The Creators settled in for a long winter's nap

Seasons greetings, Poptropicans! Now that the holidays are here, most of the Poptropica creators will be taking a little time off to rest and recharge. When the new year arrives, we'll be even more excited to make lots of new Islands and adventures for you to enjoy in 2011.

No matter where you are in the world, or what holidays you celebrate, we wish you a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year. We'll meet back here in January!


CAPTAIN CRAWFISH

My Bigfoot Buddy

My new Bigfoot buddy goes everywhere I go.

Right now we are gazing at a lovely shrub that is in the shape of the Loch Ness Monster. You can go pick up a small, furry friend like mine at the store. Look for the Big Foot Fanatic outfit.

He is the perfect thing to keep your head warm when you search for the Yeti in the cold, mountain blizzards.



MASTER MIME

Congratulations to the first 10 finishers of Cryptids Island!

It took longer than usual for the first Poptropica Members to complete our newest Island. I guess that means Cryptids really is the biggest and best adventure so far! Congratulations to the first 10 Poptropicans to complete Cryptids Island.

1. Grumpy Icicle

2. Shiny Hero

3. Hungry Grape

4. Golden Snowball

5. Greedy Runner

6. Grey Icicle

7. Tough Raptor

8. Giant Noodle

9. Maroon Burger

10. Purple Snowball

Congratulations to you, and to everybody who's completed Cryptids Island so far! Cryptids Island is available right now for Poptropica Members, and will be open to all on January 18.

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Know Your Cryptids: Jersey Devil

Jersey Devil: What's its situation?

Cryptids Island is here! Before you take on some of the world's most fearsome mythical monsters, we'd like to tell you a little bit about the legends.

They say that in the deepest, darkest woods of New Jersey's Pine Barrens, Mother Leeds was about to give birth to her 13th child. "Let it be a devil!" she cried in exasperation. When the baby was born it sprouted wings and horns, and flew off into the night.

Since then, sightings of the "Jersey Devil" have persisted throughout southern New Jersey. Footprints, unearthly howls, even direct sightings have been reported. A naval commander once fired a cannonball at a strange creature he thought to be the Jersey Devil, to no effect.

Today, tales of the Jersey Devil are largely dismissed, and the creature itself is thought of as a joke. It even inspired the name of an ice hockey team, the New Jersey Devils. But there are still those who claim they can hear the beast's eerie wail in the night...

Do you believe in the Jersey Devil?


CAPTAIN CRAWFISH

Cryptids Island: Members play now!

Cryptids Island is now open to Poptropica Members! This is our biggest and best Island yet, and Members can get started right away on the hunt for Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, the Chupacabra, and the Jersey Devil.

Not a Member? Find out how to get Membership so you can enjoy Cryptids Island in time for the holidays.

Happy hunting!


SHARK BOY

Know Your Cryptids: Chupacabra

Chupacabra: ¿Que es?

Cryptids Island is coming on Monday to Poptropica! Before you take on some of the world's most fearsome mythical monsters, we'd like to tell you a little bit about the legends.

"Chupacabra" is Spanish for "goat-sucker," and that's exactly what this creature is said to do. Unlike many cryptids, the Chupacabra is a relatively recent phenomenon. The legend began in Puerto Rico in 1995, when a farmer found that several of his animals had been killed overnight, and the blood drained from their bodies through strange puncture wounds.

Since then, the stories have spread to Mexico and the United States. But accounts of the Chupacabra vary widely: sometimes it is reported to be doglike in appearance, and sometimes, as in the drawing above, as an alien creature that walks on two legs. The only thing that unites all the tales is the creature's bloodsucking behavior.

Recently, a Chupacabra body was thought to have been found, but was proven to be a coyote with mange. So the questions remain. Is the Chupacabra a new, unknown animal? Is it a space alien? Or is it nothing more than a legend dreamed up by angry farmers? Perhaps one day we will know the truth.

Do you believe in the Chupacabra?


CAPTAIN CRAWFISH

Cryptids Island release date announced!

For more, visit our Cryptids Island info page.


DIRECTOR D.

New costume: Tangled in Lights

There's a new costume available in the Poptropica store! Wreathe yourself in holiday cheer with this string of festive lights, which includes three blinking patterns to choose from.

The "Tangled in Lights" costume is free to use for Poptropica Members, and 75 credits for non-Members. Enjoy!


CAPTAIN CRAWFISH

Know Your Cryptids: Loch Ness Monster

Nessie: Real, or all wet?

Cryptids Island is coming very soon to Poptropica! Before you take on some of the world's most fearsome mythical monsters, we'd like to tell you a little bit about the legends.

Tales of the Loch Ness Monster go back centuries. Affectionately known as "Nessie," she is said to live in the deep waters of Loch Ness, a lake in the Scottish Highlands. By most accounts, Nessie is a massive, long-necked creature that can travel on land as well as in the water.

The best-known picture of Nessie, shown above, was taken in 1934 by a surgeon named Dr. Wilson. Years later, another man claimed to have helped fake the photo, but it was impossible to know whether he was telling the truth, or simply seeking fame for himself.

Theories abound as to what Nessie could be. Some say that eyewitness accounts are honest misidentifications of everyday animals and objects. Others say she could be a leftover relic of the dinosaur age, specifically a plesiosaur. Still others think that there might once have been a Loch Ness Monster, but that it has died. And, of course, the possibility remains that Nessie is nothing but a hoax.

What do you think -- do you believe in the Loch Ness Monster?


CAPTAIN CRAWFISH

Know Your Cryptids: Bigfoot

Bigfoot: Fact or Fiction?

Cryptids Island is coming very soon to Poptropica! Before you take on some of the world's most fearsome mythical monsters, we'd like to tell you a little bit about the legends.

Bigfoot. Sasquatch. Yeti. Three names, one very large, very hairy creature. Reports of a half-man, half-ape abound all over the world.

In the Pacific Northwest region of North America, reports of a brown-haired beast go back decades. Most famously, a short movie taken by a man named Roger Patterson seems to show a Bigfoot lumbering through the woods, looking suspiciously back at the photographer.

In the snowy mountains of the Himalayas, a humanoid beast known as the Yeti, or the Abominable Snowman, has also been reported for years. But, as with the North American Bigfoot, no concrete proof of the Yeti has ever been found. A monastery in Nepal claims to have a Yeti scalp on display, but scientific tests of the hair have been inconclusive.

Well, what about you -- do you believe in Bigfoot? Vote in our poll to the right!


CAPTAIN CRAWFISH

What's on your holiday wish list?

Are you a Poptropica Member who wants to extend your Membership and keep enjoying Early Access to new Islands, plus unlimited use of all costumes and Gold Cards?

Are you not yet a Member, but you want all those great Membership benefits, or 1000 Credits to shop for costumes and Gold Cards in the Poptropica Store?

No matter what kind of Poptropica player you are, if you're looking for the perfect gift this holiday season, look no further than the Poptropica Game Card.

With a Poptropica Game Card, you can get a month-long Membership to enjoy our newest Islands -- like Cryptids Island -- and unlimited use of everything in the Store. Or, you can redeem your Game Card for 1000 Credits, and buy costumes and Gold Cards to keep forever.

Poptropica Game Cards are available at several major stores throughout North America. They're a great gift for the Poptropican in your life.

Happy holidays from Poptropica!


BLACK WIDOW

The strange sights of Loch Ness

Have you spotted Nessie yet in the Cryptids Island sneak preview? Remember, you can look through the viewfinder every day for your chance to see Nessie and win a prize.

Even if you don't see the Loch Ness Monster, there are plenty of other sights to see from the shore. Why, look who I saw cruising above the waters of Loch Ness!

You never know what you'll find out there. Keep watching the skies! And the waters, of course.


CAPTAIN CRAWFISH

Have a ball this holiday season

There's a new costume available in the Poptropica store, and it's totally FREE!

Spread holiday cheer by dressing up as a shiny ornament, in your choice of colors. We hope to see you decking the halls of your favorite Poptropica common room!


SHARK BOY

You like us! You really like us!

Google just released their most popular search terms for 2010, and we were number 5 in video game searches! Thanks to all the Poptropicans for making Poptropica such a fantastic site! We’re planning a LOT more for 2011. More islands, more games, more store items!


DIRECTOR D.

Leader of the pack

One of the cool new features in Daily Pop is the high score list. Each game displays the Poptropican with the highest score for the day, the week, and the month. Periodically, we'll be featuring some of the high scorers here in the blog, too.

As of this writing, your monthly leader in Canyon Defense is:

Shy Sword! Congratulations, Shy Sword. That's a lovely outfit you're wearing, if you don't mind our saying.

The month has barely begun, so there's still plenty of time for you to beat Shy Sword's score and put your own name in lights for all to see.


CAPTAIN CRAWFISH

Getting to know Daily Pop: Sneak Peeks

The last, and most exciting, part of Daily Pop is what we're calling "Sneak Peeks." This is the place to see exclusive looks at upcoming Islands, as well as behind-the-scenes looks at existing Islands, costumes, and more. From the earliest sketches to the final art, you can get an inside look at the Creators' creative process.


Just as with games and comics, you can rate every sneak peek from one to five stars. We want to know what you think!

One last word about all the new features: No matter where you are -- whether you're on Daily Pop, in the Poptropica Store, or on the "welcome back" page -- clicking the golden blimp icon in the upper-right part of the screen will take you directly back to your Island quest.

Enjoy!


CAPTAIN CRAWFISH

Getting to know Daily Pop: Games

Yesterday, we showed you how to access the Daily Pop. Today, we'll look at the games section.

Click the "games" link to access the full menu of games from our friends at Miniclip. There's something for everybody!

Once you start playing a game, you can rate it from one to five stars. You'll also see which of your fellow Poptropicans are atop the leaderboards, with the top scores from the day, from the week, and from the month.

If you're not one of the lucky leaders, you can still see your own all-time high score displayed right above the game. Er... don't make fun of my score on this game. It was a practice round.


CAPTAIN CRAWFISH

Getting to know Daily Pop: Comics

We're very excited about the response so far to the new features on Poptropica, especially the Daily Pop. If some of you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, we thought we'd give you a brief guide to all the new stuff you can do.

First, when you log onto your Poptropica account, you'll see this screen. (You'll need to have a saved username and password in order to use this section!)


From this page, you can jump back into your game, or check out some of the featured content we're sharing that we think you'll enjoy.

The link for the Daily Pop is that exploding "POP" icon in the upper right.


The first section that loads is comics. There are nine strips that you can choose to read, each updated daily.


When you're reading a comic, you can rate it on a scale of 1-5 stars.


This helps us to know what comics Poptropicans are enjoying the most!


CAPTAIN CRAWFISH

Visit our sponsor!

We are very pleased to inform you that the official Poptropica blog is being sponsored by our benevolent overlords at the Mews Foundation. Their interest in the more... unusual frontiers of science is one that all of the Poptropica Creators can get behind. The truth is out there, and the Mews Foundation is going to find it.

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Cryptids Island in the wild

Well, well, well -- look what's sneaked its way onto the Poptropica map.

You can visit Cryptids Island now for a special sneak preview! You'll be dropped on the shores of Loch Ness. Check out the viewfinder next to the castle to see the amazing sights. If you're lucky, you might even spot Nessie!

Anyone who does see the Loch Ness Monster through the viewfinder will win a special prize (and Poptropica Members get even more time to look). You can try once per day, so if you don't see her today, try again tomorrow!

This post has been brought to you by our good friends at the Mews Foundation.


CAPTAIN CRAWFISH