MDA & 8 Kinds of Fun: Poptropica

Poptropica is an online role-playing game, developed in 2007 by Pearson Education’s Family Education Network, and targeted towards children aged 6 to 15 even though people of all ages can enjoy the game. The main objective in this game is to progress through the islands and solve every challenge that comes your way. You can choose your player and customize the character as you see fit.

Dynamics and Aesthetics

In general, I would say there are three aesthetics that make Poptropica a fun experience that keeps me hooked:

• Challenge: Whenever I play Poptropica, I feel as though I am constantly being challenged and am never bored. Every challenge is the perfect level of complexity which makes it a fun learning experience to solve. I could play Poptropica for hours and work on perfecting every challenge.
• Discovery: One of my favorite aspects of the game is the discovery aspect. I love exploring new islands and new challenges that come with every island. This discovery aspect keeps the game feeling exciting and novel.
• Fantasy: Poptropica was designed by the author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and I love the visual aesthetic of the game. Every character is imbued with personality and the islands look so inviting.