By now we've all heard that Club Penguin has announced it's shutting down. This is my childhood ending. I'm not ready to say goodbye to my penguin and my puffles and being a secret agent and a ninja who plays find four and makes pizzas and smoothies on the side. (Ah, wasn't that the life?)
I haven't logged on in about eight years, but I did this past weekend and I played the game obsessively. I failed almost immediately because I had forgotten how to do just about everything. Some of the games are more difficult than I remembered. And so much of the world of Club Penguin has changed. There are new places to see, new missions to embark on, and new games to play. So, if you're like me and you use to play this online gamefor hours on end, these are some things you absolutely have to do one last time.
Customize Your Igloo
When you were first starting out, it took forever to get the amount of coins you needed to furnish your igloo. But when you collected enough, you had tables, chairs, and disco dance floors.
Play With Your Puffle
I had a blue puffle and his name was blueberry. I walked him all over town, bought him hats, took him to the gym and the spa, and fed him his favorite snack: apples. There were also games you could play with your puffle like puffle roundup and puffle rescue.
Change Your Style
It was always fun to go shopping and get cool new shirts, hats, and accessories. You could also walk your puffle on a leash and that was always a neat addition to your style (as a penguin who loves their puffle).
Make Friends
Making friends was the best part because you would agree on a time to log on and choose the same server (I always chose "Snow Angel") and then you two would walk around the island like a boss just owning the pizza parlor and the dojo.
Visit The Dance Club
Your penguin basically had five actions. You could walk. You could sit (in any direction). You could throw a snowball. You could wave. And you could dance. But let's face it; dancing was the best one.
"Rock The Iceberg"
This one wasn't as popular, but the music was always jammin' and every penguin was dancing the same routine all at different tempos. It was a never ending party at the lighthouse.
Play Find Four
Not to be confused with connect four. Waiting endlessly for a brave soul to take you on and then ultimately trying to trap each other using the same technique we all think we've mastered. But hey, that's the beauty of the game.
Go Ice Fishing
This was my favorite game, not only because I was a master at it.... I never caught less than 100 yellow fish, but also because it's not as easy as it looks. The garbage in the water scares the fish away and the crabs, sharks, and jellyfish are the enemy. But when that mullet came along, you knew you were invincible.
Go Cart Surfing
Okay, now this game was the most entertaining yet frustrating thing in the world. Lean left, but not too much. Lean right, and then you fall. Jump over things that are in the way. Ride the cart but you can't lean while riding or you'll fall. Duck under falling debris. Like, what?
Sled Race (and trip over the log)
This was another game that you had to wait for other player to join and yet no matter how many times you played, there was always that one log that caught you by surprise.
Earn Your Black Belt (and become a Ninja)
You're a grasshopper and Sensei taught you everything you needed to know about Card-Jitsu. You practiced and practiced and played with everyone. You spent hours, days, weeks in the dojo. You earned every belt color and worked your way up to being a ninja.
Go On One Last Mission (as a Secret Agent)
You searched the entire island to find headquarters (and it was always right under your nose). You trained. You went on missions to find puffles and fix oddly suspicious broken machinery. You rescued fellow agents. You were the best in the business.
Get Trolled By Club Penguin
It was always something new with Club Penguin. They celebrated every holiday. They had dance parties every week. And sometimes they even had a little fun.
Club Penguin shuts down on March 29, 2017. Just a little less than two months left until we have to say goodbye to one of the best parts of our childhood. Go and play, grasshopper. Make Sensei proud.
