Current college students are a part of a unique generation that grew up with computers, but still, remember their moms telling them to get off the computer so she could use the phone.
As such, we hold late 00's MMOs near and dear to our hearts. Truly, relics of that transitional time between dial-up and xfinitywifi where our childhoods thrived, when mobile gaming and microtransactions weren't what got kids in trouble.
Unfortunately, earlier this year, we had to part with one of our most beloved online multiplayer games - Club Penguin. The entire Internet wept when Club Penguin shut down in March.
Even though we hadn't checked on our "puffles" in years, our ten-year-old selves rolled in our metaphorical graves knowing we could never play the Mine Shaft game again, or deliberately incur a twenty-four-hour ban for cursing.
At least we finally got to tip the iceberg, though.
Yet, there's still more hope. Here are some games from our childhood you can still play in 2017!
1. Webkinz
Webkinz hasn't undergone that many updates since it's prime. Its interface, minigames, and features will still be familiar. And if you don't remember your login, you don't need to beg your mom to take you to Hallmark and spend $25 on a secret code.
2. Runescape
Runescape got me hooked on fantasy when I was too young to understand how to play Dungeons & Dragons. Runescape is now an app you download, rather than an in-browser game. For those feeling extra nostalgic, there are two available versions of Runescape: Runescape '07 and current Runescape.
3. Poptropica
Those eyes are gonna haunt me in my sleep.
4. Wizard 101
When JK Rowling did not deliver a wizarding school RPG, Kingisle Entertainment did. This MMO is campy, theme heavy, full of fun referential humor, and is unique in that it's turn-based combat.
5. Habbo Hotel
The homepage is nearly the same as it was seven years ago. The concept of this game is straightforward. Decorate your rooms, style your avatar, socialize, and sell your soul to microtransactions.
6. Minecraft
Minecraft is not an online game but has a lot of nostalgic value nonetheless. While there have been many updates, it's not totally unrecognizable from its early iterations. Minecraft now thrives as an insanely large franchise kids still enjoy today and put out cringe-y youtube content for. It's available on PC, mobile, or console.
7. Roblox
Oof. This lego look-alike probably thrives now more than it did ten years ago.
8. IMVU
How is this still up? I can't imagine this generates revenue for its developers. This is like The Sims if it were an MMO and every sim were an Instagram model with no job other than being a "public figure."
9. Toontown
Toontown Online has been shut down, but the franchise thrives with Toontown Rewritten.
10. Neopets
You're older. You're stronger. You can now withstand the emotional abuse of neglecting your pets.
11. Club Penguin Island
True, the Club Penguin we knew and loved is gone; but its successor lives on.
