Hey Poptropicans, this is a guest post by Invisible Ring. Enjoy!
To celebrate my first early snowfall of the season, I have a Pop Quiz for you: What’s your favorite winter activity?
A: Snowball fights? 🥶
Nothing like a battle with the Whirley Street Kids or a good game of Snowpocalypse as I always say…
B: Christmas Decorations? 🎄
I know some people like to hang those up before it gets cold outside, but it certainly is a pleasure to have them up to see when the snow comes.
C: Skating? 🎿
Ice skating, that is—not roller skating. Don’t bring wheels to a frozen pond or rink! If skates aren’t for you, though, try sliding around in your shoes instead!
D: Staying indoors and relaxing by the fire 🔥
Those are your four basic options, but depending on how much snow you get, there are also snowmen, snow angels, snow forts, and snow sculptures to make!
If that’s still not enough for you to do, don’t worry. The holiday season is upon us all, (right after Thanksgiving, that is…) so get out there and have some fun! I’m going out to go catch some snowflakes! ❄️
Hope you enjoyed this guest post by Invisible Ring.
The Poptropica Help Blog welcomes interesting Poptropica insights from anyone in the Poptropica community with thoughts to share. Interested in writing for the PHB? We’d love to hear from you!
Howdy Poptropicanos, it’s LJ in your faces again! 🤪 To commemorate the 15th anniversary of Astro-Knights Island and Big Nate Island this year, I thought it’d be fun to conduct a comparison between the two where I evaluate the fundamental elements of each island to determine which one is the better option. (Pretend that the outcome isn’t obvious, alright?) Let’s begin!
For the gameplay discussion, my emphasis will not be on the plots as I intend to reserve that topic for the story portion that will come later. Instead, my focus here will be on the technical dimensions of the islands.
Big Nate Island
This island encompasses a plethora of key features that are emblematic of Poptropica islands such as locating a multitude of paper pieces scattered everywhere, piecing the papers together, swimming underwater, mixing liquids, and playing a few of minigames (racing an opponent, hangman and table football). I appreciate all of these elements, particularly the minigames. I wouldn’t have minded a few more to be honest. One negative thing I will say is that I was not a fan of Nate following my character around everywhere I went. Was that just me? So anyway, how does Big Nate compare to Astro-Knights?
Astro-Knights Island
The time required to complete Astro-Knights is about double that of its rival, which I find absolutely delightful! In the early stages, the gameplay is more or less similar to Big Nate involving the typical exploring and item collecting. However, upon reaching space, things really get exciting.
We get to build a custom spaceship, which, while not having a substantial impact on the island’s tactical gameplay, remains an entertaining feature. Navigating through space, avoiding asteroids, luring space sharks, and fighting against enemy ships were indeed challenging tasks, yet they were not overwhelmingly stressful.
The most challenging parts of Astro-Knights Island are the four significant battles that resemble “boss fights,” including the three misleading encounters (the Mother Phoenix, the Tigercopter, and the Dragotank) and the final showdown against Mordred. Besides the Mother Phoenix, I experienced a fair share of difficulties with all of these. Nonetheless, these battles greatly eclipse even the most engaging gameplay that Big Nate Island has to offer. Honestly, the absence of such difficulty is sorely missed. Any islands for that matter, but that ship has unfortunately passed.
Which one wins?
It seems I may have gone a little overboard in my discussion of the gameplay in Astro-Knights Island. 😅 There was just so much to unpack! It’s quite obvious which one I was more enthusiastic about and which island takes the first round: Astro-Knights!
The differences in the characteristics of these two islands are strikingly apparent. Let’s get into it.
Big Nate Island
Big Nate Island’s appearance presents a whimsical and joyful ambiance. As you walk through the island, your eyes are treated to or tortured byvivid, colorful illustrations, all accentuated by thick black outlines, which enhance the sensation of really being inside a comic book.
I find the comic book aesthetic highly appealing, and I’m someone who is very attracted to bright colors. Also, the school, the playground, and the klassic komix store bring back memories of my IRL childhood, creating a comforting atmosphere.
Astro-Knights Island
While traversing the landscapes of Astro-Knights, we come across an obliterated medieval kingdom,black holes, space sharks, lava-controlled platforms, a mechanical ecosystem, and an actual asteroid belt. The array of locations on this island is truly breathtaking.
The stark contrast between the setting reminiscent of the Middle Ages and the advanced, futuristic planets in outer space (with completely different climates from one another) contributes to the island’s diverse appeal, making it more captivating than many others.
Which one wins?
This round was somewhat more of a tossup. Each of these islands had a viable chance of winning, as I appreciate the styles and moods of both of them. Ultimately, I opted for Astro-Knights Island as the victor for this round, primarily because it offers a higher number of scenes—which can never be a bad thing in Poptropica!
Big Nate’s pivotal concern revolves around the possible destruction of a middle school—a cause certainly worth caring about. In Astro-Knights the story is much more out of the ordinary, however. Time to elaborate!
Big Nate Island
The plot of Big Nate is a bit lackluster. It seems to be a step back in terms of intricacy. In comparison to previous islands like Nabooti, 24 Carrot, and Spy, it feels excessively straightforward.
From my perspective, the characters within this island are not developed enough. The storyline is interesting; however, I don’t believe it was executed to its maximum potential in the plot we were offered. As a child, I found it okay, but looking back now, I am not as wowed as I am with Astro-Knights—which still holds up with the ageing fanbase in these more recent years.
Astro-Knights Island
It goes without saying that the lore and mission in this island are exceptional. A princess, intrigued by the vanishing of a scientist who has gone missing in space, finds herself abducted by aliens. Our job is to launch into orbit to rescue her. Additionally, the once noble scientist has transformed into a malevolent cyborg, and we are tasked with locating three knights who have vanished on various planets while in pursuit of the lost princess. This dramatic tale is filled with so many compelling elements, it’s unreal.
This island presents two noteworthy characters, Elyana and the more celebrated Binary Bard/Mordred. Heck, he took the gold in Pop’s villain showdown back in the day and has remained popular ever since! Since I was not aware of the Big Nate comics when the island was released, I had no insight into the characters. Their minimal development within the island led to them feeling somewhat forgettable to me. Astro-Knights has little to no issues with this.
It’s also worth noting that Astro-Knights demands a certain level of investigation to grasp the situation at play, unlike Big Nate, where the problem is presented immediately upon arrival.
Which one wins?
There is no question that Astro-Knightshas once again triumphed in this round. The story is just so exceptionally engaging, and when I reflect on its awesomeness, I envision its potential to be adapted into an outstanding feature length film! Wouldn’t that be epic?
Big Nate Island had a tough day being demolished by Astro-Knights Island with a score of 3-0. To be honest, it was a bit of a mismatch given that Astro-Knights is widely regarded as the favorite among the community.
I’d love to know your thoughts on both islands! How would you rate them overall? I’d say Big Nate deserves a 3 out of 5 peanut butter crackers, and I’d give Astro-Knights a perfect 5 out of 5 force shields! Thanks for reading and pop on folks. 🍀
Wazzup, Poptropi-lympians! In the last few weeks, our vibrant community representing the diverse tribes of Poptropica engaged in an exciting showdown to determine who would emerge victorious as the ultimate champion. With activities ranging from artistic creations and brain-teasing puzzles to an adventurous scavenger hunt, culminating in a grand closing ceremony, we hope you all had an unforgettable time!
The party was a typical mix of fun and laughter at Midas’ Gym on Mythology Island, where everyone gathered to enjoy some classic common room games. We chatted away in the Poptropica Help Chat (PHC), sharing nostalgic stories and funny gifs and pics. There were also plenty of pushups and dance moves to keep things lively! ⚡Can you find yourself in the collage graphic?
🖍 Gifted Gladiators 🎶
The kickoff round, Gifted Gladiators, which took place throughout the entire event, was a dazzling display of art and creativity. A multitude of Poptropicans showcased their talents by submitting written works, eye-catching visuals, musical compositions, and an array of Poptropica-themed fan creations! We recognized the effort behind each submission, granting players 20 points for their tribe for every piece they submitted.
We were blown away by the amount of artwork that the Nanobots created, which amassed a whopping 1,740 points! Hats off to the mechanical crustaceans for stealing this round. 🤖
Check out the awesome Art Gallery Exhibition packed with some spirited submissions for this event. There’s a ton of great stuff to see!
by Sleepy Biker of Pathfindersby happyclonetrooper of Seraphimby PHB author, Gentle Dolphin of Seraphimby Magic Kid of Nightcrawlersby Magic Kid of Nightcrawlersby Pegs of Nanobotsby Incredible Fire of Wildfireby Lazy Kid of Black Flagsby Lazy Kid of Black Flagsby Pink Star of Nightcrawlersby me, LJ of many tribesby Serious Heart of Flying Squid
💪 Brawny Brainiacs 🧠
In the second round, Brawny Brainiacs, there were several ways to rack up points such as a fun word search, a captivating character crossword puzzle, a tricky decode-a-message challenge, and a host of entertaining Pop the Difference games. Including bonus points, you could individually score up to 1,330 points in this round for your team if you completed every task.
It was the Seraphim who soared to the top this round, racking up an impressive grand total of 3,960 points! 🪽
🔎 Sensational Scavenger Hunt 🔦
In the thrilling final round, teams joined forces in a frantic dash to the finish line. A total of 10 clues awaited the tribes, each cleverly hidden throughout the blog’s many pages. The scoring system ranked participants from 80 points for first place down to 10 points for those who crossed the line last.
This time, the Wildfire tribe outshone all rivals, wrapping up their hunt in less than an hour—an astonishing feat unmatched by any other tribe. Standing tall and triumphant, they secured a stellar score of 80 points! 🔥
🥇 Final Scores🥈
Unfortunately, we have to say that the Yellowjackets are taking home the last place ribbon for the second time in a row, scoring just a tiny 60 points. Yikes! It looks like hibernation came early this year for these sleepy insects.
Worming their way into 7th place, we’ve got the Nightcrawlers. With a score of 845 points, it looks like the early bird caught these little guys before they could wiggle any further.
Wildfireis sitting at a tepid 6th place this year. They put in a solid effort with 1,025 points, but it seems like the flames have cooled off a bit this time.
Flying Squid takes our 5th place spot with 1,460 points! They just ‘squid’n’t manage to break into the top half of the leaderboard. There’s always next time.
The Pathfinders‘ pursuit of first place did not culminate in success, as they raked in a total of 1,520 points; however, they can take pride in their earnest efforts. Coming in 4th place is still a commendable achievement!
In 3rd place, we have the Nanobots! With an impressive score of 3,090 points, these robotic crabs were truly electrifying!
The Black Flags put on an absolutely ‘plunder’ful performance, racking up an impressive total of 3,570 points! While they couldn’t hold onto their title as champions from the previous games, they still managed to clinch an impressive 2nd place. Argh, super close!
Which means…🥁🥁🥁
The Seraphimhave emerged as the triumphant champions of this year’s tournament, scoring an overall 4,140 points! Their meticulous game plan, rather than ‘winging’ it, proved to be the winning strategy for this heavenly squad! 🏆🎊
🙌 G.O.A.Ts of the Games 👏
While we value each and every one of our participants, a handful of competitors truly excelled, pouring their hearts into ensuring their tribe brought home the gold.
We want to give a super special shoutout to these exceptional Poptropicans for their remarkable dedication:
Pegs of Nanobots, Lazy Kid of Black Flags, Sleepy Biker of Pathfinders, Magic Kid of Nightcrawlers, Squidney24 of Seraphim, Lune of Wildfire, & Bony Bones of Flying Squid
Thank you all so much, once again, for your efforts in maintaining the lively spirit of our Tribal Tournament! Y’all are the GOATs! 🐐
Welcome, Poptropicans of all tribes, to the second round of the 2024 PHB Tribal Tournament! (Not sure what’s going on here? Check out our announcement post.) Note: The first round, Gifted Gladiators, continues for the rest of the month, so keep submitting your amazing works of art.
We are now starting our Brawny Brainiacs Bout, and believe me, you’re going to need your thinking caps. Thinking helmets? 🪖
Unlike the Gifted Gladiators event, please send your answers for every challenge to your tribe representative on Discord through direct message, rather than your tribe channel on the Poptropica Help Chat—as to not spoil the fun for your tribemates. If you choose not to participate on Discord, you can contact us through email.
In this round, all of the puzzles are not an all-or-nothing deal, meaning you aren’t required to complete them to be eligible for earning points. Points earned will depend on how much of a certain puzzle is finished.
This round ends in one week (Wednesday, August 21) and comes in four different parts, so you won’t want to wait long to get a start. Let’s leap right into the games!
Poptropica Word Search Challenge
The rules here are pretty simple: locate as many Poptropica-related words on the grid as you can.
Each word you find will add 5 points to your overall score, meaning if you find all 24 words you’ll earn up to 120 points in this challenge, but no pressure! Here it is:
Tip: Open the image in a new tab to enlarge
You can submit your answers by bubbling/crossing out the answers or by simply listing them out. It’s up to you! 👍
Character Crossword Challenge
Directions: Fill the empty grid of crossing words using the clues on the right.
Down clues have answers that stretch vertically while across clues have answers that stretch horizontally. The clues are numbered, corresponding to the number of the answer on the grid. Once you think you’ve figured out an answer, make sure the name fits within the space provided on the grid. Each answer is a Poptropica character worth 10 points apiece. Let’s see if you can figure them out. 😉
Tip: Open the image in a new tab to enlarge
Like with the word search, it isn’t necessary to actually fill in the grid (although, you’re certainly welcome to!); Listing the answers will be just fine. 🙂
Decode-A-Message Challenge
This one is a major brain exercise for sure. Below are 5 messages written in gibberish along with a clue on how to decode each one into something that makes sense. Most of these are actual bits of dialogue from Poptropica, and they become increasingly more difficult as you go along. This round is called Brawny Brainiacs for a reason. 😁 Because of the difficulty of this challenge, each message you decode will earn you 20 points. And if you guess all five, you’ll earn a bonus 50 points!
Clue 1:A-M & N-Z, the first above and the latter below… Message 1: Gnyyl ub!
Clue 2:B is Y, G is T, and M is N Message 2: Gvoo nv blfi hvxivg, zmw r’oo gvoo blf nrmv!
Clue 3: Take 8 steps backward (Tip: Use the alphabet as a clock, counterclockwise. When you pass “A” continue with “Z”.) Message 3: Izm gwc twwsqvo nwz awumwvm?
Clue 4: Unscramble each word and follow the next step (#) Message 4: steeh(7), lilw(1), frasn(9), idr(4), on(2), eon(3), fo (6), deomdeslem(8), em(5)?
Clue 5: Take 2 steps forward and reverse the message (Tip: Use the alphabet as a clock. When you pass “Z” start again at “A”.) Message 5: ?rlckylpsmr jyzgpr cfr lg qsmgpmragt cz jjgu mfU
Pop The Difference Challenge
Another toughie! You may remember our Pop the Difference specials from many years ago here on the PHB. Well now, we’re repurposing the game for our Tribal Tournament as the last challenge in this round. Down below are the 8 common rooms of the Poptropolis tribes, but there’s a catch: there are two images for each one. Each pair contains 10 differences throughout. Some are easier to spot, while many others are more indistinct. Use the image compare slider to help you find all the differences.
You will earn 10 points for each difference you find. If you manage to find every difference from every photo, you will earn a big bonus worth 100 points!
When you submit your answers for this specific challenge, using pictures where the differences are circled would be preferred. If you can’t get a picture, try listing out each difference in detail so we know exactly what you’re talking about, otherwise you won’t get the points. This won’t be easy. You’ve been warned. 😅 (Tip: open both images for each common room in separate tabs by clicking on both sides of the slider & switch between both tabs to see smaller details)
Seraphim
Yellowjackets
Pathfinders
Wildfire
Flying Squid
Black Flags
Nightcrawlers
Nanobots
Believe it or not, you alone can earn a grand total of 1,150 points from this round if you complete every challenge! Can you imagine if two team members were able to accomplish this feat? That’s a lot for your tribe! But again, no pressure. With that said…
Something’s brewing over at PHB headquarters, and it’s definitely not coffee. Someone (presumably one of the authors) broke the breakroom’s coffeepot! Who could have committed such an atrocity?! Watch and find out:
…Fishy, how could you?! 😭😭😭
In all seriousness, I hope you guys like my silly little animatic. I had a lot of fun making it!
The audio comes from a famous scene in the show Parks and Recreation. This particular clip has inspired many parodies, and it was just a matter of time before Poptropica got the “Who Broke It?” treatment.
You may have also noticed some photos in this mostly-illustrated video. The broken coffeepot is lifted straight out of the original Parks and Recreation scene, the cat-ifited Purple Paw image is an edit of Chocolate aka OMG Cat, and the wall at the end features some art of the PHB authors: the current PHB banner by Slanted Fish and a “Draw the Squad” meme by Magic Kid and QueenCookieMonster. 📷🎨
Once again, I hope you like the video (and this post, I guess). You guys are more than welcome to share your Pop creations be it videos, art, or writing! You can post them on social media, on the PHC Discord server, or even on the PHB. We love seeing everyone’s work!
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