Wizard101

Through most of the game, Wizard101 has players exploring The Spiral and defeating evil doers as a student at Ravenwood. There's nothing wrong with that, but some of the most amazing and memorable game experiences I've had came from dungeons that put me in unique situations. The first two that come to mind are Ghost Avalon and the Chamber(s) of the Mind.

Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Wizard101. Happy birthday to you! It's been 8 years. That's right, 8 years since the launch of Wizard101 (September 2nd, 2008). Over the years, the game has grown and evolved in so many ways, and I'm happy that I've been there to see some of the changes firsthand.

For as long as I can remember, I was always playing some type of videogame. Some of my earliest adventures were with Pajama Sam, Spy Fox, Putt-Putt, and the Backyard Sports crew. From there, I gravitated towards the consoles of my childhood - the Game Boy Advance, GameCube, and PlayStation 2 to name a few. But it wasn't until I became a new student at Ravenwood that I truly experienced a game like no other.

KingsIsle loves to throw in some secret goodies when an update is brought into the live realm ... and the summer update was no different. Players were pleasantly surprised when they found two new packs for sale in the Crown Shop.

After getting a few teases about it on last month's KI Live, Wizard101's summer update is finally ready to be tested by players in the test realm. The test servers first opened up last Wednesday and players flooded it to see just what all the hype was about. Although the summer update didn't give access to any new locations, it did polish things up nicely and fulfilled some longtime player wishes.

It's safe to say most people are aware of my well-fed derby obsession in Wizard101. That's right; I fully admit it's an obsession. It actually all started when I created a new goal - to collect all the badges. In order to achieve that goal, I needed to earn what seemed like such a rare title ... pet warlord.

After taking a month off due to the unfortunate company layoffs, KingsIsle's fan-favorite monthly live stream event, KI Live, made an exciting comeback last Friday. Joining Community Manager, Tom Purdue (Dworgyn in Wizard101 and One-Eyed Jack in Pirate101), was his brand new co-host, Leah Ruben (Professor Falmea), who is the Senior Producer of MMO Content.

Wizard101 has a plethora of worlds to explore, but some are more likeable than others. Today I'm sharing my favorite and least favorite worlds in the spiral. I know there are some grey areas when it comes to what's considered a "world" nowadays. Places like Darkmoor and Aquila for example, have their own hubs, but are still accessed through Wizard City.

After battling through the Eclipse Tower in Khrysalis, Wizard101 players can potentially unleash their inner darkness by training shadow spells. Shadow magic is supposedly the most unstable and difficult magic to control. In fact, Bartleby and Grandmother Raven urged Merle Ambrose to stay far away from it. Luckily, rebellious wizard is my middle name.

Some things we just can't explain. Why are we attracted to certain things? Why do we hold onto them? In every game I've ever played, I was always collecting SOMETHING. However, I don't think there was ever a particular reason why. It just seemed to happen by itself. Although, I will totally admit to being a "completionist." To the best of my ability, I like to explore everything that a game offers and leave no stones unturned.

Winnie the Pooh fans might think the new mount that was introduced with Mount-A-Palooza looks and sounds a bit familiar. Wizard101's newest mount, the Wuffalump, is an adorable baby elephant that you can customize in the dye shop by changing the colors of its saddle and toenails. In Winnie the Pooh, there is a giant purple elephant that goes by the name of Heffalump. As someone who grew up with Winnie the Pooh, I definitely approve of this cute nod.

It's my belief that soloing a game is something more and more people seem to take for granted. I understand the want to keep progressing at a fairly nice pace, but at what cost? Soloing allows you to develop your skills and fully understand whatever game you're playing. Back when I made my first wizard in 2013, I made a conscious effort to solo as much as I possibly could.

It's that time once again! KingsIsle dropped the spring update into the test realm last Thursday while they were preparing for a big weekend of SXSW fun. The update touches upon many aspects of the game and has been well received overall. Although not a huge update, I do feel that it's an important one. Some elements included in it have even been requested by players for years!

Have you caught a glimpse of those three mysterious teasers floating around the community lately? The first tease was revealed in the March newsletter which showcased four shadowy figures with the header "A Mysterious Omen." Their presence was not alone though. Official fansites were given a sneak peak of their own to share. The second hint displayed a Krokotopia theme with a mander, a Nirini, Krokopatra, and what looks to be the sun god himself - Ra!

Compared to some others, I'm still very much a newbie when it comes to Wizard101. I first signed up to play right after the New Year in 2013. Like most new players, I didn't have the slightest clue as to what I was doing. Many of my early decisions were made by uneducated guesses rather than strategic plans. Luckily, after learning the ropes and finding some helpful sources and mentors along the way, I can say I've grown a lot since my first day of class.