🏝️ Poptropica Help Blog 🗺️

This is the My Place in Poptropica story of Super Grape, who loves adventuring on Poptropica islands and discussing her favorite villains. See the bottom of this post for details on sending in your own MPIP!

2009-2010 | The Start of Something New

It was June 5th, 2009, the last day of school, so our teacher let us go to the computer lab for a fun day. While I was looking for a fun game to play on the computer, I noticed one of my friends was playing this intriguing game. I had never seen anything like it – the animation was great and it looked like my friend had this character on the screen following an arrow. I wanted to know the name of the game my friend was playing, so I asked her, and she told me: “Poptropica”.

I thought it was a weird name for a game, but I wanted to try it out anyway because it looked fun! I asked my friend how to get there, and she told me exactly how to find it. First I went to Funbrain, which is an educational kids’ site, then I saw the Poptropica logo and clicked on it. It took me right to the blue screen with blue vines we know and love, and then, of course, two blue buttons popped up.

My friend told me to select “new player”, so I clicked it. Then it asked if I was a boy or a girl, so I clicked girl. Next it asked my age, and I clicked 11, and then lo and behold, this person came out of the small wooden box like magic! The name of my person came up as Super Grape, and she looked great.

I then started to play around for a bit with the person, and started to get the hang of the game on my own. I learned that I could travel across to different islands, I could collect island medallions, and even enter common rooms to chat with other players who also played the game. That’s when I realized that Poptropica wasn’t just a fun game, but also a really great experience that changed my life – the start of something totally new for me!

I must admit though, if it wasn’t for my friend, I probably wouldn’t have discovered Poptropica in the first place. I started playing Poptropica more often from that day on, but somehow I had forgotten all about it by the following year.

2010-2011 | Favorite Villains

Somehow, in the summer of 2010, I was able to find Poptropica again. I then made a commitment to myself to finish all islands and to get every island medallion.

The first island I was finally able to complete was Super Power Island. That’s where I got my signature look, the blue superhero outfit my Poptropican wears on a daily basis. I change into different outfits for special days or on costume-themed islands like PoptropiCon, but I wear my blue superhero outfit regularly, because it really brings out the “Super” part of my Poptropican’s name (Super Grape). Also, blue is my favorite color.

As I started to focus on completing the other islands, it was during one of those islands quests that I discovered my favorite Poptropica villain of all time – a weird bunny character. He’s also the first villain in Poptropica, whose name I learned later on as I played through the 24 Carrot Island quest: Dr. Hare! I don’t know why, but for some reason I really like how he’s dressed. I also love that he has made many appearances in Poptropica, like when he appeared on Reality TV Island, or when he appeared as a plush toy on CJ’s bed in Shrink Ray Island, and of course, we can’t forget about his return in Super Villain Island.

I also have a theory that Dr. Hare might have been inspired by a Batman villain named Javis Tech aka The Mad Hatter, who also used mind control technology, along with mind controlling hats to make people do what he wanted – just like Dr. Hare!

My second favorite Poptropica villain would probably be Binary Bard. When I first encountered him on Astro-Knights Island, he reminded me of Cyborg from the cartoon Teen Titans. He and Cyborg were both humans before they become cyborgs, they both have red eyes, and are both very smart. Anyway, I continued to play Poptropica for a while and completed every island during that summer.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to vote when the Creators held a Poptropica Villain Contest on the official blog, because I was busy with school and completing the islands. However, I did learn that Binary Bard won 1st place with Dr. Hare in 2nd place! Dr. Hare may not have won the contest, but if he had to win any award, it would probably be for being the most popular villain in Poptropica because people have made lots of fanart of him. And who wouldn’t like a villain who’s dressed up in a pink bunny rabbit suit and loves carrots? So congratulations Dr. Hare, I think you’re the most popular villain in Poptropica.

2011-2012 | New & Exciting Adventures

The following year, I was surprised to find that new islands had appeared on Poptropica, waiting for me to explore and start collecting medallions again. I quickly got to work on completing the brand new islands that had suddenly appeared while I was away from Poptropica, and I was away because I had been really busy with school.

Every brand new island was just another exciting adventure waiting to happen! With Wild West Island, I had to chase down a wanted criminal, and also got to become a marshal. Red Dragon Island was based off a beloved kids book series, The Magic Tree House, and in it I had to travel back to ancient Japan and learn the ways of the ninja to save Jack and Annie. Another great island was Wimpy Wonderland Island, which was the first island that was based off of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney.

Out of all the islands I’ve played on Poptropica, they are all pretty great. But if I had to pick a favorite, it would be Astro-Knights Island, because it has a great storyline, it takes you into outer space, and it features a robotic owl that’s named after a famous wizard! All of the islands in Poptropica are very cool, but Astro-Knights Island will always be my favorite.

In November of 2011 I finally got membership, and Legendary Swords had come out. I just had to play it, because everyone in my class was talking about it, and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. So I bought the card with membership and started to play it, and I have to admit it was pretty awesome! I mean, you find a sword in a stone! You use the sword to fight evil robots, who work for a mysterious Poptropican named E.Vile.

In the end you face a big robot, but E.Vile never really showed himself (besides the hologram) – he never comes out to fight you in the quest. So who exactly is this E.Vile? I That’s the big question everyone is asking in Poptropica.

There are multiple theories, one theory is that he’s Omegon from PoptropiCon, who also has bots working for him, but I myself have a theory that E.Vile could be Mordred’s father! It would explain why they both like to use robots as minions, and they look very similar. Not to mention that they both want to take over the universe and Poptropica! In fact, maybe E.Vile helped Mordred, and that’s how he got back to Poptropica, before he was captured by Zeus, and was taken to Super Villain Island only to end up in a sleeping chamber.

We may never know for sure who this E.Vile is, but one thing is for sure – he’s evil, and that’s literally in his name.

2016 and Beyond | Still in the Game

These days I still play Poptropica, but not as often because I have school. I have completed the most recent islands, and PoptropiCon was a pretty good one as of late. Episode 3 (Reign of Omegon) felt like it was based off the newly released Avengers movie (Age of Ultron).

Galactic Hot Dogs Island was also fun because it’s based off of a kids’ comic book series. Escape From Pelican Rock was a good island, and it reminded me of Muppets: Most Wanted, where Kermit is framed because he looks like another character who’s the real villain. Monkey Wrench Island was good, because it explains how we get the blimp.

I still enjoy Poptropica and hope it will be around for years to come. If I had to make one adjustment, though, it would be to get rid of the arrow that controls the Poptropican, because I think experts of Poptropica would already know how to control the Poptropican without it. However, I would keep the arrow around for the beginners, until they get the hang of it.

Who knows, maybe one day the Creators will make a island that combines all of the islands into one big island! But as awesome as that would be, I would rather have a Star Wars Island.

Thanks for listening to my story!

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Hope you enjoyed this “My Place in Poptropica” story! Feel free to send in your own (please include a minimum of 550 words, type with good spelling and grammar, divide it into labeled sections, and include your username). Click here to read more MPIPs, and look out for more in the future!

~the PHB.

Stolen Snapshots

Stolen Snaphots on the PHB!

April 30, 2016May 29, 2016 Slippery Raptor

Hey guys, Slip here! Say cheese!

snapshots

Remember Stolen Snapshots, which originally premiered on my blog?

I’ve finally decided to move Stolen Snapshots from my (Slippery Raptor’s) Blog to the PHB! I believe that Stolen Snapshots will be a great addition to this blog, and it’ll be a great chance to interact with community members!

What’s going to happen is that every month on the PHB, I’ll be featuring 5-10 mystery snapshots. They will always be posted at the end of the month.

Stolen Snapshots is basically a hide-and-seek game that tests your knowledge of Poptropica scenery, and it’s up to you to guess where each picture is from! To explain a bit further, here are the mechanics of the game:

You are only allowed to have 1 answer for each picture. You may leave your guesses in the comments of the post or the PHB’s Stolen Snapshots page.
If the answer is wrong, you can try and comment again.
There are 5 winners each month, to be featured in the next post.
Anything unrelated to the snapshots will not be accepted.
Of course, enjoy the game!

With no further ado, here are the snapshots up for guessing this month! (Click to enlarge the images!)

Stolen Snapshots: April 2016

Make sure to check back next month to see if you made it to the Top 5! All of the winners will get a chance to be immortalized on the Stolen Snapshots page, right here on the PHB!

Now’s the time to show off your sleuthing skills on the PHB, and I formally announce that you can begin guessing in 3…2…1… GO!

-Slippery

Giant Hawk Adventures, Hellos & Goodbyes, Poptropica: Legends

Giant Hawk’s Adventures: The Final Update

April 29, 2016August 2, 2018 gianthawkpoptropica

Greetings Hawk-tropicans! This is Giant Hawk speaking, and personally, I’d say that there is no better way to start off this post than with a metaphor. I think it’ll explain everything I’ll be saying its own way. Here it is:

Life is, in a way, like a book. You start it having no idea where it will carry you. Like any good book should, it’ll lead through good times and bad, and by the end, you hopefully won’t want to put it down. But once in a while, that book will start a new chapter. Said chapter will run its course, and when it’s done, the following chapter will never be the same. And regardless of how much you may want to go back, you cannot relive that previous chapter the same way again. You can remain in the past, halting your storyline’s progression, or you can continue reading, page by page, awaiting something, whenever it comes, that is just as new and exciting.

Does that make sense? Hopefully, it will in time. For now, I won’t beat around the bush anymore. Let’s get straight into my announcements.

GHArtSketchFromMasterPinpey

Thanks to Master Pinpey for this sketch.

First off, the Giant Hawk Adventures will not be continuing. I know that a lot of you are hyped for it, and I do feel sorry for having to break the news, but I just can’t write the stories properly anymore.

Why, you may ask? The main reason is time. Yes, I understand in my mind what a lot of the events in the GHA would have been. But it takes a lot of time to go through making multiple drafts of these stories, and honestly, they are long. That’s why I originally decided to split them into around six to twelve chapters per book. But even then, these chapters would be very lengthy on their own.

GHArtInTheParkSketchByCrafty

Thanks to Crafty Poptropiqueen for this sketch.

Simply put, I wouldn’t be able to sit down for long periods of time and write them. Between high school, friends and family, my role in local theater, and my personal writing career, I can no longer find the time.

So, for that, I apologize deeply to all of you. I made the decision to create a full-pledged series without fully comprehending what the effects, time-wise, would be in my life.

GHArtGiantHawkByAirRaptor

Thanks to air-raptor for this drawing.

There is a consolation to all of this, though. If you don’t remember, the GHA was going to be linked continuity-wise to the up and coming role playing game Orb Legend, a project headed by the PHB’s own Andrew Wiles aka HPuterpop.

Because of this, the stories of the two have become intertwined in ways that Andrew and I are still surprised by. That is why I will not be leaving my role as story developerfor the production of Orb Legend, and in fact, I will be carrying many important GHA plotlines to the foreground of the game.

GHArtReVeampedProfilePictureByCrafty

Thanks to Crafty Poptropiqueen for this drawing.

I don’t want to spoil too much, but you will actually be able to play the story of what the GHA’s finale would have been in the game itself! Best yet, you’ll do so not as Meridian Sinker, HPuterpop’s character, but as Gryffin Hawke himself! If you haven’t yet, check out Gryff’s sprite for the game, as shown below.

GHArtSpriteForOrbLegend

Thanks to HPuterpop for this sprite.

Now, there is one more piece of news I have to share with you all before I end this post. This may seem sudden, but I have been contemplating this for quite a while. And after making my decision and discussing it with the rest of the PHB staff, I have chosen that it is time that I formally retire my position as author on the Poptropica Help Blog.

As I mentioned previously, I have become increasing busy in terms of my offline life this year. School, family matters, friends, and a hopefully budding career. Simply put, I no longer have the proper time to dedicate to this amazing blog and the community around it.

Fishy-GHandMeriwether

Thanks to Slanted Fish for this drawing.

Now, I must clarify something quickly. I have discussed my decision to leave personally with my brother Paul, aka Ultimate iPad Expert, and he has confirmed that he will not be leaving the blog. He will continue to stay with you all, hopefully for years to come; a choice I am completely fine with. He has made a connection with this community that I cannot properly make anymore, so I wish him the best of luck in the future.

Of course, the hardest part of this decision is regarding the people here I have grown to respect, care for, and admire. I most certainly have met a great number of amazing people during my stay here. People with great imagination and a lot of talent. People like the entirety of the authors on the Poptropica Help Blog, CraftyPoptropiqueen, DJ-Rosietta, Cyber-Girl920, Popular Wolf, Dangerous Eye, Tall Cactus, Anne14tco, TechnoBunny16, MasterPinpey, Air-Raptor… The list is truly endless. I wish you all great luck in the days ahead.

GHArtChristmas2015ByDJRosietta

Thanks to DJ-Rosietta for including me in this drawing.

So as I go, I want to wish you all a very sincere thank you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and for this blog. Without you, none of this would be possible, and I am nothing but proud of how this community has grown. And if you have anything you wish to say to me, or if you have a question, feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you all for your time, your friendship, and your loyalty.

GHArtBootsSketchByCrafty

Thanks to Crafty Poptropiqueen for this sketch.

Until we meet again…

— Giant Hawk

Bonus Items

Feats of Speed, Week Two: I’m Red-dy, I’m Red-dy!

April 28, 2016April 28, 2016 Spencer

Wihi folks, Cobalt here!

635801054934460766-1715947725_tumblr_m9mrd7SCdZ1rcqnnxo1_r1_500

Man, last week sure sped by fast! 😉 What’s the prize this week?

speedysam

If you’re slow (wink), you wouldn’t have been able to tell my sneak peek post pretty much proves each week’s prize will be a different colored pair of running sneakers.

Anyway, meet Speedy Sam(wow5) on Home Island by his treadmill, and you’ll soon be met with another race. This time, it’s on Arabian Nights Island in the thieves’ lair! The race is a tad harder, but I still beat him on my first try, so odds are you can too. 😛

Screenshot at Apr 28 17-03-32.png

And of course, the walking effect is re-colored as well.

If you also play on the Poptropica app, you’ll be happy to know you can now race Speedy Sam there as well! The update is available for iOS and Android devices.

drhareraces

Have fun with the sneakers and keep running, Poptropicans!

-Cobalt

StoryArc Media, Web Development

Brand New and a New Brand

April 25, 2016May 9, 2016 Ultimate iPad Expert

Heyyo Poptropicans, it’s Ultimate iPad Expert here. I know I just posted today’s PMFM (which you should totally check out, btw (shameless self-promotion)), but Poptropica has just announced some really big news.

We’ve all been wondering for a while what Poptropica has been up to, and it seems we now have an answer. Later this year (when exactly, they have not said), a brand new Poptropica is going to be released! New and improved, as they say.

shoeAnimate

But what are these changes, you may ask? Well, the Creators are still pretty secretive, but they revealed a few details on their blog:

– New look! The new Poptropica will still be Poptropica, but it’ll be improved. Newer! Shinier! More features, more options, more FUN — on a new app and a new website!

– New avatar! We’re exploring new designs, new movements, and new looks for the Poptropican avatar. Don’t worry, the essential elements that make a Poptropican a Poptropican will still be there! But we’ll change things up a bit — in a really good way.

– New stories! We’ll be bringing you new stories for your Poptropican to experience! And we’re exploring the idea of a unified story that connects all of Poptropica in a way that we’ve never done before. I know that sounds pretty mysterious, but that’s all I can say for now…

– New stuff! Like SHOES! And pets! And so much more!

– New social experience! We’re developing a way for Poptropicans to have a fun and safe social experience within Poptropica. It’s going to be awesome.

I’m especially looking forward to the unified story element. Bringing all of the islands and characters into one awesome universe. And, of course, the prospects of a new social experience is really awesome.

I’m super excited to see where all of this goes. I know some people may be skeptical, and frankly I am too, but this really could be something awesome. Really it is just a lot to handle. 😛

That being said, Poptropica wants to have what you want. They’ve been reaching out to us, the Poptropica Help Blog, to tell us they want to hear your feedback on things they’re working on. Over the coming months, the Creators will be revealing more details about this new Poptropica and we’ll be ready to share that information with you when the time comes. If you like or dislike something, feel free to comment on our PHB posts and let your voices be heard! The Creators do sometimes read and respond!

Do stay tuned to the PHB for more details on not only the new Poptropica, but more updates in the future.

–

In other news, the minds behind Poptropica themselves have created a new parent company to encompass the many different properties they have created (namely Poptropica, Funbrain, and Galactic Hot Dogs).

StoryArc is their new company. I’ll let their site description speak a little more about themselves:

Storytellers. Entertainers. Educators. Creators. Put them all together, and you’ve got StoryArc Media.

At StoryArc Media, we create fun, engaging, interactive experiences that light up kids’ faces and brains. Every day and all around the world, kids enjoy our online games, mobile apps, books, and more, including Poptropica, Funbrain, Galactic Hot Dogs, and Mystery of the Map.

Parents and educators think we’re pretty cool, too, because while StoryArc Media creations are oodles of fun, they also educate and reward players. And our online games and apps for kids under 13 carry the KidSAFE seal, so adults can be assured that children are exploring in a safe environment.

StoryArcTeam

The newly created StoryArc Media website (www.storyarc.media) contains a list of the main team leaders, including a few familiar faces. The newly formed company is headed by Jen MacLean as the President and CEO. Jeff Kinney himself is the chief creative officer of the company, as well. They stated the following in regards to the company:

StoryArc Media is the realization of our storytelling history and extension of the success of our many gems – including Poptropica and Funbrain – with an ample dose of hilarity, respect, and learning, that children love and parents and teachers value. From a brand perspective, StoryArc gives us a solid platform to expand our storytelling to every touch point – school, home and on the go – and seamlessly weave our fans’ favorite characters and stories across the platforms of today and tomorrow.

-Jen MacLean

Our brands are a springboard for kids to explore the world around them and to develop their imagination and creativity. We know reading for fun is the secret to growing a life-long reader and that content today is being consumed across all media – print, digital, and mobile.

-Jeff Kinney

There is also an announcement video on the new StoryArc YouTube channel, which you can check out below:

If you’re interested in checking out any more videos from the big bosses, click here for Jen MacLean or click here for Jeff Kinney.

Last but not least, if you’re interested in more about the company, you can check out their website. And, feel free to check out their social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

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And that about wraps up this super important news. Feel free to comment your thoughts on all this, unless you’re still in a state of confusion. 😛

Meme King out. 👑

• Ultimate iPad Expert •