropica Worlds? Uhh… weird.

Guests are welcome to the comically tiny black couch – or is it my plush red chair that’s comically large? Either way, that seat’s reserved. If you’d rather not be a couch potato, perhaps you’ll enjoy painting on the nearby easel, with the ram as your model.

If you’re feeling hungry, you can help yourself to food from the kitchen – no, don’t eat that thing… it’s a lamp, not a real hamburger. Sorry. Plenty of stuff in the fridge, though. How about some ice cream?

There’s also a dining area up here where you can sit and talk over delicious grub. The map of Poptropica islands, along with the Viking shield, has been known to inspire many a conversation about the various adventures that can be had on Poptropica.

As you might be able to tell, I like my plants… especially that Venus flytrap, which makes life a lot easier without flies floating around the food. Also, anyone here know how to play the piano? Maybe you could play a few tunes for us.

Ready for the third floor? Let’s take the rope up.

If anyone needs the restroom, here we are! The toilet itself is conveniently covered by a potted plant, which is about the best we can do until house expansions become a thing. There’s also a gilded bathtub in here – good for a nice soak. A couple of pictures hang on the walls, including this portrait of some old-fashioned guy I don’t know. He kind of looks like the governor on Skullduggery Island. Hey, it came in a nice frame, okay?

Finally, if you hop over to the left, you’ll find my bedroom. Here, of course, is a luxurious queen-sized bed to lay my fatigued adventurer body on every night. It’s also accompanied by yet another aquarium, some plants, and even some books for pleasure reading. Cozy!

And that concludes this house tour! I hope you enjoyed getting a look at my Poptropican’s home. I’d put up even more things that I’d bought, but there’s currently a glitch preventing more of my items from showing in the decor section, which is why I don’t have island trophies anywhere. Oh well.

As mentioned before in a Pop Petition post, it would be super cool to be able to interact with many of the objects in our house, instead of them merely sitting there. How awesome would it be to jump on our couches, water our plants, or snuggle in our beds?

Anyway, thank you for joining me on this house tour of Slanted Fish’s aquarium abode! If you’ve got a well-furnished house to share, click here to find out how you can write a post like this one and send it in as a guest post for the PHB for tons of Poptropicans to see.

See you next time on Poptropica House Tours!

~slantedfish

Reviews

PHB Review: The New New 24 Carrot Island (Worlds)

Purple Claw

24 carrot review

Haven’t ousted the Hare yet? Check out our 24 Carrot Island Guide (for Worlds).

Hey there, Poptropicans!

As you may have heard, a remastered version of the classic 24 Carrot Island was released on Poptropica Worlds not too long ago, making it the second island adventure on Worlds. And we’ve got to say, it’s a whole lot better than Crisis Caverns.

Here’s a short animation the Creators recently put out to highlight the new 24 Carrot:

24 Carrot Island was originally released in 2008 as the fourth island, then re-released as a SUI (sound-updated island) in 2013. Now, in 2017, it’s back for the third time, making it the New New 24 Carrot! It’s undergone some modifications, which we’ll be covering in this review. Warning: Spoilers ahead. (We suggest playing the island before reading on!)

With that out of the way, let’s get into the review of the New New!

Storyline & Characters

24carrotreview3

Since this is a remastered island, the plot of the adventure mostly keeps to the original story, with a few twists added into the mix.

The premise is this: You land on the island, and the mayor tells you that all the carrots have disappeared, causing financial disaster to the whole town. And guess what? You have to be the one who finds them! Yaay! 😀

So, as long as the thirsty carrot lovers cry over their precious vegetable gone missing, your investigation begins! If you’ve already played 24 Carrot on Poptropica Original, you know how it goes – but the Worlds versions comes with new surprises. Namely:

  • While the Movie Theater used to be a common room, it’s now been turned into a new space called the Carrot Museum, which displays various carrot trivia. (You can find it all on our 24 Carrot Guide.) It seems that such museums are going to be a staple feature of Worlds islands, as Crisis Caverns had its Visitor’s Center for similar displays as well.
  • The Carrot Museum is host to a new character named Rhonda, a carrot-crazy lady dressed in a big carrot suit. Possibly more nightmarish than the infamous Jersey Devil of Cryptids Island.
  • Various characters have new lines. The additional dialogue makes for a richer experience overall!
  • Some graphics have been improved. We’ll talk more about this in the Visuals section down below.
  • Remember how the lady in the diner gives you free milk in the original? Well, screw that, because she now wants tips! 😛
  • The diner doesn’t have a hair colorizer. Much sad. We want the Colorizer back!
  • Whiskers the cat is now trapped inside of a newly-added barn space, caged there as bait for catching Dr. Hare (why Dr. Hare would fall for cats, we have no idea).
  • A new character, a man named Maynard, is behind Whiskers’s disappearance. He’s an ex-minion of Dr. Hare’s who escaped from the factory.
  • To get the factory blueprints, you have to give Maynard a metal part that can be found just outside the factory.
  • There’s no Carrot Transporter in this reboot.
  • The Smelter Room is gone. Instead, when you fall, you end up at a part of the vents where you can pick up a pair of Drone Ears.
  • The final destruction of Dr. Hare’s rabbot looks quite different. We’ll get to that in the Gameplay section of this review.

We really like this mix of old and new. It feels familiar, yet it’s not the exact same package as before. It feels like just the right touch of nostalgia, yet also with various improvements made to contribute to a richer story with relatable, comical characters. The additions of Rhonda and Maynard make the experience more interesting, and it’s also great to see the original cast of characters turned into Worlds avatars.

Gameplay

24carrotreview1

This island is full of platforming and obstacle-dodging. From the flapping trapdoors of the pipe entrance to the boxes spitting out of factory machines, all the classic maneuvering mechanics are there. Again, those who’ve played the original version might find it familiar – and as a plus, there weren’t too many glitches to speak of.

The biggest difference is probably the new mini-game at the end of the island, the final showdown with Dr. Hare. In the original version, you moved the rabbot to hit four meteors, which would destroy the machine. In Poptropica Worlds, the rabbot sends mind-control droids down to earth, and you have to shoot at all twenty of them using a carrot cannon conveniently perched over the factory.

carrot3

Gameplay-wise, this change provides a bit of an extra challenge from the original. And story-wise, this change is significant. In the original, there isn’t quite enough to tell us what exactly motivates Dr. Hare to steal all the carrots and then run off to space, but in the Worlds version, we’re told that Dr. Hare wants to mind-control the entire planet from space. Now there’s a big motive!

Visuals (Art Direction)

24carrotreview4

Once again, the Poptropica artists prove their skill in crafting a stunning visual environment. It’s simply one of the best parts of Poptropica, and in this island remake, they’ve upped the ante and made things better than ever. Now, trees sway ominously in the background, the signpost weakly flashes “Rot Land,” and even the gas guy has a spiffy new cap. Little details here and there all help to immerse you into the story.

The lighting and shading is all well placed, and the color scheme really creates a dreary, but not completely hopeless mood. Just take a look at this sampling of snapshots below:

Check out those yellow and brown hues! Of course, the mood shifts drastically at the end of the island when all is made right again, and the bright blues really make you feel like you’ve turned the whole place around with your hard work. It’s all quite beautiful.

Keep up the good work, Poptropica artists and animators!

Verdict

From the re-interpreted story that mixes a perfect dose of nostalgia and novelty, to the combination of familiar and new gameplay elements, and of course, the well-placed artistic details to supplement the story, it’s clear that this remastered version of 24 Carrot is a wonderful and welcome addition to Poptropica Worlds.

Compared to the first Worlds island, Crisis Caverns, this island is definitely an improvement. Minor drawbacks are a few glitches and quite a bit of back-and-forth movement, but it’s still a step in the right direction. Our verdict: 4/5 carrot boxes.

24carrot-rating.jpg

Thanks for reading our review! We’re excited for what’s next in Poptropica Worlds, but we’re sure the kids from the factory – Shy Sky, Sleepy Bird, Magic Socks, and Crazy Comet – are just happy to be away from the crazy old Hare.

24 Carrot Diner: The Gang’s All Back! by SlantedFish on DeviantArt

Which version of 24 Carrot Island do you like best, the one on Poptropica Original or Worlds? Share your thoughts in the comments!

– the PHB team –

P.S. For the perspective of just one player, who lent his insights to this review, check out Purple Claw’s review originally posted on Clawtropica.

Contests, Livestreams, PHB Parties, Poppies

Recap: Poppies 2017 Winners and Party!

Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans!

Throughout this month on the PHB, we’ve been hosting The Poppies, our annual Poptropica community awards event. This is our third year of doing the Poppies, and as usual, it’s been a blast! From nominating to voting to partying, we’re grateful to celebrate the Poptropica community with you.

Even the Poptropica Creators showed interest in our Red Blue Carpet event!

The main event, which celebrated the Poppies winners and the PHB’s ninth birthday with a lively party on the PHC and Poptropica Multiverse rooms, has just wrapped up. Thanks to all who attended – can you find yourself in the recap collage above?

We see amazing costumes at every PHB event, but this year we really wanted to highlight some of our favorites. So, we’ve compiled a selection of some stand-out outfits from the Poppies attendees in the Multiverse rooms! Check out their snazzy suits:

best poppies outfits

Kudos to Red Crush, Greedy Shadow, Mia (aka Grumpy Cactus – she also won Best Poptropica Fansite alongside her friend LillySparkle$!), Sporty Boa (who almost died for his outfit!), and Spotted Lion! Y’all are looking especially fly on the blue carpet.

Of course, what you really wanna know is who won, right?! We announced all the winners via a livestream during the party, but in case you missed it, you can catch up on it below. The video contains commentary from several PHB authors – Brave Tomato (main host), Spotted Dragon, Silver Wolf, and Lucky Joker – as well as pics for each category and a breakdown of voting percentages via charts (to show how the other nominees fared).

Below the video, we’ll also list out all the winners and the second-place runner-ups.

And the Poppies go to…

A huge congratulations is in order for all the winners of this year’s Poppies!!

Winners should have received a printable paper Poppie trophy from us via email or social media, and nominees (those who made it to the voting round) have been given badges. Thanks to Spotted Dragon for creating these! If you earned a Poppies trophy or badge but did not get one, we may not have your contact info – if so, do let us know!

Here at the Poptropica Help Blog, we can’t stress enough how blessed we are to be able to write about something we love and have so many readers who keep up with our shenanigans. Whether we’re planning creative parties or putting together island walkthroughs, it’s a pleasure to play Poptropica alongside all of you.

So thank you. Thank you for being part of this community, in big ways or small ways, whether veteran or newbie. Thank you for seeing us to our 9th year – from 2008 to 2017, it’s been a pretty long journey, and it’s not over yet. Here’s to more to come!

We’ll see you next time on the blue carpet!

 ✨ Don’t stop poppin’! ✨

– the Poptropica Help Bloggers –

PHB Specials, Web Development

A Lifetime of Headers, Part II

Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans! Slanted Fish here.

As we celebrate the PHB’s upcoming 9-year anniversary with the Poppies this month, I thought it’d be interesting to look back on how far we’ve come in a visual way: our lifetime of site headers.

About 8 years ago, then-PHB “graphics guy” Codien released a post reminiscing all the headers that had gone up on the PHB over the life of the blog, many of them designed by himself. He has since moved on to other things, but the PHB has continued his practice of adorning the top of the site with a graphic that tells who we are.

This post is here to commemorate the many designs we’ve had since his post, and as it’s been 8 years, there are many! Most were designed by me, with some graphic assets from Poptropica mixed into most. Other contributors have also been credited on their respective headers. Hover over each image for captions, click to see in full-size, and enjoy!

July 2017
May 2017 (release of Poptropica Worlds)
March 2017
February 14, 2017 (Valentine’s Day)
December 2016 (winter)
December 2016 (holiday season)
October 2016 (Halloween)
August 2016 (PHB Tribal Tournament)
July 2016
July 2016 (PHB Poppies 2016)
April 1, 2016 (Pop Help Vlogs prank)
March 31, 2016 (Pop Help Vlogs prank)
December 2015 (winter)
November 2015
July 2015 (first Poppies)
April 2015
February 14, 2015 (Valentine’s Day)
December 2014
November 2014 (Arabian Nights Island recently released)
November 2014 (winter)
October 2014 (Realms contests hosted by Poptropica Creators)
October 2014 (Halloween)
August 2014 (PoptropiCon Island released)
May 2014
February 2014 (Monster Carnival Island released)
December 2014 (holiday season)
November 2013 (Poptropolis Games Island rises again)
October 2013 (Halloween)
August 2013
June 2013
May 2013 (Virus Hunter Island released)
April 2013 (Back Lot Island released)
April 2013 (Back Lot Island released)
February 14, 2013 (Valentine’s Day)
January 2013 (Poptropolis Games Island sinking)
January 2013 (Zomberry Island released)
December 2012
December 2012 (winter holiday season)
October 2012 (Halloween) – created by MT
September 2012 (Super Villain Island released)
July 2012 (PHB’s 4th anniversary)
July 2012
July 2012
December 2011 (winter) – created by Bluorang
April 2011 – created by Frostdragon
December 2010 (holiday season) – created by Metsfan21
November 2010 (American Thanksgiving)
November 2010 – created by MT
October 2010 (Halloween)
October 2010 (Spirit Day) – created by Frostdragon
September 2010 – created by MT
August 2010 – created by Blooberry
August 2010 – created by MaroonFire23
July 2010
July 2010 – created by Frostdragon
July 4, 2010 (American Independence Day) – created by Frostdragon
June 2010 (World Cup)
May 2010 – created by Coderkid
November 2009 – created by Coderkid

Well, there you have it! PHB’s headers from 2009 onwards. Don’t forget to catch Part I here, which in addition to Codien’s brilliant designs, includes my awkward attempts at a header from when I first created the blog in 2008.

How many of them were you around to see? Which ones did you like most? Do you feel like the designs have improved over the years? (I personally do.) Share your thoughts and feedback in the comments!

Thanks for sticking with the PHB. Here’s to many more years.

Keep on popping,

~/🐠