Scrolling through my Facebook feed a few days ago, I stumbled upon some news that my elementary school-self would have found tragic: Club Penguin is closing their site on March 29th.
For those of you who don’t know, www.clubpenguin.com is an online virtual world where children can create a penguin avatar to play games, meet other penguins, buy clothes and pets, and furnish their igloo.
My friends and I used to play together in late elementary school, and always got a kick out of the games and chats. The accounts were free and so easy to create; I must have had a dozen accounts after countless times of forgetting my password.
On January 30, Club Penguin announced they are shutting down their desktop version of the virtual world but will be launching an app called Club Penguin Island. So the beloved Club Penguin will still be around, just not same as the good ole days my friends and I reflect back on.
So in honor of this news, I took the initiative to create an account in order to reminisce and enjoy a final, genuine Club Penguin experience. And better yet – I would share it in an Odyssey article so I could have a valid excuse for playing a children’s game… I mean, so I could put fun, engaging content on Odyssey’s website.
When I first started creating the account, I immediately knew I did not belong in this virtual world.
Naturally, my penguin name had to be witty and creative, so I put “penny”, so I could be “penny the penguin.” To my dissatisfaction, however, “penny” was already taken. But, Club Penguin graciously suggested “penny14575.” Whew, close one.
Being asked for my parent’s email address next was probably supposed to be a wake-up call to do something more productive and age-appropriate with my life, but instead I went on and proudly typed in my own email address, knowing that I am the 18-year-old boss of me.
After confirming my own email address (heck yeah), my coral penguin came to life with dramatic dubstep music, courtesy Club Penguin playing in the background. I was told to pick a server to hang out in (there are multiple options), and I chose the “hypothermia” server.
I started my time in the land of penguins by exploring all the game has to offer. I went to the clothing store first to swag out my penguin. Ladies and gents, Penny14575:
I also made a stop at the pet store to buy a puffle, which is a little fluff ball that penguins keep as pets (naturally). Looking forward to taking a purple puffle back to my igloo, I was disappointed to find out that only Club Penguin paying members can buy the purple one. Since my account is free, I am limited to only two types of puffles: the blue one and the red one. Having to make a tough decision, I went with the blue one and named him Parker, to stick with the “P” theme.
After spending all my coins on ugly clothing and a walking fluff ball, I realized I needed to make a living for myself (so as to continue my luxurious penguin lifestyle). As my experienced penguin self remembered from the olden days, the way to do that is by playing games. So immediately I went to what I remember being my favorite one, bean counters. In this game, you have to move your penguin from side to side in order to catch sacks of coffee beans as they are launched out of a delivery truck, while avoiding unwanted objects such as dead fish and flower pots.
My 17-year-old brother watched over my shoulder confusedly as I got a little too into the game. Dodging objects, catching sacks of coffee beans, and making sure not to buckle under the weight of the beans – I was a pro all over again.
After a few good games of bean counters and a restored bank account, I continued to explore the penguin world. Checking out every shop, park, and chat room, I stumbled upon something strange: a place called the “Everyday Phoning Facility.” I went in and clicked on a phone, not suspecting anything. But once I picked up the phone, something spectacular happened: I was asked to become an agent to help protect my fellow penguins. I had completely forgotten about the penguin agency I used to love so much! I gratefully accepted the request and began my journey of serving the penguin community for the better.
My first mission was to help Auntie Arctic find her two missing puffles. I was told I would need about 40 minutes to complete the mission, but this baddie did it in about half the time. Finding these puffles involved decoding a message, rescuing stranded penguins, fixing a telescope, and climbing a mountain. Don’t ask me how, but I did it.
In conclusion, after my time spent on Club Penguin as a college student, I think it’s time to start writing about more important things. But nonetheless, being a bean-catching agent penguin for a day was pretty darn fun, and if anyone wants to come out and meet Penny14575: you can find her in hypothermia.
