Tag: island flash back

Game Show Island, Island Flash-backs, Mocktropica Island, Uncategorized

Island Flash-back: Game Show & Mocktropica 💻

Smart Bubbles

It’s the end of the year, and we have two islands to mark it (totally not because I got so lost in the holidays that I forgot to make November’s post!). I’ll be highlighting both islands selected for the past couple months, which are…

Game Show & Mocktropica!!

While not often listed among the most favorite classic islands, many fans have good memories of Game Show Island, and it has a particularly unique design and setting! It takes the futuristic aspects of Astro-Knights and the apocalyptic ones of Steamworks, and fuses them together in an A.I.-takes-over-humanity story. Also includes the fun and games style of Reality TV, this time with more danger!

More Robots: It’s like they’ve taken over or something.

But unlike Sprocket and Merlin, these robots are not so friendly, all culminating to an epic battle against the evil supercomputer Holmes… who you defeat with a flash drive. Ahem. Definitely a brains-over-brawn island!

Deep Thought: Putting processing power to good use.

All jokes aside, this island does have a lot of fun puzzles, at times requiring players to test their real-world knowledge with fun facts! It also features several IRL locations, including Istanbul, Miami, and Buenos Aires.

Operating System: When technology meets talent, anything is possible.

For our second and final feature, Mocktropica Island is a special one that is not remembered so much for storytelling, worldbuilding, or puzzles, but for its humor that pokes fun at the game itself, and all the negative directions the game and its developers could turn… some of which are hitting a little too close to home now.

Also, the theme music is severely underrated.

Strap In: Concussion prevention starts with sensible headgear.

Mocktropica is definitely a cult classic. But will the devs ever re-release an island that would be even more self-deprecating now (especially considering the references to former employees)? Only time will tell. And let’s not forget the official Mega Fighting Bots website!

Let’s remind the Pop Creators why these islands became so memorable, and why the efforts that went to create them should not go to waste. Encourage them to preserve their past stories and their potential!

Until next year!

Castori honorem ~ Maryann/Smart Bubbles

Island Flash-backs, Uncategorized

Island Flash-back: Ghost Story 🎻

Smart Bubbles

Time for spooky season, Poptropicans! 🎃 While there are several contenders for creepy Poptropica Islands (including Vampire’s Curse and Virus Hunter), I decided on one that, in my opinion, is the absolute peak of Pop’s storytelling. Many people know I love a good bittersweet tale, and this island is exactly that…

Ghost Story!!

Repent: Or they’ll lock you up and throw away the key.

While naturally family-friendly, Ghost Story takes on some deep topics compared to past islands, notably death, betrayal, and the difficulty to forgive and find peace, both from the actions of others and yourself.

I actually did cover this island before in the PHB’s Ramble Review series, and you can read it here!

Spooky Scenes: Could this be a scene for a new Poptropica Island?

Ghost Story also has some quite impressive art and background design, and also included the 3D sailing map seen in Skullduggery! This is used to go from island to island in this… island. In each area you learn about the different characters, and eventually how they are all connected, from the lighthouse to the prison.

Stringing Along: Play the music if the spirit moves you.

Ghost Story is also one of the first islands (pre-SUI, i.e. pre-Sound Updated Island) to include sound! Many Poptropicans remember the shock of hearing the voice of a character, Fiona — something that wasn’t done again until Survival Island and PoptropiCon. Along with that, there’s also the short but very sweet violin song you get to play.

Ghost Story also has some soundtracks made and released by Jeff Heim! They appear to be for whenever it would be updated to SUI or ported to Haxe, although this has yet to happen.

So let’s continue Fiona’s legacy! Ghost Story and other classic islands were rendered unplayable in the Flash-Haxe transition, but it should not go to waste. Let the Poptropica Creators know what you appreciate about the island to encourage them to preserve it!

Castori honorem ~ Maryann/Smart Bubbles

Island Flash-backs

Island Flash-back: Super Villain 🌩

Smart Bubbles

We have arrived at Poptropica’s birthday month, and what better way to celebrate than to honor an island that not only inspired many fans (like myself) but also celebrates many past islands and characters?

That’s right, everyone! We have finally come to the island I absolutely had to feature in a Flash-back…

Super Villain!!

Perchance to Dream: Settle in for a nice, long nap.

This is quite possibly the island with the most fanart, fanfiction, and theories sparking from it. While the ending left many questions (still) unanswered, it continued the arcs of several past characters and brought them all together in a surprising way!

Combo Breaker: It’s robot madness!

Though not much has been publicly written on the development for the ideas and storyline of this island, there is quite a bit of interesting concept art to look through. The first pic above shows a an early idea for the Dream Machine room, where there were originally five (not four) guinea pigs for Jupiter’s experiment.

Next, the above robot-fusion of several characters further proves that El Mustachio Grande was originally meant to be one of them. I wonder what caused that to change? 🤔

  • Kingdom Come: There is a castle in the clouds.
  • Prison entrance

This island also has some incredible background art, from the impressive design of the prison interior with the (foreshadowing) lightning motif, to Black Widow’s dream exploring different famous paintings and, of course, Binary Bard’s much-loved dreamscape. I remember restarting this island many times just so I could experience that scene again!

The scenery isn’t the only thing that made this island famous, though — it was also the new lore behind the characters. I redid this island and certain parts so many times, scouring for crumbs of new information. A particularly chilling moment was noticing the torn face of Mordred’s painting in his dream lair… sheesh.

This is probably the most graphic detail we’d ever get of that scene in a game aimed at kids.

Unfortunately, Super Villain will probably be of the later ones to return if we ever see the classic islands again, considering only two out of five of the islands leading up to it have been released on Haxe. That’s why I chose to cover Counterfeit, Astro-Knights, and Skullduggery leading up to this! Yes, I have revealed my evil ploy! This whole series was just for me to have another excuse to talk about Super Villain Island!

“The True Mastermind” by BlazingAngel123 on DeviantArt

So let’s continue the legacy of our villainous friends (unless you count The Villain Saga…ahem, self promotion)! Super Villain and other classic islands were rendered unplayable in the Flash-Haxe transition, but it should not go to waste. Let the Poptropica Creators know what you appreciate about the island to encourage them to preserve it!

Castori honorem ~ Maryann/Smart Bubbles

Island Flash-backs

Island Flash-back: Poptropolis Games 🏅

Smart Bubbles

The COVID-19 pandemic may have cancelled many events, but better late than never on the recent 2020 Tokyo Olympics! Its return makes this next Island Flash-back quite appropriate for the sportful season…

Poptropolis Games!!

An official poster made for the island’s re-release

From a fandom standpoint, this island doesn’t seem to be as well-known or well-loved on the surface. There’s little fanart of characters or scenes compared to others such as Counterfeit or Monster Carnival. But look a little deeper and you will see how much this island has incorporated itself into fandom culture and events!

  • Concept sketches for the island’s scenery
  • Power Lifting, Poptropolis Games

Even after disappearing from the official game, fans continue to identify themselves by the Poptropolis Tribes. A year ago, the PHB hosted the 2020 Tribal Tournament, in which community members could win points for their respective tribes!

  • Concept art
  • Octopus Volleyball, Poptropolis Games

Another noteworthy thing is the music: the Poptropolis theme is easily one of my favorites from the game. Hear it below, and more on the PHB’s Behind the Scenes page! (You can also hear it on composer Jeff Heim’s “Poptropica Demo Reel 1” starting at about 43 seconds.)

A bit of trivia for those who were not playing during or before 2012: This island was originally released as a “classic” island with no sound, and came out in June of that year, timed near the London Olympics. To many a player’s surprise, the island “sank” and was removed in early 2013, but eventually was “risen” after an event that encouraged players to help “dig up the games.”

“PHB Poptropolis Games Banner” by Gentle Dolphin on DeviantArt

So let’s dig up the games again! Poptropolis Games and other classic islands were rendered unplayable in the Flash-Haxe transition, but it should not go to waste! Let the Creators know what you appreciate about the island to encourage them to preserve it!

  • Going for the gold!

Until September (and Poptropica’s birthday)!

Castori honorem ~ Maryann/Smart Bubbles

Island Flash-backs, Uncategorized

Island Flash-back: Counterfeit 🖼

Smart Bubbles

We are halfway through the year, and this series! I probably should get this post finished ASAP because I finished a workout earlier and will probably be sore in the morning.

One thing that helps many people get through the long, hot summer months is doing art! And it just so happens that there’s a Poptropica Island centered around that–along with a mystery that only you can solve. July’s Island is…

Counterfeit!!!

Counterfeit Island is one that a lot of people from the pre-Haxe days loved and remembered. The story revolved around a museum in an idyllic French city, and the thief who planned to ruin it all. (Plus, check out our Pop Places IRL take on the setting!) Of course, I think we can all agree that the Black Widow is the most remembered aspect of this island, like many other villains. 🕷

Sadly, there was little concept art to be found this time. I scoured the Daily Pop archives, but as Counterfeit was released before its creation and they never uploaded past art for it later, I only managed to find this sketch from an old Creators’ Blog post.

Concept art for the design of the secret puzzle to the museum

That doesn’t take away from the impressive design work though! While simplistic, it’s also chic with a lovely bright color palette and great designs of the locations such as the museum and the Black Widow’s lair.

This island should be brought back for those cool spider designs on the bunker walls alone.

Unlike its more fantastical and less educational predecessor Astro-Knights, Counterfeit includes many famous paintings with information on art history, as well as the art forgery that collectors and museums have to deal with.

Fanart by Random Poptropican

(Small reminder that using the name “Inspector Veuvre Noire” in a FRENCH TOWN should prove that we would be a lot safer from these villains if only the all the other NPCs didn’t have a single shared brain cell.)

Before I say my closing words, I would also like to showcase this Skullduggery fanart for our previous Island Flash-back made by Dangerous Dragon! Thank you so much for your participation in this, DD! 😁

Now comes your turn, Poptropicans! Let’s remind the Creators why this island became so memorable, and why the efforts that went to create it should not go to waste! Encourage them to preserve their past stories and the potential they held!

Until August! (Hint: Olympics)

Castori honorem ~ Maryann/Smart Bubbles