It's Back! Poptropica Returns with Poptropica Worlds

This review was made possible by iConnect and Poptropica Worlds. I was provided compensation to facilitate this post, but all opinions stated are 100% mine. 

I don't know that anyone could be bigger fans of the Poptropica game than my boys. When they first learned that their favorite author (Jeff Kinney of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series) was behind the game, they wanted to play. This was years ago, when it first launched, and now they are excited to see a new version: Poptropica Worlds!

Poptropica Worlds, by StoryArc Media, is available as an iOS or Android app download but can be played seamlessly between mobile or your computer web browser. The new game is as safe as the original, allowing kids ages 6-12 to visit island after island to fight monsters and solve mysteries. It takes brainpower to play this game, and my kids are up for the challenge!

My boys love stories -- especially good stories. The islands allow them to follow many engaging story lines to find solutions to problems, meet goals, and explore learning in a completely low-pressure way. It's the perfect summer vacation treat, because it feels like regular gaming while they learn stuff!

What did my boys think of the reboot? Well, the first thing they did was customize their Poptropican avatar. That was an activity in itself, because they won't start playing until they each get it just right. With 2 million other users each month in the gaming environment, it's important that they feel like their avatar is as special as they are!

Here's a video trailer showing you what the game is all about:

I can see why Poptropica was named one of Time Magazine's "50 Websites that Make the Web Great”. It's a well-thought out, safe, and fun ecosystem for kids to experience. They will learn fundamentals of literacy, problems solving and critical thinking skills that they'll use for a lifetime. How many games can claim to do that?

And did I mention that it is FREE? Yes. 

While there is lots of cool merchandise tie-ins to the platform, including books and gear, these are completely optional. Poptropica is one game that anyone -- even those on a budget -- can be OK with their kids getting into.

The boys have just started really getting to know the Poptropica Worlds reboot. They are pleased so far. I have also learned that there are some cool new things happening on the platform, including:

• A customizable “House” on Home Island that will reflect their activity in the game and will resemble their personal avatar!
• Crisis Caverns, a new story island that features a supervolcano on the verge of destroying Poptropica. This storyline is designed to teach kids about geology (an important STEM topic) and is modeled after the supervolcano in Yellowstone National Park!
• Cars III game themes in celebration of the new Disney movie and Disney's partnership with Poptropica Worlds!

The next time your kids say that they are bored, consider signing the up for this game. If they are going to game, anyway, they might as well play on a monitored, educational platform!

Parents will always be notified when their kids set up an account, and I recommend that you walk your kids through the first time they use it. I always feel like my kids are safe on this platform, which is a big deal these days. I appreciate their privacy and communication policies, too. 

You can get your kids playing right away -- for free -- at these links:

• Android play
• iOS play

You can also check out the social handles for the game team. Follow on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

Like this? Sign up for our weekly newsletter and get more of the goodness, plus exclusive giveaway offers!