4 minute read
Put Your Game Phase On
Words By Nadihah
2020 has most definitely been a very complicated year for most of us, especially with the challenge of the circuit breaker phase. If asked what we did during the two-monthlong, never-ending circuit breaker, the majority of us would have different answers. But all of them would center around the same concept — nostalgia. With the time we had on our hands, and the looming boredom that filled our days, a trip down memory lane is hard to miss. Personally, being trapped in the house with limited options got me delving deeper into the memories of my childhood games — such asClub Penguin and Neopets .
THE TREND: ANIMAL CROSSING
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons on the Nintendo Switch was on the rise at the time, and I was one of the many victims that succumbed to the adorable visuals of the game. As an avid fan of The Sims series, a life simulation game, Animal Crossing had gameplay that really resonated with me. The concept of real-time simulation and the control I had over the aesthetics of my gameplay had me hooked. What appealed to me was the cute animal characters (especially Roald, he’s my favorite) and their delightful waddling and expressions. These lovable creatures triggered dormant memories and reminded me of my childhood days spent at the computer playing a variety of games on multiple online platforms.
It reminded of the waddling penguins in Club Penguin, the detailed rooms and characters of Habbo Hotel, the colorful creatures that inhabited the magical lands of Neopets, and many more. I was surprised to discover that some of the aforementioned games above were still playable (except for Pet Society, which was a real bummer since I took a long time trying to recover my Facebook account). Most of these games have gone through some major changes since then. As such, I found myself drowning in nostalgia as I wandered the digital world of tween-friendly gaming sites once again.
THE PAST: CLUB PENGUIN
Club Penguin
Club Penguin Mountains
As a 2001 baby, Club Penguin was a major part of my childhood. During its popularity in 2007, I remembered begging my parents for a membership, opening the doors to more in-game customization options. Seeing as I willingly invested all my free time in the game over a few years, the popularity of Club Penguin was certainly justified. With creative customization options and interactive storylines embedded into its gameplay, it was a site full of endless possibilities for a child’s imagination. My favorite minigame had to be Ice Fishing as it was the simplest one to earn coins in order to customize my avatar and igloo.
Until now, its popularity has been sustained through fan-made servers, the most popular one being Club Penguin Rewritten, which is an exact imitation of the original online site (with the exception of free memberships!) for fans across all ages to play. If you wish to relive your nostalgia of the most popular online gaming site, Club Penguin Rewritten is definitely worth your time.
THE PAST: NEOPETS
As much as Club Penguin has overthrown any other popular gaming site with its sustained relevance for over a decade, we can’t have a nostalgic reminiscence of cute online games without the original gangster – Neopets. Released in 1999, it was the first online gaming site to feature cute characters and allowed users to create personas to which they could customize to their own liking. The fantasy, mythical theme to the game alongside its adorable visuals made it stand out among the other existing online games at the time. Thus, it garnered a lot of attention in its year of release.
Its gameplay is very similar to Facebook’s Pet Society which had a considerable amount of popularity back in 2009. The good news is, unlike Pet Society, the original server is still available for players to relive their nostalgia. Neopets has also withstood the test of time for over 20 years, and I mean literally. The website layout, as well as the old visual elements still remain unchanged to this day. To make things better, a mobile-friendly beta version will be released in 2020 to allow fans to revisit the lands of Neopia on the go. Despite the significant decrease in popularity, Neopets is still relevant to loyal fans and aims to attract more of their foregone fanbase with the arrival of the mobile version.
Pet Society
Pet Society
The similarities between our childhood games and the current trendy games are simply uncanny. What was it about these games that caught the attention of our 6 years old selves and why is it still popular and relevant up till today? The answer lies in the components that make up the recipe to a good online gaming site. Over the years, from Neopets in 1999 to Club Penguin in 2007, and even up till now with Animal Crossing: New Horizons in 2020, all these games have roots of the same concept – creating an avatar that serves as an escape from our mundane lives with endless possibilities based on our imagination. Even the currently trending game Among Us does not forego the concept of adorable crewmate characters bouncing around, boosting the popularity of the game. With mini crewmates as pets, this in-game purchase worth $5.99 is definitely one I won’t regret.
