Summary

• Neopets, launched in 1999, has aged decently and is trying to adapt to modern player preferences.
• The game's world has expanded with new locations and lore, but it can feel lonely.
• Neopets still has an active fanbase, with new storylines and mobile games attracting players.

It's surprising to say that Neopets is turning 25 years old, but what's even more surprising is playing it again after 15 or so years. Seemingly standing the test of time, Neopets was released in 1999 to a fan-base of excited kids wanting something to scratch their "cute creature game" itch, while also being something entirely different. Neopets even managed to survive the death of Flash, and managed to come back stronger than ever. There are a lot of changes that Neopets have made over the years, adding in new content and creating a mobile game, all the while staying true to its original platform on the internet.

Neopets' constant dedication to its fan base has helped over the years and brought back players who might have otherwise forgotten the game existed. With the recent push towards adding new features for the anniversary and getting things geared up for special announcements and releases, some players have decided to gravitate back to playing. They were met with some familiar faces, but also maybe a little bit of a shock at how much things have changed, while also somehow managing to stay exactly the same.

It's Been 15 Years Since I Stepped Through The Doors Of Neopia

Neopets Has Changed Since The 2000s

While my memory of exactly what was available in Neopets may be fuzzy, there are some things I fondly. As a young kid in the late 90s and early 2000s, I was an avid Neopets player, often finding myself playing the classic Meerca Chase and chatting with "friends" about Green Day and My Chemical Romance on the forums. I decided that, with all the buzz about the new Animal Crossing-esque Neopets game and the 25-year anniversary upon us, it was time to start playing again.

Logging in was a bit difficult. The email I had used was one that my parents set up ages ago and thankfully still use, but I had to reach out to the team to get everything taken care of to . After a bit of time, I was able to visit the world of Neopia and, boy, what I found was surprising. See, as a kid I being so excited about visiting shops, going through the stories they had, and playing games.

It almost felt a little sad.

I would spend hours visiting each of the stores in Neopia Central, but now there are so many new stores that I have never seen before. Places like Brightvale and Shenkuu now dot the map, each with their own unique designs and backstories. It's pretty interesting to take the time and read the lore, if you're feeling up to it, of course. The world itself is a bit confusing, which I don't feeling as a kid, and there are no clear ways to get to any of these locations aside from clicking on them, clicking around, and then going back out to the main world map.

Something about these worlds feels lonely, like you're not supposed to be there. Most of the shops I clicked on had no stock and this was a common theme throughout the new locations. I don't know if this was because I was visiting in the early afternoon on a Friday, or if there just aren't enough players to keep any sort of stock around. Either way, some locations just felt pointless – like they drifted into existence and continued to float there without anyone acknowledging they were there. It almost felt a little sad.

Neopets' Forgotten Days Of Old Are Tinted By Nostalgia

Neopia Does Not Feel Like The Bustling Place It Once Was

Now that I've fully immersed myself back in the game, taking care to feed my poor starving pets and roaming around seeing the different sights, I think what surprises me the most about Neopets is how things are so different, but at the same time, absolutely nothing has changed. The same Neopets are still available, the classic shops are still around, and there are still the incredible mini-games to play, but all this goes to say that I don't how I spent so much time on this site.

I being so excited to come home, wait for the dial-up to connect, and hop into my favorite game. I used to spend a decent amount of time in the chat rooms, or Guilds as they're called in the game, but I can't imagine that's where I spent all of my time. Now, it feels like a ghost town. The Guilds are all still active, with a lot of them having a founding date of 2001 and revolving around topics like Supernatural and Harry Potter, but there are still some boards that have active , especially when it comes to the ongoing story.

One thing that Neopets does have going for it is the new story line called The Void Within. From my understanding, there are different chapters that players can access each month, but it's hard to tell if the comic that is available is missing words or if it just isn't loading correctly. Overall, it seems to be a large draw to the site, with the most active area I saw being the Community Board dedicated to figuring out what was going to happen next.

The Future Of Neopets & What's In Store For The Franchise

World Of Neopets & New Mobile Games

Regardless of my experience, it does seem like there are a lot of people that still visit Neopia daily. The Neopets Switch game a few years ago.

There are other games and areas that are still in progress, like World of Neopets, which is supposed to be a life simulation game set from the perspective of a Neopet, and other more mobile-focused games. This might be enough to draw the attention of an entirely new group of fans, especially those who might not want to use a web browser and would prefer to play a mobile game. Hopefully, these games will inspire a new generation to dive into the world of Neopets and explore Neopia 25 years later.

Source: Neopets/X