Poptropica
{{Short description|2007 online adventure game}}
{{how-to|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Poptropica
| image = Poptropica Logo.svg
| caption =
| developer = Jeff Kinney Group {{small|(formerly)}}
StoryArc Media
| publisher = Pearson Education {{small|(formerly)}}
Sandbox Networks
| designer = Pete Amomaur
Jeff Kinney
| engine = {{ubl|Adobe Flash, Adobe AIR (original game)|Haxe (HTML5 port)|Unity (Poptropica Worlds)}}
| released = June 5, 2007{{Cite web | title=poptropica.com WHOIS Domain Name Lookup - who.is | url=https://who.is/whois/poptropica.com | access-date=2025-04-03 | website=who.is}}
| genre = Educational, adventure, single-player with massively multiplayer online game elements
| modes = Single and multiplayer
| platforms = {{ubl|Windows|macOS|Web|iOS|Android|Nintendo DS|Nintendo 3DS}}
}}
Poptropica is an online adventure game game, developed in 2007 by Pearson Education's Family Education Network, and targeted towards children aged 6 to 15. Poptropica is primarily the creation of Jeff Kinney, later known as the author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. As of 2015, he remained at the company as the Creative Director.{{cite news|url=http://www.lideamagazine.com/lost-side-suburbia-poptropica-interview-artist-kory-merritt/ |title= From Lost Side Of Suburbia to Poptropica, An Exclusive Interview with Artist Kory Merritt|author=Dossena, Tiziano Thomas|publisher=L'Idea Magazine|date=October 29, 2014|access-date=January 10, 2016}} The game primarily focuses on problem-solving through game quest scenarios, called "islands". Islands all focus on a problem that the player must resolve by going through multiple obstacles, collecting and using items, talking to various characters, and completing goals. All islands, upon completion, award "credits," which are non-negotiable currency that may be used to buy costumes and special effects in the Poptropica store.
In 2011, Poptropica was listed on Time magazine's list of "50 Websites that Make the Web Great", where it was described as "an inventive megasite for kids with a wholesome and slightly educational bent".{{cite magazine|title=50 Websites that make the web great|date=August 16, 2011|access-date=January 10, 2016|author=McCracken, Harry|magazine=Time|url=https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2087815_2087868_2087874,00.html}} By 2012, Poptropica had grown to have over 75 million registered users, with 35 million in the 15-25 age group.{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AUczMkQo5F4C&pg=PA48 |title=Engage |chapter=Virtual Worlds |first=Brian |last=Solis |year=2010|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|location=Hoboken, New Jersey|isbn=978-0-470-57109-5}} Versions of the game have been released on Nintendo DS and 3DS, iOS, and Android mobile devices. In May 2015, it was announced that Family Education Network was sold by Pearson to the interactive-education venture capitalist Sandbox Networks,{{cite news|title=New Owner for Poptropica and FEN|date=May 21, 2015|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/66692-new-owner-for-poptropica-and-fen.html|access-date=January 10, 2015|author=Rosen, Judith|work=Publishers Weekly}} and that Poptropica had "over 3.2 million monthly unique users in 200 countries and territories".{{cite news|title=Pearson sells Family Education Network to Sandbox Partners|date=May 21, 2015|author=Dorbian, Iris|access-date=January 10, 2016|url=https://www.pehub.com/2015/05/pearson-sells-family-education-network-to-sandbox-partners/}}
In 2020, because of the discontinuation of Adobe Flash, Poptropica began porting their old islands that were built on Adobe Flash over to an HTML5 format. As a result of Poptropica's utilization of varying Flash engines, these islands were unable to be ported immediately, effectively removing them from the game.{{cite web |title=State of the Game: Converting from Flash |url=https://www.poptropica.com/blog/2020/02/state-game-converting-flash |website=Poptropica |publisher=Sandbox Networks Inc. |access-date=23 May 2022}} Fan archivists later made 35 islands available once again via the Basilisk browser within the Flashpoint program.{{Cite web |title=Old Island Directory |url=https://server.idkonpop.com/pop/teleport/oldIslandMap |access-date=2022-06-05 |website=server.idkonpop.com |language=en}}
In April 2022, Poptropica announced that some of their old islands would return as part of a bundle on Steam.{{Cite instagram |user=Poptropica |postid=Cdg0HoMPTTR|title=PSA: The NEW Poptropica bundle was available on Steam which started MAY 25th!!|date=13 May 2022}} Though delayed by a day, the game was eventually released on May 26, 2022, and includes seventeen islands and Poptropica Realms.{{cite news|title=Old Poptropica: picking up Steam |url=https://poptropi.ca/2022/05/26/old-poptropica-steam/ |access-date=15 June 2022 |work=Poptropica Help Blog |date=26 May 2022}}
In 2024, Poptropica announced that their islands would permanently move over to Coolmath Games while remaining playable on Steam and mobile.{{Cite web| title=We're officially moving in with our bestie @TheRealCoolmath | url=https://twitter.com/Poptropica/status/1748070245762322700 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118214420/https://twitter.com/Poptropica/status/1748070245762322700 | archive-date=2024-01-18}}
Game
{{Unreferenced section|date=November 2019}}
File:Poptropica screenshot.jpg page, including Harvey Hare/Dr. Hare, the main antagonist and most recurring character.]]
When the game was first launched in 2007, it only had one island, but by 2017, it had 58 islands to be explored, which all had a different theme. These examples included Back Lot Island, where the player helped produce a movie, and Super Power Island, where their goal was to defeat six supervillains. Each island had its own quests, in which a player could receive an island medallion as well as 150 credits to spend in the in-game Poptropica Store. Starting July 6, 2011, Poptropica allowed players to replay islands without them creating a new account, while they could still keep track of all Medallions they have earned.
=Advertisements=
In addition to the available island quests, advertisers contracted for temporary mini-games that appear on the site, which targeted to players of a certain age group or gender. Regular advertisers included Disney, Kellogg's Froot Loops, Lego toys, and various animated movie releases. Advertisement mini-games normally appear only during a two-week period. If the player completes an advertisement mini-game, they receive a temporary prize, usually related to the media being advertised.
{{anchor|Big Nate Island|Big Nate|Timmy Failure Island|Timmy Failure|Wimpy Wonderland Island|Wimpy Wonderland|Wimpy Boardwalk Island|Wimpy Boardwalk|Diary of a Wimpy Kid Island|Diary of a Wimpy Kid|Wimpy|Red Dragon Island|Magic Tree House Island|Magic Tree House|Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Island|Charlie and the Chocolate Factory}}A few Poptropica islands are themed after certain book series: these include Big Nate ("Big Nate Island"),{{cite web |title=Big Nate island |url=https://www.poptropica.com/island-tour/big-nate-island |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411220158/https://www.poptropica.com/island-tour/big-nate-island |website=Poptropica |publisher=Sandbox Networks Inc. |access-date=April 11, 2021 |date=February 12, 2009 |archive-date=April 11, 2021}} Timmy Failure ("Timmy Failure Island"),{{cite web |title=Timmy Failure island |url=https://www.poptropica.com/island-tour/timmy-failure-island |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508033754/https://www.poptropica.com/island-tour/timmy-failure-island |website=Poptropica |publisher=Sandbox Networks Inc. |access-date=May 8, 2021 |date=September 17, 2015 |archive-date=May 8, 2021}} Diary of a Wimpy Kid ("Wimpy Wonderland" and "Wimpy Boardwalk Island"),{{cite web |title=Wimpy Boardwalk Island |url=https://www.poptropica.com/island-tour/wimpy-boardwalk-island |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411222653/https://www.poptropica.com/island-tour/wimpy-boardwalk-island |website=Poptropica |publisher=Sandbox Networks Inc. |access-date=April 11, 2021 |date=July 3, 2012 |archive-date=April 11, 2021}}{{cite web |title=Wimpy Wonderland Island |url=https://www.poptropica.com/island-tour/wimpy-wonderland-island |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308004551/https://www.poptropica.com/island-tour/wimpy-wonderland-island |website=Poptropica |publisher=Sandbox Networks Inc. |access-date=March 8, 2021 |date=March 14, 2011 |archive-date=March 8, 2021}} Magic Tree House ("Red Dragon Island"),{{cite web |title=Red Dragon island |url=https://www.poptropica.com/island-tour/red-dragon-island |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310111802/https://www.poptropica.com/island-tour/red-dragon-island |website=Poptropica |publisher=Sandbox Networks Inc. |access-date=March 10, 2021 |date=May 5, 2011 |archive-date=March 10, 2021}} and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ("Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Island").{{cite web |title=Charlie and the Chocolate Factory island |url=https://www.poptropica.com/island-tour/charlie-and-chocolate-factory-island |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411214948/https://www.poptropica.com/island-tour/charlie-and-chocolate-factory-island |website=Poptropica |publisher=Sandbox Networks Inc. |access-date=April 11, 2021 |date=November 15, 2012 |archive-date=April 11, 2021}} These islands are permanent, and can be played at any time. In 2015, a total of seven of these islands became members-only.{{cite web |last=Kanjanapangka |first=Jeremy |title=How to Play Old Poptropica Islands Games |url=https://www.touchtapplay.com/how-to-play-old-poptropica-islands-games |website=Touch Tap Play |access-date=March 10, 2023 |date=March 10, 2023}}
=Mini-games=
Spin-offs
=''Poptropica Adventures''=
In 2012, with partnership with Ubisoft, Poptropica released a video game for the Nintendo DS, titled Poptropica Adventures.{{cite news|title=Ubisoft and Poptropica partner to bring popular virtual world for kids to the Nintendo DS system|date=May 29, 2012|access-date=January 10, 2016|publisher=PRWeb|url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/5/prweb9552717.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140612003900/http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/5/prweb9552717.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 12, 2014}}
=''Poptropica: Forgotten Islands''=
On September 5, 2013, Poptropica launched Poptropica: Forgotten Islands, an iOS game, which allows players to meet new characters and discover story elements about Poptropica by finding artifacts littered throughout the game. It was also released on the Nintendo 3DS system through Ubisoft in 2014.{{cite web | title = Poptropica Forgotten Islands | website = Nintendo | date = 2014 | url = https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/CoA7KDYAI99r7hBGI2w-hZtcxRBtTbQb/ | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141012014051/https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/CoA7KDYAI99r7hBGI2w-hZtcxRBtTbQb/ | archive-date = 12 October 2014 | access-date = 21 October 2021}} It has been replaced on iOS and Android with a mobile version of the desktop Poptropica game.
=''Poptropica Worlds''=
On January 11, 2017, Poptropica announced via their blog that they were introducing another game called Poptropica Worlds, developed in Unity. It was released in spring 2017. Poptropica Worlds had new features, such as redesigned characters, customizable homes, and new islands. Returning players could port over their avatar's look and name to Poptropica Worlds. Poptropica Worlds could be played on both the web and mobile. If membership was bought for Poptropica, it carried over to Poptropica Worlds, and vice versa. Poptropica Worlds was shut down on February 27, 2024, due to Poptropica moving to Coolmath Games.
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://poptropica.com}}
{{Diary of a Wimpy Kid}}
Category:Virtual world communities
Category:Massively multiplayer online games
Category:American children's websites
Category:Role-playing video games